Enduring Friendships Exhibition opens at the A. Eric Arctander Gallery, Mahopac; Saturday, 9/12/20 from 1-5pm.

The Putnam Arts Council is pleased to announce its first gallery exhibition since the pandemic: Enduring Friendships, an invitational exhibition featuring photographers, David Small and Dr. Bernie Kessler and painter/printmaker Sergio Gonzalez-Tornero.   All three have been involved with the Putnam Arts Council for over 35 years and have made a mark on our organization in ways that are artistically and personally unique. Lifelong artists, all three have worked well into their 90’s.

We are proud to offer this exhibit to the public from 1-5pm on Saturday Sept. 12, 19 and 26 and Sunday Sept. 13, 20 and 27.   All visitors must make a reservation on our website to attend the show.  We will follow all NY State/CDC safety precautions limiting the number of visitors and requiring masks.
Gallery entry is free of charge.

Mr. Small’s primarily black & white photographs, features an eclectic series of street photography with subjects from all walks of life, some juxtaposed from their setting.  Some serious and some light-hearted, his series represents the diverse range of human emotion with some humor thrown in. Mr. Small is many private collections and is the recipient of many awards.

Dr. Bernie Kessler is an award winning photographer for over 50 years, exploring and celebrating the beauty of nature, including human nature.  His images have been exhibited internationally and are in private and corporate collections.  He is recognized as an outstanding teacher, enthusiastically sharing his passion for photography and consistently offering encouragement. His series of color photographs features landscapes from the Adirondacks to Teatown Lake Reservation and highlight beauty of New York and Connecticut.

Mr. Gonzalez Tornero’s family will provide his work in memorial, and have selected a series of red paintings, none of which have been displayed at PAC or in the immediate area. “Mr. Gonzalez, born in Santiago Chile in 1927 was an accomplished printmaker and painter.  Throughout his long and successful career, he has explore a wide variety of subjects, from vibrant, solitary images of wild animals to complex mediations on psychological and spiritual dimensions of human life from nearly pure abstraction that calls to mind elemental forces of nature to the history” (Newsletter, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison Wisconsin).

The Putnam Arts Council is located at 521 Kennicut Hill Road in Mahopac, New York.  The Council is supported, in part, with public funds from Putnam County and with public funds from the NY State Council on the Arts with support from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the NYS Legislature.  Visit putnamartscouncil.com for details on other programs we offer including art classes, voice lessons, and funding opportunities for artists and arts organizations or call us at 845.803.8622.