Arts & Entertainment
Beth Uryase: A Breath of Fresh 'AIR'
Farmington Valley Arts Center presents the work of Beth Uryase, their most recent artist in residence, this Saturday.
In November of last year, Beth Uryase bid farewell to Hawaii's lush tropics and picturesque beaches, heading for Connecticut during one of its coldest winters in years.
After traveling back and forth between Hawaii and Connecticut, she ultimately decided to reside in Connecticut to establish a career in art.
It was during this transition that Uryase's father told her about the Artist in Residence program at Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, after reading about it in the paper.
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"I applied because I know that with artist residencies, it’s a really good time to just [focus] on your work and ... I knew it [would provide] good exposure to the arts scene," Uryase said.
The arts center's artist in residence program, which is sponsored by Dick Blick Art Materials, seeks to assist up-and-coming artists who haven’t been formally recognized for their work and need studio space.
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According to Jim Brunelle, arts center project coordinator, Uryase set herself apart from other applicants by "being prepared for the program with an itinerary of her occupancy."
Uryase received a studio for three months, rent-free. During this time, she created a body of work that presented to the public at an exhibition this Saturday.
"People can expect to see a variety of etching prints, monoprints, encaustic paintings, paper sculpture, jewelry and a variety of really interesting cellular objects," Brunelle said.
Now, Uryase's tenure as the center's Artist in Residence is over. But this is only the beginning for her. She plans to continue working towards a full-time career in art.
"I think this really gave me the fuel [I needed] to keep going. ... I want to keep working on a new body of work and I’m going to start looking for teaching jobs," Uryase said.
She recently started teaching art therapy classes to children at a detention center and hopes to teach classes at the arts center in the future.
"Last week was my first week and it was really rewarding for me and for [the children]. They need exposure to the outside," Uryase said.
The Farmington Valley arts Center is currently accepting applications for the Artist in Residence Program's 2011 Fall term. Applicants are required to submit proposals by May 31.
FVAC is located at 25 Arts Center Lane in Avon. For more information go to www.artsfvac.org or call 860-678-1867.
