OCEAN CITY, MD — April 28, 2023 — The Art League of Ocean City opens their May exhibits with a group show celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The free opening is on Friday, May 5, 5-7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th St. bayside, and the public is invited to attend.
The Thaler Gallery exhibits the work of 16 Asian American and Pacific Islander artists, many from universities and colleges around the nation. The exhibition, entitled “Gather,” was curated by Jinchul Kim, a distinguished figurative painter and professor of art at Salisbury University.
Kim was born in South Korea and came to the United States in 1989. Asian-Americans make up 5.7% of the nation’s population, and the focus of the exhibition is showing how art can bridge cultures.
“We envision our work as an emblematic mission connecting two dialectics between ancient and modern, East and West …” Kim said. “Our work offers a widening human experience and spreads diversity, allowing the universality of art to link us all.”
The 16 exhibiting artists are Mina Cheon of the Maryland Institute College of Art; SukJin Choi of James Madison University; Brian Doan of Long Beach (Ca.) City College; Yumi Hogan of the Maryland Institute College of Art; Kei Ito of the International Center for Photography New York City; Jennifer Leung Johnson of Salisbury University; and Sunhee Kim Jung of Anne Arundel Community College.
Also Jean Jinho Kim; Jinchul Kim; Sumita Kim of Montgomery College; Wonsook Kim of Illinois State University; B.G. Muhn of Georgetown University; Jinsoon Oh; Komelia Hongja Okim of Montgomery College; Foon Sham of the University of Maryland; and Naoco Wowsugi of American University.
An accompanying exhibition catalog, sponsored by The Tong Family Charitable Trust, will be available at the Arts Center. Blue Fish Restaurant will provide complimentary Asian hors d’oeuvres during the “Gather” opening reception.
Professor Kim will give a curator’s talk about the exhibition on Tuesday, May 23, 6 p.m. at the Arts Center. The event is free, and all are welcome. The Art League is offering four classes related to the exhibition in papermaking and painting, as well as a Sushi & Paint Night. More info is available at OCart.org/event/may-2023-exhibits.
The Sisson Galleria will host “Reflections,” a group photography show juried by Jesse Halpern of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The Art League will award cash prizes to the winners.
Studio E’s artists for May are Susan Allen and Terry Lake, both of Lewes, De., with a show entitled “Mosaic Melodies.” Allen is a self-taught mosaic artist whose work emphasizes precision, an outgrowth of her scientific training. Lake works with a variety of substrates in her mosaics and also teaches mosaic classes in the area.
The Spotlight Gallery exhibits “The Flower Show” by Elaine Bean of Berlin, Md. A graduate of Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, she is currently Marketing & Publicity Director for the Art League. Bean took photographs of flowers on harmonizing floral fabrics and placed the photos in traditional frames that were all recycled.
Jeweler Iullia Nahirna is May’s artisan. Born in Ukraine, she holds a Masters of Arts in Design. Her designs focus on highlighting the raw and geometric shapes of natural stones and minerals, encasing them in delicate sterling silver to bring an organic look to her jewelry.
The Art League is showing a special online exhibit, “Dreams,” featuring multi-media artwork, launching May 5 and ending May 27. New York-based artist Richard Alan Fox, whose dreamlike paintings and photography are in many collections including MoMA, juried the show, and the Art League will award cash prizes to the winners. The exhibit can be viewed at OCart.org.
The Princess Royale satellite gallery at 9100 Coastal Hwy. continues a show by Rehoboth Beach painter Cindy Beyer of local seascapes and landscapes. The Coffee Beanery satellite gallery at 94th St. and Coastal Hwy. continues showing the work of abstract artist Karen Hutchison of Herndon, Va.
PKS Investments sponsors the complimentary reception beverages at the Arts Center. The Arts Center shows will be on display through May 27; the satellite galleries, through June 30. More information is available at OCart.org or by calling 410-524-9433.
The Art League of Ocean City is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects. Funding for this event is in part provided by the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment of the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
