Yaw O. Nanart, Culture Plus Culture Photo Contributed
New art exhibits at Reston Community Center’s Jo Ann Rose Gallery and at RCC Hunters Woods feature artwork reflecting the cultural heritage of diverse artists and works created by artists with lifelong disabilities. During the month of September, the Jo Ann Rose Gallery and the adjacent 3-D Display will feature Art Mirrors Culture, composed of works by area artists expressing their cultural identities. Also during the month of September, the RCC Hunters Woods gallery will feature Abstract Paintings, Drawings and Prints, a collection of works by members of Specially Adapted Resource Clubs in the Reston area.
Art Mirrors Culture at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery
In keeping with the theme of the Sept. 22 Reston Multicultural Festival, the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at RCC Lake Anne will feature Art Mirrors Culture from Sept. 5 through Sept. 30, and Art Mirrors Culture 3-D works will also be on display in the 3-D gallery from Sept. 5 through Nov. 24.
In the Jo Ann Rose Gallery, Dale McGrath’s watercolor, Rockport Rowboats, reflects the fishing culture on the coast of New England. “My mom’s family came over on the Mayflower and has farmed in the fertile soils of the Connecticut River Valley since the 1600s,” she says.
Yaw O. Nanart’s triptych, Culture Plus Culture Equals Peace, mirrors his experiences growing up in Ghana and the culture he sees all around him in America. “The intermarriage of cultures brings peace,” Yaw believes.
Kati Andresen learned how to create Ukrainian eggs, or pysanky, from her mother when she was eight years old. The eggs, decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk designs, were originally “Easter” eggs, but Kati says they were a tradition in her home year-round.
Russia, Japan, South America, China, Vietnam and America are just some of the countries represented in the exhibit. Artists’ explanations of how art mirrors culture in their work will be displayed along with their work.
The Jo Ann Rose Gallery is located in Reston Community Center, Lake Anne at 1609-A Washington Plaza in Reston. The facility is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. The Gallery is not open to the public during rental functions and/or some programs.
Abstract Paintings, Drawings and Prints at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods
The gallery at RCC Hunters Woods will feature Abstract Paintings, Drawings and Prints from Sept. 2 through Sept. 28. Created by members of Specially Adapted Resource Clubs (SPARC), the works in this exhibit include abstract paintings, drawings and prints made during the past year. All are invited to an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 7 from 2–5 p.m.
SPARC was founded to provide lifelong learning opportunities for adults with lifelong disabilities. It began in 2006 with four club members at Southgate Community Center in Reston; now there are 24 members and two locations, one in Reston and another in McLean. More information is available at www.sparcontheweb.org.
“Central to creating most of these works on canvas and paper has been the idea of experimentation—of allowing the specific characteristics of the materials and processes to direct the effort and outcomes,” said Ann Burdell, SPARC’s art instructor.
Collaboration is a significant aspect of some of these works, and the importance of community is as evident in the works themselves as it was in the making of them. SPARC staff members and volunteers work to build a positive team environment while focusing on each club member’s unique abilities.
For more information regarding the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods and Jo Ann Rose galleries and these exhibits, please call Arts Education Assistant Gloria Morrow at 703-390-6187.