It's a merger of my art world and my non-profit social media world! "It's Never Too Late to Create!" features the work of eight artists who are residents in two EngAGE flagship properties [Burbank Senior Artists Colony and North Hollywood Senior Arts Colony], along with the work of co-curators Dr. Maureen Kellen-Taylor, EngAGE C.O.O., and me. We're delighted to have the opportunity to demonstrate the talents and value of mature artists. Please join us at the reception.
It’s Never Too Late to Create!
An exhibition by artists from
Burbank Senior Artists Colony and NoHo SAC
Armory Center for the Arts
145 North Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103
January 16 – February 14, 2016
Opening Reception: January 16th from 3 to 5 p.m.
Participating EngAGEd Artists:
Maryellen Bodell – fiber art
At an early age, Maryellen Bodell learned to sew by hand from her grandmother, making doll clothes. She was intent on learning more, so the next step was mastering a treadle machine and using patterns to sew her own clothes. After graduating business college, she worked as a secretary and bookkeeper but always longed to work with fabrics. Later, she began professionally designing residential custom drapery, slipcovers, pillows, etc., and remained in that field in the Boston area until retirement. Since retiring, she focuses on wall hangings with mixed media techniques.
Walter Hurlburt – painting (oil)
Walter had a 30 year career as a sign painter and for seven years worked as a technical illustrator for Lockheed Corporation. He began painting in oils in 1995 and likes to paint in a realistic manner. He paints portraits, figures, and landscapes, and recently a series of paintings of grain elevators came from his fascination with those structures.
His paintings are in private collections in California, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. He is a member of the Valley Artists Guild, The San Fernando Art Club, The Burbank Art Association, and the Fine Arts Federation of Burbank.
Charlene McDonald – painting (watercolor)
Charlene is an award-winning watercolorist who is a member of the Burbank Fine Arts Association, and other arts groups. She is a retired accountant, and now teaches watercolor painting.
Teddi Shattuck – painting (acrylic)
Teddi attended Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Georgia. She has also studied abroad in Cortona, Italy, and Prague in the Czech Republic. She has had solo shows R.J. Reynolds Gallery in Atlanta, and Funky Furniture Art Gallery in British Columbia. Awards include Best of Show at the Roswell Arts Festival. Her work is in the corporate collections of Marriott Marquis Hotel, IBM, Citizens Bank, Deloitte Touche, Salomon Brothers NYC, and Georgia Power.
Alvin Fels – painter (acrylic)/designer
Alvin Fels is an artist in the shoe industry. His footwear creations have been praised and enjoyed by industry insiders and the public at large for over 60 years. He attended Pratt Institute where he gained an education in Art & Design. Mr. Fels artwork goes beyond his “Pop Art Shoe Paintings”; he also creates abstract murals. His murals were publicly debuted in the windows of Neiman Marcus as the background for “Halston’s Evening Wear Collection.”
His work can be described as abstract, silly, angular, intense and thought provoking. It not only reflects his years of creating women’s footwear, but also the habits of the consumers who buy them. He is currently Design Consultant at Palos Verdes Footwear, makers of very exciting, very volatile “Grazie,” and Sbicca women’s shoes and boots.
Carolyn McElroy – collage
Collage artist Caroline McElroy credits her mother for her creative instincts and believes she first learned about form and function at her mother’s knee where she encouraged her to “grow” her talent.
McElroy’s creative development highlights include summering in Laguna Beach, CA, for several years with the artistic community that worked on the “Living Art” show and who were the founders of the original “Sawdust Festival”; spending time in the creative studio of L.A. Freak Scene guru and sculptor Vito Paulekas; spending a year in the workshop of famed Junk Sculptor Duffy of California. She also spent time working with Joel Wachs, President of The Andy Warhol Foundation For The Visual Arts; staging art shows each Spring for several years at The Southwest Museum as an instructor for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Indian Education Program; and holding art shows in Montecito and Santa Barbara, CA.
Carolyn teaches a Collage Construction Class at the NoHo Senior Arts Colony.
Tyrone Polk – photography/graphics
Tyrone Polk describes himself as “an artist who has an addiction to vibrant colors and an interest in exploring photography.” He has an innate interest in photographing unique subjects such as graphics , landscapes, animals, and unusual sites that touch him spiritually and emotionally. Photography is very personal to him. He wants his photos to be interesting and somewhat controversial (in some cases), so that the photos speak to the person viewing them. In Tyrone’s words, “I am grateful to be part of the Art World that inspires and captures my full attention and it brings joy in my life to share my photos.”
Jean T. Ritchie – collage/monoprint
Jean T. Ritchie is an actress. As a teenager she emigrated to the west coast of the United States and over the years proceeded to undertake many roles including wife, mother, admin positions in offices, host to foreign students, served on various boards, volunteered in elementary school classes, and entrepreneur. In addition she is a recipient of awards in art works and employment positions. When she was expecting her youngest child Ms. Ritchie began with one college class towards her degree – a BFA in Art. After recently relocating to Los Angeles she continues her acting career, writes poetry, works on art projects, and makes plans to travel.
Maureen Kellen-Taylor – artist, teacher, arts administrator [EngAGE C.O.O.] – painting/mixed media
Maureen works with paint, mixed-media, fibers and environmental installations. She trained in Britain and San Francisco. She was imprinted by her early years living on the edge of a South American jungle which still influences her palette and urge to express her love of the more-than-human world. She shows her work in California and England. She also has spent many years helping people reconnect to their own creativity through teaching, writing, travel programs, and designing and establishing arts programs for both Artworks in San Francisco and EngAGE in Southern California. She has taught children in San Francisco Public Schools, and adults at South County Community College, CIIS, Burbank and Noho Senior Arts Colonies, as well as in private workshops and travel programs. Her work is in several private collections in San Francisco and the United Kingdom.
Awards: 5 one-year Artist in Residence grants from California Arts Council; California Arts Council Directors Award; Invitational Artist Residency at Boreal Art/Nature Center, Quebec Canada; Lifetime California Community College Credential for Teaching Art.
Dr. Kellen-Taylor has earned an MA in Expressive Arts Therapy and a PhD for Integral Studies in Learning and Change in Human Systems.
Cynthia Friedlob – artist [EngAGE Websites and Social Media Manager] – drawing/painting/digital art
Cynthia’s career has been devoted to the creative arts. She’s an award-winning artist who’s exhibited in gallery and museum shows across the country for over twenty-five years. Her work ranges from colorful to quiet, from energetic to meditative. It is most often inspired by music, usually jazz, but sometimes classical. She greatly admires Agnes Martin and Richard Diebenkorn, and would very much like to live in an Edward Hopper painting with Bill Evans music playing softly in the background.
Cynthia manages the websites and social media for EngAGE, Inc. She is also a host and producer of “Experience Talks,” a weekly radio show on KPFK-FM 90.7 in LA, produced by EngAGE. Previously, she was a scriptwriter and story editor for children’s television shows and family feature films, working with the legendary Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, Stan Lee, and Jim Henson.
Cynthia is a graduate of the University of Denver with BA and MA degrees. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers).
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25% of the sale price of the art will go to the Armory to help support their many excellent programs. They were recently chosen to receive the 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award — an accolade the White House calls the highest honor for after school art programs in the Nation.
