Olive Free Library’s Exhibitions

From Soup to Nuts
An Exhibition focusing on Food in Art

The Olive Free Library Association is very pleased to present the exhibition From Soup to Nuts showcasing the works of 16 Hudson Valley artists featuring food in art and many ways food can be presented. The show, curated by Olive Library Exhibition Committee Member Elaine Ralston, will run from September 23 through November 5, 2023 with a number of exhibition related events: an opening reception on Saturday, September 23 from 3 – 5 pm; a talk by Wes Hannah from Solid Ground Farm on Thursday, September 28 at 5:30 pm; and an Artists Meet & Greet on the closing day, Sunday, November 5, 2:30 – 4 pm.

Elaine Ralston says about this exhibition, “In our society, food is a commonplace and pervasive commodity that we all interact with every day. Unless we are experiencing a lack of food – as many in the world do – most of us don’t focus on it much. It contributes to so many areas of our lives; whether we actively work with it through the growing process, transportation and preparation, or even use its nourishment to strengthen families and community; food has a way of connecting us with each other and to the whole of nature.”

Elaine continues, “Artists all through history have used food subjects with reverence and beauty, inspiring many avenues in the creative process. They have captured the subtle and the bold, displaying the connection and inseparability of culture, people, and landscape. This exhibition featuring various mediums such as oils, pastels, photography, and ceramics, honors and focuses on that tradition, reminding us of food’s ability to feed not only our body but our spirit.”

Food is Life and Life is Art
“All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography” – Frederico Fellini

Participating artists in this show are: Carole Aoki, Brinton Baker, Mike Giuliano, Wendy Hollender, Sergey Jivetin, Phil Mansfield, Meredith Morabito, Jackie Oster, Thomas Sarrantonio, Kaete Brittin Shaw, Lora Shelley, Ann Marie Silvani, Anthony Silvani, Ruby Silvious, Pablo Weinschenk, and Dale Wolfield.

From Soup to Nuts, an exhibition focusing on food in art
Exhibition Dates: September 23 – November 5, 2023
Opening: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 3 – 5 pm
Talk by Wes Hannah from Solid Ground Farm: Thursday, September 28, 2023, 5:30 pm
Artists Meet & Greet: Sunday, November 5, 2023, 2:30 – 4 pm

During the exhibition opening, local artist-miniaturist Sergey Jivetin will be hand-engraving seeds with illustrations based on narratives about plants and their deep connection with farmers, seed savers, naturalists, and enthusiast gardeners who nurture and preserve them. If you would like to share your personal story of such a relationship between plants and people, bring a relevant seed and Sergey will illustrate your individual story into it.

Talk by Wes Hannah from Solid Ground Farm – Community-building through CSA and local food: We are a small, family-owned organic vegetable farm with a mission of feeding the local community and building a long-term harmony with our environment. CSA models and other local-food-focused initiatives are driving a local agricultural economy with benefits for eaters, farmers, and the environment. This presentation is about the growth of CSA farming, how it has helped build our farm, what the future of CSA and local food initiatives might look like, and how community members can get more involved.

OLIVE FREE LIBRARY'S EXHIBITION SCHEDULE 2023

January 21 – March 4, 2023: I Dreamed a Garden, a show of works by members of Longreach Arts, a Hudson Valley artist cooperative, coordinated by Carol Pepper-Cooper and Linda Schultz

March 18 – May 7, 2023: cARTography: alternate routes, an exhibition focusing on artists that incorporate maps in their artwork, curated by Jan Sosnowitz

May 13 – July 8, 2023: Beneath the Surface, a photography exhibition by members of the Women Photographers Collective of the Hudson Valley

July 22 – September 9, 2023: Define Beauty, 6th Annual Juried Summer Group Show coordinated by Nathalie Andrews, and juried by Donald Elder

September 23 – November 4, 2023: From Soup to Nuts, an exhibition of works focusing on food in art curated by Elaine Ralston

November 18, 2023 – January 6, 2024: I see RED, 6th Annual Small Works Show co-curated by Sandra Scheuer and Kathy Yacoe --> click here for the Call for Art Submission Guidelines