Artist Stanwyck E. Cromwell featured in black history month exhibit at Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery
Springfield, Mass.— In an exhibit opening Feb. 2, Guyanese-born Stanwyck E. Cromwell will be the featured solo artist during a special black history month exhibition entitled, “Echoes From Across the Ocean,” at Springfield Technical Community College’s (STCC) Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts. The exhibit will run through Saturday, Feb. 27, with an artist talk and reception scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the gallery. An evening artist reception and celebration also will be held on Thursday, Feb. 18 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Echoes From Across the Ocean” highlights Cromwell’s diversity of artistic exploration with large paintings, dynamic drawings, and colorful collages representing in part his migration from Guyana to Connecticut, where he now lives and works. His artwork repeatedly gives homage to his homeland of Guyana, on South America’s North Atlantic coast, with richly abundant saturated colors, intense textures, and vivid patterns.
“A visual kaleidoscope from this exotic place is referenced in my art,” said Cromwell.
His use of materials celebrates the legacy of his proud Guyanese heritage and in some pieces utilizes graphite and colored pencils, often created into a collage with various paper or found objects. The multicolored, mask-like images and abstract designs in his drawings reflect the fusion of both the Guyanese-African and indigenous cultures and the rich pageantry of carnival while dismantling stereotypes and dogmas.
Cromwell studied at Charter Oak State College and received his masters of fine arts at the University of Hartford. He is widely exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions, recently exhibiting in New York City; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Boston, Mass.; and Windsor Art Center; Norman Stevens Gallery at the University of Connecticut; and the Pump House Gallery, all located in Connecticut. He has received honors, awards, and recognition from Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell; the Nassau County Legislature, State of New York; The African American Museum in Hempstead, N. Y.; and The National Council of Negro Women in Hartford. Cromwell’s artwork is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Connecticut State Armory, the Connecticut Historical Society Museum, the Huntington House Museum, and the collection of retired basketball star Ray Allen, among many others.
The exhibition at the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery is made possible by Rosemary Tracy Woods and the Art of the Soul Gallery in Springfield; Vonetta Lightfoot and the Black Professional Group (BPG); and STCC’s School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
This exhibit is free, open to the public, and handicapped accessible. The Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
ABOUT THE GALLERY:
The Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery at Springfield Technical Community College presents six exhibits each academic year, featuring works by artists of local and national repute as well as STCC student work. The gallery is located in Building 28, first floor, on the Pearl Street side of the STCC campus. The gallery is supported in part by funding from STCC Student Activities and the School of Continuing Education. Find the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery on Facebook or follow on Twitter @STCCArtGallery.