Boundless Creativity

Artist use multiple mediums to expand creativity Exhibit Dates:March 25 - May 16

Featuring six artists who have fueled their creativity by discovering new mediums to express their inspirations. These artists have explored new ways of expressing themselves, experimented with new styles and learned, grown and improved their creativity by trying something different!

Ernest A. Bellico, Maureen Ginipro, Roni Murillo, Gisela Skoglund, Nicholas J. Valentino, Patty Yantz

Ernest A. Bellico has over 45 years of experience in designing, producing and managing communication projects. He has contributed to every aspect of event support, working at the drafting table, the animation stand—and now—at the digital workstation. Whatever the medium, he has sought to create original solutions for delivering key corporate messages to audiences. His portfolio includes innovative work in virtually every medium, including oil painting, drawing, digital art package design, stage sets, outdoor advertising, multimedia shows, film and video. He also holds several patents for display technology and underwater camera housing that he developed. Today Ernest’s heart is in the oil on canvas and pencil mediums.

Maureen Ginipro has always been interested in art in just about any form. She did not have the opportunity to take any courses or classes until recent years. Once retired she looked for any opportunity to learn about any type of visual art that was available to her. “Those classes helped me learn what I loved and find what seems to be my 'niche'.” I work in a variety of mediums…texture, form, images and words are important to my work.  I hope they convey memories, interest and feelings as they are viewed.  Working in mixed media gives me the opportunity to use found objects, old photos and other bits of life in my work.  Paper in any shape and form gives me pleasure and torn paper collages are my newest endeavor.  Most of the paper in these pieces is handmade.  I like using the papers as my 'paint' to create images. Maureen also works in pen and ink drawing and has explored painting. “My art gives me great pleasure and I hope brings pleasure to those who view it.”

Roni Murillo is a creative visual artist with an extensive background in graphic design, illustration, and fine art. In addition to her love for fine art, she has worked as a Director of Research and Development for a large toy, leisure products, and stationary company. She also was Creative Director for packaging design and new product development for that company as well. In addition to more traditional materials like acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, oil pastels and pencil, I have discovered gauze, plaster, burlap, shelf liner and other found objects that I find exciting to use in my art. It is exciting to find new materials that help me create the unexpected. I want the viewer to touch my work. Feel the layers, texture, look at it closely and enjoy the experience and part of the process. “For me, it is all about the creative process and where it takes me.”

Gisela Skoglund’s life has taken her through many forms of artistic expression. Early on, her original passion was for oil on canvas. In High School, she was awarded a scholarship to Pratt Institute where she pursued advertising art. All her endeavors have brought her to the use of painting in the mediums of watercolor, acrylic and oil as well as the use of pen and ink. Gisela’s inspirations come from the beauty of nature, photography and other sights that appear in everyday life. Several years ago, Gisela joined a group of local painters and began experimenting with other mediums finding her explorations both challenging and rewarding.

Nicholas J. Valentino studied at the Parsons School of Design majoring in Graphic Design and Advertising. Nicholas uses recycled parts and old instruments and incorporates them into his art. He is a collector of sorts and likes to take his love of cars and music and create a piece of art form something that was once useless to someone else. Nicholas draws in multiple mediums paints in both acrylic and oil paints and uses multiple mediums in his unique assemblages.

Patty Yantz’ art is about personal reaction to a scene or location rather than an attempt at technical reproduction of that view. “Focusing on color, contrast and composition, I have found that close-up observation is a good tool for understanding different perspectives and developing conceptual awareness. After retiring from teaching secondary art Patty has immersed herself in her own art career. She works in Pastel, Acrylic and Watercolor.  “Nature is the underlying theme of all my work, with a major inspiration being the Long Island landscape.”