CLARKS SUMMIT — Art is in full bloom at The Gathering Place with a new display called “Flowers: Wild & Still.” The art committee shared ideas about which themes to put on the walls and believed a display of flowers best represents this season of growing. Artists submitted paintings of many different kinds of flowers.
Artists whose works are on display and others came to The Gathering Place for an opening reception on May 31, mingling with other artists and people who stopped by while having snacks provided by the committee.
Many of the artists based their paintings off flowers they either grew themselves or bought from a florist. Tunkhannock resident Michelle Thomas was one of the latter. She bought irises from her local florist.
“I had gone to my local florist and wanted spring flowers,” she said. “Of course, I had to cut them. When I cut them, I realized it was an interesting composition and I left it like that.”
Thomas modeled her flowers and created an acrylic painting called “Iris in Vase.”
Carol Matheson, of Springville, did a watercolor painting called “White Swan.” She painted a cone flower she grew from her garden, naming the painting after the unique nickname of its kind.
“Usually, when you see a cone flower, it’s pink,” she said. “But the name of the variety happens to be white swan.”
Cindy Gillotti, of Clarks Green, painted two watercolors that hang on the walls of The Gathering Place. For her “Japanese Anemone,” she picked them from her garden, placed them in a bowl, and made a painting of the look.
“They grow in my garden,” she said. “I think they’re beautiful, so I put them in a bowl.”
Her other painting is called “Yellow Rose.” She got a rose from her rosebush, placed it next to a vase, then took a photo of both the rose and vase to use as a model for this painting. She included the details of the vase as well as a reflection of the rose. This is Gillotti’s first time having her artwork displayed at The Gathering Place.
“It’s a nice space,” she said. “It’s a centralized location. So many of my friends come.”
Gillotti’s friend and Dalton resident Janet Geeza, with whom she shares a watercolor class on Thursday evenings taught by Cindy Reynolds, came to the reception with her 9-year-old granddaughter Astrid Geeza to see Gillotti’s paintings as well as the many other displayed artworks.
“I like to support The Gathering Place, and how they support arts and the community from all different genres,” said Janet.
