Group Exhibition — Painters Don’t Retire

Posted on: Friday, March 4th, 2011

Painters Don't Retire

PAINTERS DON’T RETIRE
Works by artists 70+

March 4 – 26, 2011
First Friday, March 4, 6 – 8:30 pm
Artist Reception, March 5, 4 – 6 pm

GILDA ELLIS
ALAN S. GOLDSTEIN
JAN JOHNSON
HAROLD KIMMELMAN
JOEL LE BOW
LIBBY NEWMAN
CHARLOTTE SCHATZ
BURTON WASSERMAN

It is a great pleasure to welcome eight senior artists to LGTripp Gallery. Most of them are from the Philadelphia area, have been rewarded with long-lasting successful careers and have made significant contributions to the art community not only through their art but also by promoting artists, establishing galleries, through their writings, lectures, and reviews.

American contemporary artist Will Barnet (age 99) once said, “Painting is almost like a religious experience, which should go on and on. Age just gives you the freedom to do some things you’ve never done before. Great work can come at any stage of your life.”

The artists in this exhibition have discovered that passion and creative impulses transcend age and even some of its limitations. While the rest of society is contemplating retirement at age 65, artists perceive their profession as lasting a lifetime even when, for some, exhibition opportunities are limited. Although a few privileged artists have the good fortune of exhibiting their works through latter years, there are many who have a very different experience. Exhibition opportunities decrease due to a plethora of reasons, such as galleries shifting their focus to work by younger artists, the loss of representation, disillusionment with the gallery scene and physical challenges, to name a few. However, this reality doesn’t inhibit the aging artist from being creative and productive. Rather age grants artists liberty to explore their medium, to experience a surge in inspiration and sometimes the freedom to reinvent their work. Their view of themselves as artists and as contributors to society doesn’t end at a designated age.

Painters Don’t Retire features a range of abstract works by seven painters and one sculptor. Impressive lists of solo exhibitions, commissions, awards, publications and collections fill their resumes, giving evidence of vibrant careers. This exhibition provides an occasion for the work of these artists to be seen and acknowledged once again.

One Response to “Group Exhibition — Painters Don’t Retire”

  1. Jacquelyn Smith Says:

    Charlotte,
    Nice work! I wish I could have been there in person for the show!! Keep up the excellent work.
    I look forward to visiting again, I hope this year!
    Love you,
    Jacque