Tom Concannon and Ravi Shimpi, owners of Willow, have been long-time patrons and collectors of artists from Grand Central Atelier (GCA) in Brooklyn, NY; thus the upcoming show presents works from GCA students, teachers, and alumni. One of the world's premier institutions focused on renewing techniques and principles of classical training in works with a contemporary viewpoint, GCA's training emphasizes skillful draftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail, and a focus on capturing the sensual world in portraits, figures, landscapes, and florals.
The works were selected for this show to tell a story of the artists' evolution from classical training to their emergence on the contemporary art scene. Passage pushes boundaries by presenting works that are both technically impressive and emotionally resonant for a contemporary audience. Artworks featured in the exhibit are created "from life," an approach in which artists observe and directly study their subjects in real-life settings rather than relying on photographs or solely on imagination. Concannon and Shimpi created the first one-day GCA show at Willow in August 2023. "Last year was pretty informal," Concannon says. "This year it's an invitational: some artists will be asked to submit specific works, others will submit their own choices—all high quality works that are within the vision of the show. We're much more intentional about content this year," he says. And whereas 22 artists showed 75 works last year, "this year up to 40 artists will be shown in more than 100 works."
One area of significant expansion in the 2024 show is the inclusion of GCA's founders and long-time graduates. Jacob Collins, Ted Minoff, and Tony Curanaj, founding directors of the GCA, have all contributed works. "The caliber of artwork in this year's show covers a vast ground, from first year students to leading figures in the movement," said Tyler Berry, a co-curator and core instructor at GCA.
Most of the artists in the show will be in residence at Willow at some point before the show closes: they'll venture out in pairs across scenic landscapes--fields, streams, forests and farms--of southern Vermont for plein air work.
A preview reception will be Saturday, August 24 from 1 to 6pm (for which RSVPs are requested). The opening reception for the free public show is August 25 from 1to 6pm; the closing reception is Sunday, September 1, 1 to 6pm: For more information and to RSVP for August 24, visit willowvt.com/art/passage. Parking is available at Willow Vermont Retreat. Assistance is available for those who need it up the four steps to the entrance.