Schenectady Art Exhibit Preview Draws Crowd
By Peg Churchill
Schenectady Gazette
May 7, 1966

The special preview of all art works entered in the Greater Schenectady exhibition is, only a year after its establishment, already as, popular as the show itself.

The main gallery of Schenectady Museum was jammed Sunday for the preview of the 21st annual exhibition in this regional series which has achieved a considerable reputation for excellence over the years.

For those who turned out, the walls of the gallery were covered from floor to ceiling with paintings of every persuasion. Eyecatching sculptures competed with museum visitors for floor space.

The 354 entries received for this year's exhibition comprise the largest field of entries ever submitted, according to Donald S. Smith, museum director.

And, certainly the variety in both style and subject matter must never have been greater.

Besides the usual profusion of well-done abstract expressionistic paintings and more rudimentary portraits and landscapes, there was a liberal sprinkling of "pop" and "op" art pieces. It will be interesting to see whether these unusual works are included in the exhibition which opens Sunday.

The exhibition is being selected this week by Frederick B. Robinson, director of Springfield (Mass.) Museum of Fine Arts; Stuart C. Henry, director of Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass., and Edward Chavez, Woodstock artist.

Attracting more attention than almost anything else among the 354 works were two constructions by architect Carl Baumann of Rensselaer.

A first time entrant in the local show, Baumann submitted a construction of white boxes, "miscellenaeous trash and tin cans," with small red lights, against a black background. This striking work, entitled "Computer City," was described by the artist as representing the "interconnection of buildings filled with computers."

Called a "Licon," his other work is a lighted construction of delicate wrought iron, bits of stained glass and again, the tiny light bulbs. This pendant-shaped work would fit perfectly in a church of Gothic architecture.

Among other unusual works were several collages; one which appeard to have been built of egg cartons and toothpaste tube caps in electric colors, and another a country landscape apparently done by rug hooking in a variety of colors and textures.

Those who attended the preview were invited to select the works which they would choose for the top three awards and two honorable mentions. The list of selections coming closest to that of the actual jury will receive a token gift from the museum shop.

© 2009 by Melinda Baumann
"This website and all images and text herein may be reproduced or reprinted for educational, non-commercial use without permission as long as the above copyright statement and source are clearly acknowledged. Neither this document nor any reproductions may be sold."