of Beauties & Beasts at The Clement Art Gallery

A decade ago my family and I moved from the bright and colorful Southwest to green and soothing Upstate NY. Among the charming places we discovered soon after, Troy, on the eastern bank of Hudson river, holds a special place for me. Not only that its eclectic feel reminds me of my graduate school years spent in the Midwest, but its vibrancy, cultural life, and beautiful historic buildings draw me there frequently. My visitors from out of town, or country, can attest to that – they inevitably get a tour of that urban treasure.

The Clement Frame Shop & Art Gallery is among Troy’s jewels. It is a long standing family business in the heart of Troy. When you enter, you feel at home: you step into an intimate space knowingly filled with art, as well as picture framing supplies, while the owner-brothers, Tom and Ray Clement, treat you as friends.

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The current exhibition, of Beauties & Beasts, delivers what I learned to expect from The Clement Gallery: skillfully presented paintings and sculptures whose artistic mastery demands close attention. Walking among the art works I felt like being in a fairytale where anything is possible. It really doesn’t matter whether you like the exhibition’s theme or not; the artists’ skills are breathtaking and you will be glad you came to see the art works.

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13 diverse artists in an exhibition devoted to figurative and nature art’s narrative and emotive possibilities…

The show comprises approximately 30 paintings and sculptures from a contingent of representational artists whose subjects tend toward the uncanny and fantastic. In “of Beauties and Beasts,” the human form – idealized and bestial – appears alongside myriad fellows of the animal kingdom in scenes bizarre and whimsical.

Exhibiting Artists: Claus Brusen, Jon Christopher Gernon, Russell Gordon, Igor Grechanyk, Caitlin Hackett, Spring Hofeldt, Steven Kenny, Richard A. Kirk, Jennifer Knaus, Scherer & Ouporov, Benjamin Vierling, Jeff Wigman, Rodney Wood.
      — The Clement Art Gallery Website

A small sample of my photographs takes you from the gallery entrance on a clockwise tour (please note that each picture will enlarge when you click on it). You can find more information and additional photos on The Clement Art Gallery’s website.

Don’t forget that you have another chance to talk to artists during the Second Opening Reception on Friday, August 29, from 6-9pm.

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Add to Your Visit

Spend some time exploring the Troy downtown and take a walk by the Hudson river. If you are up for some more art, stop by The Arts Center of the Capital Region and check what’s going on there.

When you get tired and hungry, you have multiple choices of places to relax and sample different cuisines: Illium Cafe, Shalimar Restaurant, Beirut Restaurant, Brown’s Brewing Co, and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, among others.

Enjoy your visit and share what else you discover at The Clement Art Gallery – especially if you go to the Second Opening Reception – and elsewhere in Troy!

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