"TUESDAYS": Works from weekly gatherings by three women artists

The Cooley Gallery is proud to present a summer exhibition and sale of paintings by three dedicated artists who meet every Tuesday to paint and enjoy each other's company. "The spirit of this easy gathering is right in line with the tradition of the Old Lyme art colony of the early 1900s where like-minded artists sought each other out for camaraderie and critique," says Jeffrey Cooley, owner of The Cooley Gallery. "These women are effected by each other but not influenced. They remain true to their personal artistic visions while working very closely together.  Their dedication to their work and each other is inspiring."

Angie Falstrom built her artistic reputation on precisely painted miniatures of intimate interiors and serene local landscapes.  She's been part of the Tuesday group from the beginning.  First time viewers of Angie's paintings are struck by their detail and visual weight contained in such a small package.  Her subjects evoke a sense of Sunday afternoon calm. Angie lives in Lyme and is an award-winning member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society and the Miniature Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers Society of Washington, DC. Her paintings also have been featured in Watercolor Magazine.    

Judy Friday has had numerous solo exhibitions at The Cooley Gallery.  Her most recent was this past spring but the innumerable hours preparing for her solo show did not distract her from her weekly get-togethers. Judy's contributions to Tuesdays are her immediate plein air landscapes and gestural still-lifes painted in the studio. Judy has shown in galleries along the East Coast and Midwest. She is a graduate of the Lyme Academy and when she's not painting in oils she's weaving or sculpting or investigating some new medium.

The third member of this group is Jodi Muench who is also a Lyme resident and an exacting watercolorist who focuses her skills on natural subjects. Jodi employs objects at hand, right now it's flowers and seashells, and renders them onto paper using time honored techniques like dry brush, color pencil and silver point. Jodi's works are inspired by historic botanicals but unlike her predecessors, Jodi leaves passages on the work uncolored creating a tension and opportunity for the viewer to witness Jodi's creative process.  Like Judy, Jodi is a graduate of the Lyme Academy College of Fine Art.  Jodi's works are in numerous private collections and she has exhibited in many local shows.

This intimate show is a perfect diversion on a lazy summer day.   Detailed botanicals, tiny interiors and gestural landscapes hang in one of the galleries on 25 Lyme Street and will be up through September 15th.
 
Visitors are welcome and encouraged Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online anytime at www.cooleygallery.com.

Founded in 1981 and located in the heart of historic Old Lyme, the Cooley Gallery specializes in fine American paintings from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, including the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and select contemporary artists.
 
Regular gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Please call (860) 434-8807 or visit www.cooleygallery.com  for additional information. The Cooley Gallery is located at 25 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371.