Secolari in Towson Town Center to Host Artist Reception

ARTIST RECEPTION AT SECOLARI TOWSON ANNOUNCED FOR JUNE 26

Secolari, an artisan olive oil and vinegar tasting room, has announced an Artist Reception for the newest local artists exhibiting in the company’s Art Program.

Owners Bart and Mary deRosa invite the public to join them at their location in Towson Town Center on Sunday, June 26, 2016 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for this Artist Reception presenting and featuring for sale the artwork of Annette Conniff, Chuck Robinson, and Audra Ziegel. Artists will be in attendance and available to discuss their work.

Secolari aims to enrich life with the overall benefits of the “Age Old” Mediterranean Lifestyle through the introduction of exceptional foods and works of art, and is proud to exhibit the works of local artists. Co-owner Mary deRosa says, “What has inspired us all along in our adventure with Secolari is that it brings so many of our passions together - good food, artistry, and supporting our community. Our Art Program, with a dedicated focus on local artists, pulls everything together to create a welcoming and beautiful setting that allows us to connect to our local community.”

Owned by husband and wife team, Bart and Mary deRosa of Clarksville, MD, the vision for Secolari was inspired by a trip to Italy. While staying at a Tuscan farmhouse that overlooked an ancient olive grove, the couple knew they wanted to start a business that was reminiscent of their experience there, one that would encompass food, community, and the cultural traditions of the Mediterranean lifestyle. They opened their first shop in 2011, and Secolari now has four locations in the Maryland area as well as an online store.

Event Details:
Secolari Towson Artist Reception
Secolari in Towson Town Center: Third Level – Nordstrom Wing
June 26, 2016, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

This event is free and open to the public; refreshments will be provided.
RSVPs accepted online at http://bit.ly/SecolariArtTowson

About the Artists:

Annette Conniff

Annette Conniff is a Maryland artist inspired by local landscapes, with particular passion for weather, sky, and land texture. Working in pastel suits her “alla prima” style of painting quickly and in the moment. Painting both on location "en plein air" and in studio, she feels the luscious and instant color of pure pigment pastel allows her to express the light and mood of the scenes she captures. Annette owns and operates, with her sister Terri, More Than Fine Framing in Ruxton, where her pastel and photography artworks are displayed in the gallery. She is a member of the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Association and the Baltimore Camera Club.

Chuck Robinson

Chuck is a Maryland based photographer who has been traveling the United States since he was a child. He traveled frequently on family vacations, and began taking pictures with his point and shoot camera to document the places he had visited - this is where he first developed an appreciation of the beauty of landscape photography. After studying art in college, he bought his first DSLR camera, and soaked in everything he could about photography by reading books, studying the works of others, and going out to shoot as much as he could. Whether in his home state of Maryland, or during his travels, he continues to seek out the beauty in landscape photography.

Chuck’s photography has been published in various magazines, puzzles and greeting cards. One of his images was selected for publication for the Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimore. In 2013, he was selected as the featured artist for Living Classroom’s “Maritime Magic” event.

Audra Ziegel

Audra began painting with oils in 2002 as a high school art class project and has been painting ever since. Her work has been shown at numerous galleries and events in Illinois and Maryland, including the Towson Arts Collective, the Boneyard Arts Festival, the Indi Go Gallery, the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, the Salt Fork River Art Festival, and the Champaign Downtown Festival of the Arts, where her art was awarded an honorable mention. One of Audra’s paintings, “Roadside Vista,” was a winning entrant of the Sky Gallery competition in 2012, wherein it was featured on a billboard as part of a rotating exhibition around the city of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.