From Studio B, Boyertown
Pictured above: “Henry at the Door,” oil on linen by Sandra Severson (private collection).
Studio B Art Gallery, 39 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, PA, announced that the opening reception of an art exhibit entitled “PETS!” will take place on Friday, Aug. 28, from 5-7 p.m., featuring artwork from dozens of local artists. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will run through Sunday, Nov. 1. Gallery hours are Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m., Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and from 5-7 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Other days and times are available by chance or appointment.
Pets. We love them, care for them, and take endless photos of them. Let’s celebrate them! Our pets are generally kept for companionship and pleasure and are found in nearly every culture and society. Pet keeping apparently satisfies a deep, universal human need.
Artists were encouraged to interpret the theme of “Pets” in their unique styles and mediums. The exhibit is curated by artist Bob Hakun, Studio B’s gallery director.
The juror for prizes in the exhibit is artist Sandra Severson. Sandra grew up immersed in the Philadelphia art scene as the daughter of noted artists Gerardo and Edith Belfiore. Under the tutelage of her parents, she won the Henry Coscia Award for Painting at Da Vinci Art Alliance and Third Prize in the Philadelphia Teen Art Competition at the age of 13.
Her deep love of horses and other animals led her to move to the family farm in 1980, where she developed hands-on skills and anatomical knowledge of her equestrian subjects as a horse owner/rider, 4-H leader, and “Horse Show Mother.”
After studying drawing and portraiture at PAFA and pursuing an opportunity to study with Nelson Shanks, she was accepted to show at the Kentucky Derby Museum and the International Museum of the Horse, becoming an associate member of the American Academy of Equine Art. Sandra’s paintings have appeared on the covers of the Chronicle of the Horse, Oasis magazine, and the American Lipizzan Registry.
Alternative art shown under her maiden name of Belfiore won her First Prize for Painting at Woodmere Art Museum and the Jamison Award at Wayne Art Center.
Internationally, Sandra won First Prize at Corso Nationale Arte Figurativa in Salerno, Italy, and has been commissioned to paint the British steeplechase horse Tagamet, Brazilian cutting horse champion Magella, and other portraits in Belgium and Morocco.
About Studio B, Boyertown
Studio B Art Gallery opened its doors 18 years ago, hosting exhibits of fine art in all mediums, allowing hundreds of local artists over the years opportunities to showcase and sell their work and hundreds of visitors to the gallery to experience the artists’ skills and creative responses to the varied themes and to meet with neighbors and friends to celebrate the artistic response.
Studio B, located in the heart of historic Boyertown, is the home of the Arts and Activities Alliance, a committee of Building a Better Boyertown, a nonprofit Main Street program dedicated to revitalizing small towns.
Studio B celebrates lifelong learning, creativity, and personal involvement in the visual and communication arts and seeks to be a dynamic part of the Boyertown community, a “go to” destination for learning, fun, and friendship. The studio seeks to showcase the work of fine artists in themed exhibits — some juried, some open to all — and welcomes art in diverse media. In addition to art exhibits, workshops, and classes, Studio B also hosts activities and informal gatherings on assorted topics for small groups or meetings, gallery talks, and “Getting to Know You” opportunities.
Visitors are always welcome to view the changing exhibits, take lessons in the visual, literary, and communication arts offered by highly-trained local artists and teachers, and schedule small events or parties in its elegant facility. The studio proudly collaborates with the many unique businesses in the Boyertown community.
Learn more at studiobbb.org.
