Water-themed art abounds in two downtown Waterbury exhibits
September 26, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Trust by Andreas John
Two art shows converge in downtown Waterbury over the next several weeks, both with water central to their themes and purpose.
One is a photography exhibition at Axel’s Gallery & Frame Shop.
The other is a recently completed community art project inspired by individual flood-recovery experiences over the past year.
The two intersect on Saturday, Oct. 5, when the public is invited to gather at Axel’s for a free reception from 5-7 p.m. to take in both displays.
At Axel’s: ‘The Many Voices of Water’
Listen by Andreas John
In the latest show at Axel’s, artist photographer Andreas John presents an intense exploration of the relationship between humanity and the natural world through a series of black-and-white images.
On view through Oct. 26, this collection titled “The Many Voices of Water” is a visual representation that invites the observer to consider Vermont’s evolving landscape and the broad implications of climate change.
Gallery Owner Whitney Aldrich introduces John’s work: “By reflecting on water as a dynamic and integral element, the exhibition prompts us to think beyond traditional perspectives. It challenges us to view water – and by extension other elements of nature – as living entities with their own wisdom and communication. This perspective echoes indigenous philosophies that recognize nature as animate and interconnected.”
The viewer of John’s work is invited to consider how to rebuild relationships with the environment in ways that honor these relationships and support future generations. The exhibition emphasizes creative and sustainable approaches that respect connections among humans, animals, plants, and the land itself.
“The Many Voices of Water” goes beyond art exhibition to becomes a call to action—a reminder of our responsibility to listen, learn, and act in harmony with the natural world, the announcement explains.
Images in the exhibit are paired with audio recordings crafted from field sound at the various locations where the images were made along with reflections from the people participating in the project.
Each image also has a jar of water and a stone below it, both from the place where the image was created. Viewers are invited to add their intentions and blessings to that water. At the end of the show, the artist will return the stones and water to their original homes, bringing the project full circle.
John will attend the Oct. 5 reception with a question/answer opportunity with him at 6 p.m. Snacks and refreshments will be served.
With the exception of special events, Axel’s is open Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information online at axelsgallery.com.
Floodgates 2.0: ‘What’s on Your Plate?’
For the second time in a little over a decade, local art leaders, activists and teachers have rallied community members to create original art pieces inspired by their experiences with flooding over the past year.
The “What’s on your Plate?” art project has generated nearly 100 original works representing responses, viewpoints, experiences and emotions regarding the flooding that Mother Nature continues to dish out, according to project organizers MK Monley and Sarah-Lee Terrat.
The Vermont Flood Response & Recovery Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation awarded Waterbury Area MakerSphere a grant to conduct this community art project initially in response to the July and December 2023 flooding, and then adding in the repeat flood events in July this year. “The psychological toll left by the devastation that hit our entire state has been undeniable,” the organizers note.
Working from the premise that art is therapy, people were invited people to use a heavy-duty paper plate as a canvas and share through images or words their responses to the prompt: “What are your hopes? What are your fears? How are you doing? What do you need? How are you being helped, and how are you helping others? What’s on your plate?”
At public events and workshops and in spare time at home, people of all ages took time to create their pieces. More than 300 art kits with plates and art supplies and materials were distributed; nearly 100 submissions were turned in to be included in the exhibition that’s now hung in multiple storefront windows in downtown Waterbury.
The entries feature moving stories, drawings and collages as each creator sought to convey how they are managing post-flood life.
From watercolor images of resilience to expressions of despair, some common threads emerged. Many of the children who submitted plates created images of hope such as rainbows and sunshine. Adults’ messages were more mixed. One adult wrote: “So many thoughts, feelings and worries swirled onto my plate when I tried to paint, draw and write where I’m at after 2 rounds of flooding. Confusion, Overwhelm and Hope surfaced as the repeated theme ‘on my plate.’”
Through projects such as this, MakerSphere continues its work of uniting community and promoting collective healing through art, Monley and Terrat noted.
This exhibit is on display in the storefront windows along Stowe Street in Waterbury now through Oct. 21. Below is a list of the exhibit locations with the names of each artist whose work is hung in each window.
On Oct. 5, the public is invited to view the pieces and then gather at Axel’s Gallery & Frame Shop at the reception with Andreas John and “The Many Voices of Water” exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m.
'What's On Your Plate?' exhibit locations and artists with work on display. Courtesy of MakerSphere