WHIMSY: A Two-Person Installation Art Exhibition on the Playful Poignancy of the Human Experience
Two Maryland artists convert Gallery 115 into semi-immersive art experience
WHIMSY, an installation art exhibition at Gallery 115 at The Y Arts Center in Downtown, Frederick will run Sunday, September 26th through Sunday, January 9th, 2022, with an Opening Reception on Saturday, November 6th, 7 pm to 9 pm.
Whimsy presents the whimsical yet poignant works of Heather Harvey and Shana Kohnstamm, two Maryland-based artists. Each artist created a semi-immersive installation in the gallery. Additionally, Harvey will be showing a collection of new paintings in the Foyer Gallery.
Harvey utilizes an eclectic range of litter she finds on her walks and transforms it into an intriguing, surprising cascading chandelier of objects. Her work transforms the discarded into treasure while evoking the specter of stranger’s pasts. Additionally, Harvey’s collection of new paintings explore the phenomena of shadow boxes and the illusion of childhood memory.
Heather Harvey holds an M.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Painting and Printmaking. She is currently an Associate Professor and Studio Art Coordinator at Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland, USA. She was recently awarded an Independent Visual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council.
Kohnstamm’s work utilizes the ancient medium of hand-dyed wool, an ecologically sustainable choice to create a variety of colorful biomorphic forms, at once playful, comedic, and eerie. Sculptures are placed on unevenly placed platforms protruding from the wall or suspended from the ceiling evoking a theatrical and other-worldly communion.
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Shana Kohnstamm is now living and working in Rockville, Maryland. She is a member of the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild, Washington Sculptors Groups, American Craft Council, and the James Renwick Alliance.
This exhibition is generously supported by the Frederick Arts Council and Frederick Magazine. The Frederick Arts Council is Frederick County’s umbrella arts organization, a resource, and advocate for all local artists, creatives, and culturally-minded community members. FAC gives grants to individuals and organizations, provides programming, and serves as a liaison for the arts with all levels of government. Frederick Magazine has entertained, informed, and engaged readers through high-quality writing, dazzling photography, and creative design producing content that covers everything from dining and the arts to current events and politics for more than three decades!
The exhibition was curated by Rula Jones who is currently the Exhibitions Curator at Gallery 115 at the Y and Curatorial Associate at Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown. She has more than twenty years of experience in the Visual Arts in various roles. Her previous experience includes guest curating at several organizations in the Washington DC area, including the Griffin Art Center, the Black and White Gallery, and the Mclean Project for the Arts. She has also held faculty positions at various notable institutions including The Corcoran College of Art + Design, The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and Maryland Institute College of Art. Jones is also a nationally and internationally exhibiting artist.
Gallery 115 is located in the Y Arts Center at 115 East Church Street. Visitors can immerse themselves in this installation during gallery hours (Monday through Friday, 10 am-4 pm; Saturday, 10 am-1 pm; and Sunday Noon-3 pm.).
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About Gallery 115: Gallery 115 is a non-profit Contemporary Art Gallery, a subsidiary of the Y Arts Center, located in a newly renovated historic building in downtown Frederick, Maryland. Frederick, Maryland is located less than one hour from Washington, D.C, and Baltimore and boasts a walkable and thriving downtown area with a variety of unique specialty shops, restaurants, galleries, museums, and theaters.
About the Y: The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Y’s engage 21 million men, women, and children – regardless of age, income, or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but also to deliver lasting personal and social change. www.frederickymca.org
