On view from October 1-29, 2021

Wilmington, Del. (September 27, 2021) – The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present visual artist Theresa Angela Taylor’s debut exhibition, Art Imitates My Life and Inspires Young Artists, October 1-29, 2021. Taylor was named a 2021 Emerging Artist Fellow in Folk Art: Visual Arts by the Delaware Division of the Arts. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, October 1 from 5-7 p.m.

Growing up in Harlem, Taylor was enveloped in art, music, creativity and activism. Her father and grandfather were both artists; her father was a painter and her grandfather a musician during the Harlem Renaissance. Other early influences came from artists like Pablo Picasso, Jacob Lawrence, Banksy, Georgia O’Keeffe and Kara Walker; from Motown musicians like Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Smoky Robinson; and from civil rights activists like Malcolm X, Angela Davis and Nikki Giovanni. Her artwork is also informed by her encounters in everyday life. “News, kids, interesting things I read or see, my own thoughts,” she says. But what inspires her most is “Life and spreading positive energy through visual expression.”

With this exhibition, she chose the title and pieces because they collectively mirror her life’s direction. “Each piece talks about my life,” she says. “You see a representation of who I am; images of my ancients; my work with children in Dover, Delaware; even the insurrection at the Capitol. I want my audience to know…how I feel about my characters, the things that are important to me, and the message that the country is telling me as a Black woman in the United States.”

For more information about Theresa Angela Taylor and her upcoming exhibition, watch her Meet the Artist video.

Image in banner: Moon To Heart, 2020, acrylic, 24 x 36 inches

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.  All visitors are required to wear face coverings and maintain 3 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.

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Contact: Kaitlin Ammon, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications
302-577-8280, kaitlin.ammon@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.

On view from September 3-24, 2021

Wilmington, Del. (August 30, 2021) – The Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present photographer Jason Jellick’s debut exhibition, Peninsula, from September 3-24, 2021. Jellick was named a 2021 Artist Fellow in Photography by the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Jellick began the artistic journey of this exhibit about a year ago, driving the meandering, contemplative two-lane roads of the Delmarva Peninsula, working mainly in Delaware and Maryland, but occasionally Virginia as well. It is a series about place, he says, but it is also about the metaphor of a peninsula itself — one way in and one way out — providing a means to express the gamut of the human experience and emotions.

His stark black-and-white images speak to the viewer both powerfully and purely. He creates that emotive feel through the use of 35mm cameras and Ilford HP5 film. The work is challenging, he notes, but “…it should be after all. To produce anything aesthetically high should be a huge challenge.”

On inspiration for his work, Jellick says, “I would say most of my influence comes from literature and poetry…I read a lot and I go into the world and make pictures with as few notions as I can.”

Originally from the Central Pennsylvania area, Jellick has been a Delaware resident for about six years, but has also enjoyed stints in Monterrey, CA; New York City; Portland, ME and even Switzerland and France.

Image in banner: Untitled, 2019, 35mm photograph, 11 x 14 inches

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 must wear face coverings and maintain 3 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.

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Contact: Kaitlin Ammon, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications
302-577-8280, kaitlin.ammon@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.

On view June 4-July 30, 2021

Wilmington, Del. (May 26, 2021) – The Journey, an exhibition of watercolor paintings by Howard J. Eberle, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from June 4-July 30, 2021. Eberle is the recipient of a 2021 Artist Fellowship in Painting from the Delaware Division of the Arts.

The majority of works in this exhibition span his journey of the last decade of a professional career that has lasted over 25 years. Included are award-winning paintings that have been exhibited in public museums in the USA and abroad.

Eberle describes himself as a portrait painter of objects. He is drawn to the peeled paint of an old barn, the rusty patina of an anchor, or the weathered wood on an old workboat. He carefully balances his compositions and eliminates some details that might distract the eye.

“I am greatly influenced by the Zen principal of kanso, and in my paintings keep only what is necessary to allow more space for quiet moments of contemplation. Through composition I strive to eliminate clutter in favor of simplicity.” – Howard J. Eberle

The paintings are transparent watercolor using a drybrush technique which enables him to achieve realistic, fine detail not typical of this medium.

Image in banner: Skiff, 2016, transparent watercolor, 11 x 30 inches

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 must wear face coverings and maintain 3 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.

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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.

On view through May 7-28, 2021
Visit the Gallery in-person or view it online

Wilmington, Del. (May 5, 2021) – Combines: The Andromeda Series, an exhibition of wall sculptures by Jack Knight, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from May 7–28, 2021. Knight is the recipient of a 2021 Artist Fellowship in Sculpture from the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Knight calls these works “combines” because he combines canvas, wood, and masonite into sculptural painted constructions that hang on the wall. The exhibition features thirteen combines, each measuring approximately 3 feet by 3 feet. The Andromeda Series was inspired by the 1971 science fiction thriller film, The Andromeda Strain, and the Andromeda galaxy.

These colorful three-dimensional works are created based on triangular forms that Knight builds at the beginning of the work. He then adds hand-painted round canvases and wood shapes to the form. Afterwards, he adds small embellishments to the composition for visual interest and balance.

This work represents a departure from Knight’s easel paintings in which he created the illusion of three-dimensional shapes by overlapping forms on a flat canvas.

“The combines are more free-spirited and exciting to execute. The approach is still creating a composition in three dimensions. All the items, objects, colors, and textures need to harmonize to be successful.” – Jack Knight

Knight lived and pursued his studio career in New York state, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Philadelphia before moving to Long Neck, Delaware. Throughout his busy career, Knight has had 17 solo exhibitions and has participated in more than 100 group shows. His work is found in the collection of ten institutions and three museums.

Image in banner: Andromeda #33 (detail), painted canvas, wood, and masonite, 32 x 32 x 4 inches

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 must wear face coverings and maintain 6 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.

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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.

On view through April 5-29, 2021
Visit the Gallery in-person or view it online

Wilmington, Del. (April 1, 2021) – Visceral Memory Cache, an exhibition of abstract paintings by Eileen Olson, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from April 5-29, 2021. The paintings are a result of a six-month creative journey around the question, “How much does my own visceral memory impact my art?” Olson is planning to be in the Gallery on Thursday, April 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to meet visitors.

Through this journey, Olson discovered that the only limits to her creative process was her imagination. She describes the process as dismantling and rearranging idyllic visions from her cerebral storehouse that she calls her “cache.” To minimize external influences and tap into her memory cache, Olson begins each painting session with a short meditation.

Olson creates visually interesting paintings by using the principles of design in her shape-making and her use of color with differing values. The work may include representational shapes, like birds, and calligraphic strokes. Her goal is to capture the viewer’s interest and create an emotional reaction to the work.

“I paint because it is who I am deep inside my soul. Through a series of catastrophes, my organic marks begin to tell my story. Using many different mediums, layers and textures allows me to achieve a creative approach that helps to express my deep emotions.”

A Bethany Beach resident, Olson conducts workshops, studio tours, and offers demonstrations to art leagues and local social groups all around Delmarva. She is a member of the Rehoboth Art League, the Southeastern Delaware Artists Studio Tour, and the Art League of Ocean City. She has exhibited at galleries and special exhibitions throughout the Mid-Atlantic, been a juror for the National Art Educators Association, and she is also a partner at Gallery One in Ocean View, DE.

Image:  Wanna Touch the Sky (detail), 2020, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 inches

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 must wear face coverings and maintain 6 feet distance from other individuals not in their household.

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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.