This One's Optimistic: Pincushion

New Britain Museum of American Art

New Britain | Connecticut | USA

07 Jun, 2014 - 14 Sep, 2014

This One鈥檚 Optimistic: Pincushion is a densely hung, salon style exhibition that includes paintings and drawings by 38 contemporary artists, all of whom are known for their excellence in making work that leans heavily towards abstraction. Their styles are vastly different and will, in close proximity, create a wide-ranging visual experience, which can be seen as a current reflection of a slice of what is going on within the art community. A unifying theme among all the artwork is that of an intuitive, positive, human force鈥攐ne that is authentic, smart, original, and inventive鈥攁nd always with a warm beating heart.

Smith believes there is a heightened collective awareness that we share due to the immediate exchange of digital information among us. As Smith finds himself often sitting in front of his computer looking, watching, listening鈥攁nd posting images of his own work along with the work of other artists he admires鈥攈e finds that in short bits of time he can view art from all over the globe. This exhibition is a snippet of that world for all to view in real time, in real space where the heart of the artist is ever present.

Participating artists: John Phillip Abbott, Joshua Abelow, Lisa Beck, Trudy Benson, Timothy Bergstrom, Michael Berryhill, Ross Bleckner, Todd Chilton, Steve DiBenedetto, Amy Feldman, Michelle Grabner, Joanne Greenbaum, Clare Grill, Adam Henry, Daniel Hesidence, Xylor Jane, Bill Komoski, Joshua Marsh, Chris Martin, Andrew Masullo, Keith Mayerson, Douglas Melini, Tom Nozkowski, Carl Ostendarp, Ann Pibal, Josh Podoll, Lisa Sanditz, James Siena, Jennifer Wynne Reeves, Alexander Ross, Julie Ryan, Jackie Saccoccio, Russell Tyler, Dan Walsh, Chuck Webster, Garth Weiser, Stanley Whitney, Michael Williams, B. Wurtz and Tamara Zahaykevich