Vibrant, Eclectic Work of 8 Artists to Benefit Haiti

“Art for Haiti,” an art exhibition, comprises a group of talented artists who are coming together to support Movin' With The Spirit, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping the people residing in the poorest region of Haiti.

Come join us for an evening of great art, food, music, and drinks at ARTSPACE GALLERY, 555 Asylum Ave., Hartford, on Jan. 5 from 6 to 10 p.m. 

Exhibiting artists are: Andria Alex, Paul Baldassini, David Bauer, Andres Chaparro, Robert Charles Hudson, Phil Ouelette, Joyce Senesac and Pierre Sylvain. 

Donation: $5 suggested at the door. Ex

All proceeds of the Jan. 5-29 exhibit at Hartford's ArtSpace Gallery support MOVIN' WITH THE SPIRIT, a non-profit dedicated to helping the people residing in the poorest region of Haiti.

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Sponsored by: Nora Cupcake Co. & Eli Cannon's in Middletown, Giovanni Hair Design in West Hartford, and Milano Salon and Day Spa in Bloomfield.

Artists' statements

Andria Alex: A prominent expressionist painter based in Connecticut who works mainly in acrylics, oils and mixed media, Andria Alex is a professional Scenic Artist. She has painted sets for various regional Connecticut theaters, and has been the Charge Scenic Artist at TheaterWorks Hartford since 2006. Andria graduated with a BFA from Central Connecticut State University, and studied at the Art Students League of New York. Andria creates commissioned works and her art can be found in many personal collections.

Aside from exhibiting art on a regular basis and painting theater sets, Andria is the owner of Alex Painting and Design interiors and faux finish painting. She is also the artist and designer of a large mural installation in downtown Hartford, which can be viewed at www.AndriaAlex.com.  

Andria is the current founding President of the East Haddam Art League, a member of Connecticut Women Artists, and a member of the Windsor Palette and Brush Club.

To see more of Andria's work, visit here, here and here.

David Bauer: A lifelong Middletown resident, David Bauer sought a way to visually represent the myriad changes the warmest year on record had on the region.  Using the transformative power of sunset, David has explored the remarkable variations of Middletown's riverfront over the course of six months.

Braving insect swarms, the varied aroma of riverbank detritus, and most notably the excess materials from two waste treatment plants upstream, David looked to capture the majestic dance of light that heralds the sun's departure.

Culled from 60 gigabytes of images, David provides a seasonal glimpse of the unlimited diversity nature bestows upon those who care to stop and observe.

Paul Baldassini: A fine artist, graphic artist, designer and photographer.  Having had some traditional training, Paul considers himself a self-taught painter due to his total immersion into a highly self-motivated learning process outside the realm of formal instruction.  Paul’s technique is very similar to that of the Old Masters, yet skillfully incorporates a modern feel with a contemporary style.  Paul captures specific moments of a scene as objectively as possible with a certain believability and authenticity while continuing to advance a style of painting that blends detail with the elegant aesthetics of a fine art painting.

Andres Chaparro: A self-taught artist born in Hartford in 1963, Andres Chaparro studied art history in college, though he has never taken an instructional art class.  As early as he can remember, music and art have been an integral part of his life.  At the age of 13, Andres was introduced to jazz music with which he made an instant spiritual connection, a defining moment in his life as an artist. 

While in high school Andres frequently visited the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum, his first introduction to the world of visual art.  Having had a life-long affinity for drawing,  Andres credits those museum visits with making him fall in love with art.

In the 1980s Andres embarked on his journey as a neo-expressionist artist while completing his studies in New York City.  He explored jazz as an enthusiast and visited SoHo art galleries and other major museums during this time.  Andres painted for two years during which he explored different mediums and various subject matters;  however, he was always drawn to jazz which, in turn, led to many of his early pieces reflecting jazz greats such as John Coltrane.  After two years, Andres put down his brushes, and although he continued to sketch, he would not paint again for another twenty years.

In 2010 Andres’ desire to paint emerged once again, and he began painting, this time in his home studio.  He can now be found painting on various surfaces and uses a variety of techniques. He even engages his children in the process, setting them up with their own materials and encouraging them to create ‘off the cuff,’ in effect following in their father’s footsteps.

Andres’ work is fluid and free, his paintings reflecting more concern for spontaneous emotion rather than traditional conventions. Many incorporate ‘found objects,’ strong color contrast, and distorted subject matter. His body of work is comprised of paintings completed after his extended hiatus while many of his early paintings remain in private collections.

Andres says of his paintings, “I am not pursuing perfection through my paintings; rather I strive to create art that is honest and true.  My work is heavily influenced by jazz music.  It inspires me, and, like jazz, my art is improvised.  I never start out actually knowing where the painting is going and when it will end.”

Phil Ouellette: Not your average artist, Phil Ouellette of Chester uses the walls of his two businesses on Main Street Middletown, Eli Cannon’s Tap Room and NoRA Cupcake Co., as ever-changing installations for artwork. As the customers arrive, the rooms become performance art even though they think they are just there for wings, beer or cupcakes!

Joyce  Senesac: A Chester watercolorist who has studied locally with Chris Piantek, Bivenne Staiger and Robert Norieka s well as nationally with Tony Couch and Charles Reid, Joyce Senesac enjoys the translucency and mingling of colors that watercolor provides.

Joyce has taught watercolor and conducted demos at several locations in Connecticut.  She is a member of Maple & Main Gallery in Chester. She has won numerous awards for her paintings including Best in Show at the East Hampton Art Guild show in 2012. Joyce may be contacted via phone at 860-358-9212 or via email at sack3@comcast.net.

Pierre Sylvain: An artist whose paintings are a surreal journey evoking movement and grace across characters and scenery alike, Pierre Sylvain is a self-taught artist and native of Haiti. His island heritage infuses his color choices and juxtaposed images. From Cubist to abstract, humble to fantastical, his intention is to create a series that evokes your spirit.

The show runs through Jan. 29.