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Arts & Entertainment

"Blue Skies" Art Exhibit at UConn Stamford

Blue Skies: Best of Times or Worst of Times?   

 LAA artists were invited to respond to one of the more challenging questions of the day by interpreting ‘Blue Skies,’ the title of an exhibition of their work at the UCONN Stamford Art Gallery.

In 1926 “Blue Skies” was one of Irvin Berlin’s instant hits and artists have been giving the theme their own twist ever since.

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Frank Sinatra’s upbeat recording of "Blue Skies" with the Jimmy Dorsey band in 1946 still sounds irrepressibly optimistic, while Willie Nelson  managed to bring out the ‘blues’ lurking behind the bravado in 1978.

When times seem uncertain and we wonder if we should feel optimistic or pessimistic, artists have always been willing to give it their best shot. The LAA artists have done just that in this exhibition and the results are compelling, uplifting, and at times even unsettling.

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 “I loved the concept”, says LAA president Lisa Cuscuna, whose work evokes surrealist visions. Mixed media artist Susan Frey based her work on a dream: “In my dream I am looking down onto the cityscape from high above.”

For artist Anne Salthouse, the theme recalled the destruction wreaked on Japan by last year’s tsunami, as well as hope in the aftermath.  Mary Louise Long framed her painting—based on her own sensory experience of light and air—with a quote from Sir Walter Scott’s romantic narrative poem Bridal of Triermain.

“Blue Skies”, exhibition by Loft Artists at UConn Stamford’s Art Gallery, runs from June 4 through July 5. There will be an opening reception with the artists on Saturday, June 9th from 2pm to 5pm.

UConn Stamford Art Gallery, One University Place, Stamford CT

Monday-Thursday 9:00 am-7:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm

Free parking in the UConn Stamford garage located just off the intersection of Broad Street and Washington Boulevard

For more information, call UConn Art Gallery at (203) 251-8400 or the Loft Artists Association at (203) 323-4153.

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