February 23 - April 10, 2009

Opening reception: February 26 , 6 - 8pm

Artistic statement:

After working in the arts as a teacher and administrator for 22 years, I have returned to the business of painting.

The majority of my work is oil on canvas or board. I work with a combination of knife and brush, focusing on figurative imagery. My mark making is inspired by Charles Hawthorne's book in which he speaks of local color or "spots" that vibrate together to achieve energy on the canvas. The images are inspired by the figurative style of Jenny Saville and Lucien Freud, particularly the depiction of large human forms. Much of my work reflects the whimsy of Botero and my own sense of humor.

In the "Man in the Box" series, I paint large male figures that are forced into small spaces. During my observation and research on the topic of obesity, I have learned much about the issues facing fat people in today's society. Both figuratively and literally, they do not fit into the spaces provided: seats, cars, restaurant booths and clothes; and are often treated as social pariahs.

The work of Atta Kim, in particular, his series of nudes in glass containers, has also provoked this investigation.

Additionally, I am working on a series of self-portraits of which "Artist as Fabric" is the first.This painting renders one side of the face as fabric, worn by time and life's passing, while the other side is still youthful, suggesting that the "inner self" does not age. This year my work has entered a realm of energy, which is very influenced by the struggles of human existence in today's society. Studying painting with Michael Dowling at Medicine Wheel has informed and inspired my work and my life.

Hope M. Ricciardi

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Coming May 8- June 23

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)Show
The Mind is a Beautiful Beast