As fantasy illustrator and oil painter Jordan Deschene's tenure as Artist in Residence at the Farmington Valley Arts Center (FVAC) draws to a close, the public is invited to meet this talented young artist and to view his imaginative works during an Opening Reception in Studio 6A. Deschene's surreal drawings and paintings are inspired by artists from Dr. Seuss to Salvador Dali, and he aspires to join the ranks of noted modern fantasy artists. His three-month residency has enabled him to focus on creating "an entirely new body of work using elements of realism and drawing fundamentals, created in harmony with imaginative fantasy," he says. Through September 30, FVAC visitors can also observe Deschene at work during regular hours in his studio: Wednesdays from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., as well as by appointment. Deschene has also joined the faculty at FVAC and will be leading a class in "Storytelling Through Illustration" Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for six weeks beginning September 14. The FVAC's Artist in Residence program, which is funded in part by Dick Blick Art Materials in Plainville, provides studio space in which emerging fine artists can expand the parameters of their chosen medium, explore new directions in their work and enhance their creative vision with support and encouragement from the Arts Center's studio artists, teachers and professional staff.
