Paintings by Janet W. Winston at Gallery A3 in October

Source: Gallery A3

Gallery A3 announces a new October exhibit: Variations/Sensations, featuring paintings by Janet W. Winston. The exhibit opens on ,Friday, Oct. 2 and will run through Saturday, Oct. 31. There will be an opening reception at the gallery on Friday, Oct. 2, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., and a free online art forum on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Register at www.gallerya3.com.
Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, 2:00-7:00 p.m. The gallery is located at 28 Amity Street 1D, Cinema Courtyard.

About the Artist

In paintings and prints, Janet W. Winston revisits and reinterprets themes that have held great meaning for her over the years, with expressive variations depicting the Mayan ruins in the Mexican Yucatan, the fluttering movement of butterflies, and the rolling dunes of Cape Cod. Precision of line and a joyous profusion of color characterize all her work, but her artistic trajectory suggests an arc leaning toward abstraction.

“My inspiration comes from nature, from the smallest of delicate butterflies to rolling sandy dunes or distant mountains in dry hot climates where colors change from whiter light to dark-colored shadow,” Janet explains. Her particular interest in butterflies comes from a stint as a scientific illustrator in entomology and what she describes as “a magical trip to the wintering sites of the Monarch butterflies in central Mexico.” The architectural geometry of the ancient Mayan ruins in the Yucatan also intrigued her, appearing in early large paintings as well as later, smaller prints.

For her series of new work, Janet turned (and returned) to the painterly printmaking technique of monoprints. Like all prints, the inked image is transferred from a flat plate surface, but the monoprint then combines that reusable base with stencils, varied inking, collage elements, and even direct brushstrokes. Every print is unique. In composition, she tends to use square shapes, because it allows her “a sense of freedom to float the composition.” And, she adds, “Colors are always in my mind.” 

Art Forum Online

On October 15, Janet will present an Art Forum Online at 7:30 p.m., looking at variations in style, scale, and media over the years in the three themes she explores in the exhibit: butterflies, Mayan architecture (and other structural forms), and the landscape of Cape Cod. The program is supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Register  for the online event at www.gallerya3.com

About Gallery A3

A cooperative, contemporary fine arts gallery located in downtown Amherst, Gallery A3 is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year. Current members include painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers, and mixed media artists. Over its two-decade history, A3 has been home to over 75 member-artists, mounting monthly exhibits and offering cultural events and community collaborations. The Gallery hosts opening receptions for exhibits the first Friday of every month and outreach programs are scheduled on the third Thursday. The gallery space and all its events are free and open to the public.