The Silver Circle Gallery in Putnam, CT is proud to announce the upcoming exhibit “3rd Annual 2011 New England Illustrators Exhibit,” showcasing the hidden talents of a handful of nationally recognized commercial illustrators that live locally and regionally. The opening reception, Friday July 1st from 6-8pm, is a free event that will allow the public to view the artwork and meet the artists.

Coordinator and showing artist Anthony Foronda is excited about the “opportunity to bring contemporary commercial artists together to share their ideas and work. It is also a chance to allow the artists to interact with the community in a way they do not normally have when doing commercial work. In addition, they are providing a unique opportunity to the people of the Quiet Corner to learn about and see the fine art aspect of commercial illustration”.

Illustration is gaining importance to fine art collectors. We consume images daily and use them significantly in our lives; illustrations are not only being recognized as decorative elements but as inventive works of art that offer depth and mystery.

The Exhibiting illustrators include both newly emerging artists and seasoned professionals:

Annie Gusman Joly has taught illustration at the Art Institute of Boston and the University of Hartford and is currently on the art faculty at Quinebaug Valley Community College. Anthony Foronda is a graduate of the Maryland Institute, College of Art. Before freelancing full time, he was a multimedia designer and creative director. Dave Joly works in his studio in Putnam, CT, where he thinks of fun things to draw and animate for clients. Prior to freelancing, Dave was a games animation designer for Atari in Sunnyvale, CA. Bud Cook is painter and illustrator living in Northeast Connecticut. Bud has a BFA in painting/printmaking from Rhode Island College. As an illustrator, some of Bud’s past clients include Wizards of the Coast, Dark Horse Comics and Image Comics. Eric Spencer is an illustrator, graphic designer, art director and educator, and a RISD graduate. He is currently on the art faculty at QVCC. James Kaczman received a BFA in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and studied graphic design at RISD. James’ clients include Adweek, AT&T, Beckett Papers, Business Week, Cisco, Forbes, Fortune, Kodak, Microsoft and others. Joanna Matuck is a recent graduate from Montserrat College of Art and has been in group and solo gallery shows in the greater Boston and Worcester areas. Jyll Ethier-Mullen has appeared in national and international publications and has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. She is a graduate of the Illustration program at Pratt Institute. Lauren Minco is a graduate of the Illustration Department at RISD. Lauren’s artwork has charmed audiences of all ages in editorial, children’s, and teen markets. Rob Dunlavey is an artist and professional illustrator who lives in Natick, MA. His illustrations have been commissioned by The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Businessweek to name a few. Laura Tedeschi is an illustrator and graphic designer who studied illustration and printmaking at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, and worked as an art director before striking out on her own in 1995 to run T2 Creative studio out of Brooklyn, CT.

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Silver Circle Gallery is located at 75 Main Street in Downtown Putnam. Since 2008, Silver Circle has been a fresh, contemporary space where local and regional visual artists collaborate to show and sell their work, educate others, and inspire one another and their community. Visit www.SilverCircleGallery.com for more information.

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