The Westfield Athenaeum and Westfield on Weekends (WOW) is pleased to announce an exhibit of the art of Marie Crane Yvon. This exhibit, titled "The Space Between Shadow and Light," will show an extensive collection of her work, and will be exhibited in two locations, the Rand Gallery at the Westfield Athenaeum at 6 Elm Street and WOW’s Creative Arts Center (CAC), 105 Elm Street.
The exhibit will be up thru July at the Athenaeum and thru June at CAC.
Executive Director, Guy McLain stated,
"This is the first time that two Westfield organizations dedicated to fostering and supporting art in our community, will jointly host an exhibit of one of Westfield's leading contemporary artists. We are very excited by this opportunity to bring such a large selection of art to the greater Westfield community."
“The special stroll between the Athenaeum and the Creative Arts Center for the reception showed off some of the many wonderful businesses Westfield’s downtown has to offer,“ Kathi Bradford, CAC Director said. “We enjoyed this collaborative effort and hope that this dual gallery experience and Spring Arts and Culture Weekend will blossom into an annual event.”
Marie Crane Yvon is an artist who is dedicated to the transformative power of color and the limitless possibilities of expression. For more than 30 years she had developed paint techniques that explore the expansive field of contemporary abstract expressionism.
Many of her artistic influences originated in the work of artists like Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, and Joan Mitchell.
She has also worked as a decorative painter and designer. In 2007 Crane-Yvon interiors was launched with her husband Jim. The couple specialize in cabinet refinishing, well established as C.Y. Cabinet Painters. In early 2019, a 15-year passion project launched illustrations for four children's books, specially created for Sweet Echo Stories.
Marie's work has been featured in magazines, and awards have been granted to five unique commercial projects. Marie's design and color prowess has been featured on Channel 22's program, Mass Appeal. Marie approaches each work of art with an experiential and intuitive style, driven by a deep passion for the creative process.
She employs a combination of materials that are traditionally associated with construction projects. Such materials as plaster, stains, dyes, spray paint, and urethane are employed in original ways in order to develop a unique vision and explore uncharted territory.
Marie's work evokes deep emotion and a visual journey through the interplay of color, texture, and form. Marie stated that, "As an artist, I hold a strong belief in the healing energy of our creative spirit. I am drawn to moments of beauty that can be found in contrast and connection, veiled shadow and glimmering light.
