April 20 - June 26, 2024
“An important function of the exhibitions and other group projects in the network is: to open channels to other human beings.”
— H. R. Fricker & Mark Bloch
Impression is a community focused art exhibition showcasing the work of D. Colin, Kerry Dayton, Ali Herrmann, and Catherine Quinones-Austin. They will be sharing their personal experience through art in combination with a community mail art exhibit from April 20-June 26, 2024.
Impression exemplifies the transformative power of art as a creative, personal, and therapeutic release. Through their diverse styles and mediums, Colin, Dayton, Herrmann, and Quinones-Austin invite viewers to explore the depths of human emotion and experience. In a society often characterized by noise and chaos, art and artists remind us of the importance of slowing down, tuning into our inner selves, and embracing the beauty that surrounds us.
In combination with these individual artists’ endeavors, the mail art project invites members of the public to anonymously share their own personal artistic outlets for expression. By providing blank postcards at various locations throughout Saratoga County, we encourage others to unleash their creativity and share their own stories with the world. Whether it be a simple doodle or a heartfelt message, each postcard serves as a testament to the power of art as a universal language, capable of bridging the gaps between individuals and communities. The postcards will be displayed on the gallery walls throughout the exhibition.
Artist Bios Below
Benefit Events:
Collage Workshop
Past Event
Yoga Benefit with Kendra Farstad, May 4, 9am: Join Kendra for a gentle and joyful morning yoga practice. The class will honor the mantra of “Live like Liv” through playful exploration of stress-relieving postures after a brief guided meditation. All levels are welcome to attend and modifications will be suggested and welcomed if necessary. Bring your own yoga mat.
Poetry Reading with D. Colin, May 23, 7pm (ticketed event) D. Colin, whose artwork is included in the exhibit, “Impression,” will be reading and performing poems related to her art, followed by an artist talk with questions from the audience.
Artist Talk moderated by Aili Lopez, LMHC, ATR, Co-founder and Program Director at C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios, June 1, 7pm
Collage Workshop with Ali Herrmann, June 9, 2-4pm: In this two hour workshop, we will create abstract artworks while exploring the art of collage.
A portion of the sales of this exhibition and all event profits will be donated in memory of Olivia Allen. A 2023 Saratoga High School graduate, Olivia recently lost her battle with Leukemia. She was an award-winning athlete, volunteered as a Best Buddy, had an infectious smile and among many other things was a positive influence on everyone she met. #LiveLikeLiv #Livstrong
Curator's Statement
The artistic vision is for this exhibit to connect the public with local and regional artists and cultural and artistic resources to create visual and placemaking experiences bridging the gap between regional barriers and predetermined ideas of what art is or should be used for. The exhibit supports the networking strength of the arts as a community resulting in a welcoming and inspiring exhibition and art experience. A platform for community immersion of digestible and relatable experience through art.
About the Artists
D. Colin is a multidisciplinary artist of Haitian descent. Her creative practice focuses on poetry, visual art and theater. She has performed for The Moth, PBS, Write About Now, NPR and has toured both nationally and abroad. She is also a Cave Canem, VONA and New York State Writers Institute fellow. As a visual artist, D. Colin’s work includes acrylic paintings, collage and murals. Her art has been shown at Albany Center Gallery, Hamilton Hill Arts Center, Albany International Airport, the Underground Railroad Education Center and various exhibits with Black Dimensions in Art, Inc. among others. Currently, she is the curator of The Fish Market Project for the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Learn more about her work at dcolin.com.
Kerry Dayton is a multidisciplinary artist. She honed her artistic skills while working as a Decorative Painter for residential and commercial settings. Blending her various skills of lace design, medical illustration, set painting and retail visual display, she is currently painting with oil and cold wax medium and mixed media with a focus on installation art. Her artwork has been shown at Blooming Artist Gallery, Second Street Studios, The Arts Center of the Capital Region and Cooperstown Art Association. Dayton, is a graduate of Alfred University and holds a BFA. She resides in Schenectady, NY. Learn more about her work at kerrydayton.com
Ali Herrmann is a mixed media painter and colorist. Embodying the realm of non-objective abstraction, her work combines familial narratives of quilting with geometric shapes while working in paper, paint, and collage. She has been exhibiting her work for over 25 years locally and nationally. Most recently, her work has been displayed at such galleries as Emerge Gallery, Pause Gallery, Laffer Gallery, Albany Center Gallery, and LabSpace. Herrmann received her BFA from Bennington College in Bennington, VT. She currently resides in Troy, NY. Learn more about her work at aliherrmann.com
Catherine Quinones-Austin is a multi-medium artist and teacher for over 26 years. She is captivated by people, especially their portraits. She delves into a unique style of portraiture that explores the relationship between animals and humans and aims for the whimsical. Her has been exhibited at The Henry & Miriam Butzel Gallery, Clement Gallery and The Arts Center of the Capital Region. Catherine received her Bachelor of Science in Art Education at The College of Saint Rose. She currently resides in Troy, NY.
Mail Art Guidelines
Thank you for participating in our Community Art Project.
-Please use the front of the postcard to create your own personal artistic expression.
-All 2D media is welcome: paint, literature, collage etc.
-All work will stay anonymous. Do not include your own or anyone else’s name in your work or on the postcard.
-Once completed, stamp and place the postcard into a mailbox.
-The postcards will be displayed in our gallery for the entirety of the IMPRESSION Exhibition.
-The deadline for postcard submissions is April 13
Saratoga Arts made this program possible through the Community Arts Regrant Program, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
