Five Creative Visions - April 16 - May 13, 2022
Gallery is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Sunday April 17
Featuring the work of David P. Doran, Terence McManus, Jim Minet, Rob Roehrig, Melissa Vultaggio
Click Here to view exhibition videos on Mills Pond Gallery YouTube Channel
David P. Doran is an available light film photographer using both 35mm and roll film cameras. He is a former member of the Camera Club of New York. This exhibit focuses on street photography influenced by Gary Winogrand (1928-1984). Most were taken in New York City, the capital of this genre. In recent years, street photography has been looked upon in some corners as somewhat shopworn. David adamantly disagrees stating, “The street is a river of life and such photos are to be considered as part of the tradition of social documentary photography.” All photographs being exhibited are wet darkroom prints.
Terence McManus has always been fascinated by the human face. A retired social worker with a Master’s degree from Adelphi University, Terence always found time for drawing. From a young age, he drew obsessively. Once his children were grown, he painted daily, participated in art groups and devoured art magazines, always perfecting his portraiture. Primarily a self-taught artist, Terence’s art has been exhibited in hundreds of exhibitions in the New York metropolitan area, winning more than sixty awards in prestigious shows including The Butler Institute of American Art and The Pastel Society of America, among many others. “No two people are alike and what a person experienced in life is often written on the face. When I do a portrait I strive to capture the past, the present and to use a cliché, the soul of the person.”
Jim Minet maintains a studio on Long Island - working mostly in oil, watercolor, and acrylic. He studied at The Art Students League in Manhattan and taught drawing and painting at 92Y in Manhattan. Jim has demonstrated, painting throughout the Eastern USA for brands such as Sennelier, Daniel Smith, Fabriano, Silver Brush, Masterpiece Canvas, and others. He has exhibited his work across Long Island and in NYC and teaches at numerous spaces across Long Island. “My work is representational in nature but still very eclectic, I like to experiment with different mediums and styles. As people, we are fluid, dynamic, ever changing. My art will change because I will change. Ultimately I believe that whatever creative expression you give to the world -- it is, and can only be, a reflection of yourself.”
Primarily a realist painter, Rob Roehrig’s art focuses mainly on landscapes and seascapes. He is especially attracted to scenes that highlight the contrast between sun and shadow. Rob’s passion for creativity began in elementary school. He took some art courses in high school and at Hofstra University, but decided on social studies education as a career path. After raising a family and retiring from teaching, Rob took up Oil Painting and his new “career” as an artist took over. “Many of my paintings try to capture the beauty of the natural world. I feel fortunate to live in an area with scenic beaches, coves, wetlands and farms.”
Having a lifelong passion for art and education, Melissa Masci Vultaggio holds both an Associate degree in Fashion Design Apparel from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a Bachelor degree in Childhood Education from SUNY Old Westbury. Her art reflects her interest in theology, symbolism and synchronicity. She juxtaposes elements of reality with abstraction and surrealism using acrylic paint and mixed media. Her rhythmic compositions convey feelings of whimsy with elements of surprise inspired by visions she acquires in her dreams. Melissa’s enthusiasm for art education comes from her belief that young children’s creativity is at its peak, when young minds are free to imagine and explore, given the right motivation, artistic mediums and skills to experiment with!