There is a small frame shop on the corner of High and Broad Streets, right over the Pawcatuck River Bridge, nestled between the quaint little towns of Pawcatuck, Connecticut and Westerly, Rhode Island.
Classic Framers has been managed by Lido Mochetti for as long as I can remember. The small shop boasts museum quality custom framing, prints, posters and limited editions all fastidiously chosen by Mochetti and displayed in the large windows along with the glorious geraniums he lovingly cares for.
Lido Mochetti knows what he likes and has an experienced opinion of local politics, downtown happenings and the local art scene. If you want to know what is what then Lido is your man! So when Classic Framers cleared its walls for Pawcatuck artist Linda Peduzzi and her show “Frame of Mind” I was one of the first to RSVP!
A lifelong creative, Linda Peduzzi’s earliest memory is of sitting at the kitchen table with her artist mother who drew fantastical creatures for the toddler. A lover of all forms of creative expression, Peduzzi, candidly speaks of meeting her musician husband, Larry; of drawing inspiration from her friend and teacher, Guido Garaycochea; and of her love of poetry. In reverence to all forms of art making, Peduzzi works in all mediums, has varying styles and loves to experiment with new techniques.
Her current show chronicles Peduzzi’s yearlong exploration of a mixed media technique using collage materials and oil paint. The collection is full of fearless color and unrestrained movement. Rich layers of paint drip down the canvases over applied papers and pieces of wasp’s nests. The abstractions reveal sweet little birds, tidbits of poetry, and colorful flowers all just waiting for the viewer to discover them. The work is free of rules and expectations beyond the simple celebration of nature and color.
While sitting at the corner coffee shop enjoying a brilliant summer morning, we spoke of how fortunate she feels to be able to find and give refuge through her work. She states that “so much of life is structured so to be able to find refuge through creativity and expression is something everyone should celebrate and cultivate and that through the process of creation you can hope to reveal a connection not only to yourself but to something bigger.”
“Frame of Mind” will be on display until September 30th at Classic Framers, 2 High Street, Westerly, RI. You may also see more of Linda Peduzzi’s work during “A Gardener’s Palette”, wet paint auction fundraiser to benefit Expressiones of New London. The public is invited to watch a diverse group of artists interpret varying still life arrangements inspired by their gardens. The live paint sessions will be held on Saturday, July 23rd from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. at Expressiones Cultural Center, 84 Bank Street, New London.
