Natural Response: Artists from the Bernard Toale Gallery's Boston Drawing Project
September 3 - October 17, 2004
Opening Reception: September 3, 6-8 p.m.
Curatorial Talk: September 16, 6:30 p.m.

The award-winning Gallery at Sharon Arts presents "Natural Response: Artists from the Bernard Toale Gallery's Boston Drawing Project," from September 3 - October 17 in Depot Square. Featuring eight contemporary artists from throughout New England, the exhibition primarily showcases works on paper - ranging from large installations to intimate studies - that push the boundaries of drawing and reflect the natural world. An opening reception will be held on September 3 from 6 - 8pm and a curatorial talk will take place on September 16 at 6:30pm.

While Drawing is their common ground, each artist explores different inspirations and mediums. The Artist Nancy Berlin tracks the intersections of the flight patterns of birds and insects, using oil stick and graphite; Julia Featheringill creates large - scale images of road maps using town names to create familiar associations; Tina Feingold exhibits drawings of trees completed during a winter's stay at the MacDowell Colony; Monique Johannet creates text pieces using an alphabet she made when she was four or five; Sandy Litchfield, currently featured in the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park's Annual Exhibition, creates watercolors and large - scale installations derived from walks in nature; Meg Brown Payson explores the forces that form landscape; Sam Tan uses an intuitive process to create organic and ambiguous forms on 35 wood panels; and Rachel Perry Welty creates constellation drawings using a braille punch.

"The Boston Drawing Project is a tremendous art resource," said Tricia Rose Burt, exhibition curator, who is also one of the Project's nearly 200 artists. "The work we'll be showing is fresh, challenging, and beautiful."

Joseph Carroll, Boston Drawing Project curator, collaborated closely with Burt in preparing the show. "The Gallery at Sharon Arts is a terrific exhibition venue," said Carroll. "We're delighted to introduce these artists to the Monadnock region."

The concept for the Boston Drawing Project began at Pierogi, an artist run gallery in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, New York. Founded by artist Joe Amrhein in the 1990's, the "flat - files" started with the idea of making works on paper available to a wider audience. Begun in 1999 by Bernard Toale and James Hull (of the Gallery@Green Street), the Boston Drawing Project has similar goals of bringing together artists, collectors and curators to consider the wide range of work being made on paper - including drawing, collage, photography and even low - relief sculpture - and to stimulate critical discussion in Boston's cultural community. The Project currently includes work by artists throughout New England and beyond. Newly expanded with dedicated exhibition space at the Bernard Toale Gallery, the Project is curated by Joseph Carroll.

Awarded "Best Art Gallery" in 2002 by New Hampshire Magazine, The Sharon Arts Center is a non-profit center that has been committed to the arts and artists for more than 50 years. The School at Sharon Arts received the "Best Art Classes" award from New Hampshire Magazine in 2003. The Gallery is located at 30 Grove Street, Peterborough, and is open from 10a.m. to 6p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10am to 8pm Friday & Saturday and on Sundays from noon until 5 p.m. Admission is free.