BEVERLY — One of the oldest sculptors' groups in the country is having one of the biggest sculpture exhibits in the area.
The new show at Endicott College's Center for the Arts spans two galleries and features more than 60 sculptures in alabaster, bronze, wood, steel and more, all created by members of the New England Sculptors Association.
"There are a variety of pieces of art and sculpture," said Michael Guadagno of Danvers, president of the New England Sculptors Association. "It's a very large, comprehensive exhibit of multimedia, multi-imagery."
The free exhibit opened this week and will run through Oct. 15.
"It's great to get art off the wall," said Kathleen Moore, coordinator of visual arts at Endicott College. "Three-dimensional objects are so interesting. This is a great opportunity for our students, as well as the public."
The sculptures in the exhibit include Guadagno's abstract "Two Spheres in a Curl," carved from orange-colored onyx, and "Mother and Child," a rounded alabaster sculpture created by Phoebe Ingram of Beverly Farms.
Other media include terra cotta, whale bone and marble.
"The pieces themselves are just a beautiful representation of what an artist can do to create a sculpture," Moore said.
The show features local artists, as well as works by artists from around New England, some of whom will attend a reception on Friday, Sept. 10, which is also open to the public.
The curator of the exhibit, John Volpacchio, will give a brief talk at the reception. Guadagno said Volpacchio went through the submissions and selected the items to be presented in the show.
"The breadth and scope of the work was outstanding," said Volpacchio, a professor of art at Salem State College. "... This group of artists and their work will draw viewers into their world and make them smile and question how to appreciate and understand sculpture."
Formed in 1948, the New England Sculptors Association is one of the oldest sculptors associations in the country, according to Guadagno. It has approximately 120 members from around New England.
Members show their work throughout the world and are represented in numerous private and museum collections.
To complement the exhibit, the college assembled an artist book and asked each of the artists to make a statement about their work.
"This whole show gives ours students the opportunity to connect with artists — at the gallery and at the reception, as well as with the artist book," Moore said.
"This is a wide representation of what's going on in sculpture today," said Guadagno, who runs Barn Workshop Fine Arts and Crafts School in Danvers.
Staff writer Amanda McGregor can be reached at amcgregor@salemnews.com.
Want to go?
What: New England Sculptors Association Exhibit
Where: Center for the Arts, Endicott College, 376 Hale St., Beverly
When: Now through Oct. 15
Cost: Free
Reception: Friday, Sept. 10, 5 to 7 p.m.
Gallery hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gallery hours will likely expand as the school year gets under way; call 978-232-2655 for updated hours.
