Division of the Arts to Host Annual State Employee Art Exhibition

More than 280 state employees and their family members have registered to show artwork at Delaware State University Art Center/Gallery

Dover, Del. (February 17, 2020) – The free exhibition will be open to the public from February 24 to March 25, 2020 at the Art Center/Gallery at Delaware State University, Dover. CANCELED AS OF 3/12/2020 The reception and awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. in the Longwood Auditorium, Bank of America Building at Delaware State University. Prizes to be awarded include:

  • Adult, Amateur, Intermediate and Professional: 3 – First Place Awards of $350; 3 – Second Place Awards of $250; and 3 – Third Place Awards of $150
  • Youth / Teen: 2 – First Place Awards of $150; 2- Second Place Awards of $100; and 2 – Third Place Awards of $50
  • A Best of Show Award of $400
  • An Art Education Award of $200 for reimbursement for arts instruction and materials
  • People’s Choice Award, Facebook and in-person ballot

Additional awards including Honorable Mentions will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification.

Sponsored by the National Arts Program in support and cooperation with the State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of the Arts, the exhibit is judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes.

Participants must be a current employee or immediate family member of a current employee of the State of Delaware. All entries must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years. View last year’s participant artwork.

Gallery Hours

Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 2/29 and 3/7 from noon to 4 p.m.; Sunday 3/15 from 1 to 3 p.m. Visitor information

More information

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Spring Must Come” by Terron Mitchell

On view from February 17-28, 2020
Free opening reception on Friday, February 7 at 5 p.m.

Wilmington, Del. (January 27, 2020) – Spring Must Come, an exhibition of sculptural paintings by Terron Mitchell, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from February 7-28. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, February 7, from 5-7 p.m. TANKSLEY, Delaware singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, will perform during the opening reception.

Mitchell creates his “sculptural paintings” by layering carved shapes made from wood sheathing to create a three-dimensional work. This layering creates interesting shadows and gives the work a sense of movement. Mitchell also makes his own custom-colored oil stains for the work. He doesn’t use the same color for more than one work. Assembling the works, often large scale, can take weeks.

The work in Spring Must Come, Mitchell says, “depicts a poetic visualization of one’s journey chasing dreams and accomplishing goals.” He is influenced by inspirational authors, Earl Nightingale and Jim Rohn. Mitchell lives, works, and maintains a studio in Smyrna, Delaware.

Images from left to right: Spring Must Come, 2019, oil stain, on pine wood, 8 x 4 x 2.5 feet

The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

9th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition Registration Open

The Delaware Division of the Arts and the National Arts Program® present the 9th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition

Dover, Del. (December 9, 2019) – The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is designed to give Delaware state employees and their families, at any skill level, a unique opportunity to exhibit their artwork and to compete for cash prizes and special awards. Registration closes on January 24, 2020.

Participants must be a current employee or immediate family member of a current employee of the State of Delaware. All entries must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years. View last year’s participant artwork.

The free exhibition will be open to the public from February 24 to March 15, 2020 at the Art Center/Gallery at Delaware State University, Dover. The reception and awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. in the Longwood Auditorium, Bank of America Building at Delaware State University. Prizes to be awarded include:

  • Adult, Amateur, Intermediate and Professional
  • Youth / Teen
  • A Best of Show Award
  • An Art Education Award
  • People’s Choice Award, Facebook and in-person ballot

Additional awards including Honorable Mentions will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification.

Gallery Hours

Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 2/29 and 3/7 from noon to 4 p.m. Visitor information

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Shelter” by Ekaterina Popova

On view from June 7-28, 2019
Free opening reception on Friday, June 7 at 5 p.m.

Wilmington, Del. (May 30, 2019) – Shelter, an exhibition of oil and watercolor paintings by Ekaterina Popova, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from June 7-28, 2019. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, June 7 from 5-7 p.m.

Utilizing her expressionistic style, Popova paints vibrant scenes of intimate interiors, personal items, scenes from travel and more. The interest in interior spaces started as a way for her to reflect on her upbringing in Russia, but eventually progressed to exploring the overall idea of “home” and what it means to her now. The work has slowly evolved from being reflective and sentimental to being mindful and present in the current environment.

Popova described her work,

“My paintings include messy rooms, intimate items, and objects that refer to human presence without including the figure. I pick up on the subtle tones, lighting, and mood of each location in order to capture the emotion I associate with the space and then exaggerate the color to create a dream-like image.”

Images from left to right: Soft Light, 30 x 40 inches, 2018, oil on canvas; December, 24 x 30 inches, 2018, oil on canvas

The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington. Visitors to the Gallery should enter via the courtyard doors on French Street and take the elevators to the Mezzanine level due to renovations in the building.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Plein Air” by Jim Rehak

On view from May 3-31, 2019
Free opening reception on Friday, May 3 at 5 p.m.

Wilmington, Del. (April 23, 2019) – Plein Air, an exhibition of local landscape paintings by Jim Rehak, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from May 3-31, 2019. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, May 3 from 5-7 p.m.

“Plein air” painting is the act of painting outdoors and is a style associated with 19th century French Impressionists. Plein air painters work outdoors to capture landscapes and views in natural light. Rehak chooses his locations to paint by looking for patterns of light, contrast, and color composition. The exhibition will feature more than 20 oil paintings that depict the Brandywine River, New Castle, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and other locations across the Delmarva Peninsula in various seasons.

Rehak describes painting outdoors as a learning experience with light as the teacher.

“Changing light requires a flexible and spontaneous response as I learn to see the colors in nature. My final interpretation is the result of past experience combined with the specific experiences offered by nature…including sun, wind and rain,” he said.

Visitors to the Gallery should enter via the courtyard doors on French Street and take the elevators to the Mezzanine level due to renovations in the building. The Gallery will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27.

Learn more about Rehak with our YouTube Meet the Artist video series.

Image: Cape Morn, 2017, oil on canvas, 12″ x 24″

The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.