Rebel HQ in the East Side Monthly magazine in October. By Mark Binder.

They gather at an undisclosed location
on the East Side. One by one, in pairs and clans, young and old, insured and un, they come to this house near the peak of College Hill, sometimes carrying musical instruments, always bringing good will and bearing gifts of food and wine. They call themselves “Rebels” and this is their headquarters.
For just over a year, Rich and Dorota
Streitfeld and Wayne Bridge have been hosting an art party dubbed “Rebel Headquarters” at their house on the East Side. Sometimes they have a featured artist; sometimes it’s a group show. In September, the art was a collection of elegant bonsais that turned the nooks of this large New England house into a sparse miniature thicket.
The walls of their home are thick with hanging paintings; tables become pedestals
for sculptures and every so often a poet breaks into verse or a belly dancer begins to shimmy. While the grownups talk, there is a second party that consists solely of children, even teenagers, hanging
out with their friends without the grownups in another part of the house.
“We started Rebel in May of 2008,” Dorota explains to me a few days after the September event. Originally from Poland, Dorota came to Rhode Island to visit the Providence Zen Center, met Rich, and has never left. Her European-accented English produces a rushing torrent
of words. “We were part of the Art Motivation meet-up group, started by Stephanie Shechter and realized we had a lot of friends who are artists but who barely ever show their work. We are creative, out of the box thinkers. We also have all these walls so we figured we could hang art on them and invite people over.”
Wrapped in a pink blanket and trying to ward off the first cold of the season, Wayne nods. “There are a lot more artists
than galleries around Providence.”
Wayne and Dorota cleared the walls themselves, painted them in vibrant colors, banged nails, made postcards, and began inviting people. Rich, the third ringmaster, fortunately happens to be a passionate networker, taking special pleasure in meeting people and helping them make connections.
“For me,” Rich says, “Rebel has deepened my appreciation
of art, and helped me to make deeper connections
with people I already knew but hadn’t had a chance to develop a friendship with. Our back door neighbor, Eric? We never saw him, but now we’re buddies. I’m always surprised at the people who come. People who I think might be too busy or too important,
they come, find it unique and just want it to continue.”
While one of the driving missions of the Rebel Headquarters is to display the art, clearly just as important is to present it in a living and breathing environment. “We are committed to equating art with a pleasurable experience, which is not something you always get when you go to a gallery,” Bridge explains. “[We like to think we’re] changing the way people view and respond to art. [Even if that’s all] we can do, I think we’ll have achieved our goal.”
What makes the process so fascinating is that every show at Rebel is unique. One evening there were fire performers
spitting and dancing with real fire. Another month there were photographs by Fredrika Sumelius of gypsy refugees in Macedonia. Last November saw a “Post Thanksgiving” show with works by David Tobin. In January, Jim Barfoot brought in constructions of wood and industrial mind teasing puzzles. One night, Cory Clinton’s chicken wire sculpture of a shark, it’s maw open, floated from the ceiling of the front porch.
The group at Rebel doesn’t play it safe either. Dorota described Deenie Pacik’s work as “very strongly set in gay activism,”
while Eva Stosik-Moers and Kerry Smith’s nudes made some of the adults uncomfortable given the presence of children running underfoot.
“It can be sometimes shocking,” Dorota
admits with a shrug, “especially in a house where everything’s really close. In a gallery, you can [achieve some] distance, but here, it’s right in front of you.”
For her show this past summer, Heather Adels filled most of the walls with paintings of man, beast and flowers, and then went on to create a new body of work that she called, “Fifty-Eight Paintings/
Sixty-One Days.”
“We had to create new ‘walls’ for the 58 by hanging burlap from the ceiling,”
Adels explained. “The living space, eclectic in its own right, is a wealth of color and texture and so it took easily to the accommodations we had to make.” As a result of the Rebel event, Adels sold some of her pieces, secured several other private showings and a show at the 5 Traverse Gallery.
Adels’ experience aside, Rebel is not something
that’s easy to monetize. While sales and shows are desirable, the impetus and driving force behind the art parties is to inspire and collect the people who will meet, blend and then spawn new combinations.
For the first year, the gatherings happened
every month, but after a while the burden simply got to be too great. Cleanup was a chore and one month, Dorota was so exhausted she actually fell asleep in her bedroom and missed the whole gathering. So now, the Rebels gather a bit less frequently, though they remain committed to filling their walls and the tables with art and their home with new visitors and viewers.
“People bring their most rebellious and change-oriented selves to our events and make things happen,” Wayne points out. “The number of connections that occur here is pretty phenomenal – every kind of connection, creative artistic, work. People meet lovers here. That kind of thing just keeps happening. That’s the best part of it, I think.”
The Next Rebel Headquarters will feature
work by Kelly McCullough on Saturday,
November 28 from 6pm until late. We won’t tell you where, because getting there is half the fun. If you go, don’t arrive empty handed. Be courteous because it is a private home. Bring food and drink – enough to share. More info is available at www.rebelhq.us or www.rebelheadquarters.blogspot.com
Mark Binder is an author, storyteller and nice guy. He lives on the East Side and writes a semi-regular column for this paper.

September 26, 2009 Rebel HQ Open House Gallery with New England Bonsai Gardens and Cassandra Tribe

July 2009 Rebel HQ Open House Gallery with Heather Adels

Dear Friends,

Please join us for the next Open House Art Gallery on Saturday, July 25, 2009, starting at 6 pm.

We are honored to be presenting the creative works of Heather Adels /www.adelsart.com/, whose talent, imagination and beautiful soul shows through her vibrant paintings.

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice.

All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.
And as usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

Heather, Dorota, Rich and Wayne

Important Notice—No Rebel HQ Open House Gallery in June!

Notice to all Rebels:

The rebellion is strong. The rebellion is proceeding according to plan.

However...

Our Rebel Headquarters gatherings will only be held every other month until further notice. Our next gathering will be held on July 25th.

...So save up your party juices (or squander them elsewhere) and be doubly ready for the next one. We have chosen our guest artist already and cannot wait to tell you about her... Aren't you just dying to know?! Stay tuned for further notices.

Thank you for your continued heroics,
HQ (Wayne, Rich, Dorota)

One Year Anniversary of Rebel Headquarters "Say No to Art"—May 30, 2009

Dear Friends,

Celebrating First Anniversary of the Rebel HQ monthly gallery show on Saturday, May 30, 2009, starting at 5 pm!

Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice. All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.
Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

Important policy change: Children are NOT allowed on fence from this time on, even if Woody says it's ok :)) Or at the fire pit unattended by their parents.

Thanks so much to everybody for supporting this special night.
And huge appreciation to Dale Donnelly and Claudia Summers for cleaning, cleaning, cleaning during the event!

Feel free to visit: www.RebelHeadquarters.blogspot.com, where you will also find tons of photographs from the events. And as usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

Looking forward to seeing everyone. Let's say: No, Yes, Don't Know, Whatever, to Art. Together!

Dorota, Rich and Wayne

Speaking Frankly with Women in Business

Hosts: Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, Wendy Hanson.
Guests: Gail Ahlers, Dorota Streitfeld
http://www.drdaycarefamily.com/women%27sbusiness.htm

Mary Ann and Wendy "...believe that women need easy access to learn effective ways to navigate and advance in our competitive society. This program is designed as a forum where women can frankly share their successful behaviors, thoughts and experiences that they believe have given them the competitive edge in the marketplace. The goal is to show how women can begin, with these ideas and resources, to grow into their roles as leaders. This program will not only provide easy, free access to role models for success, but will also afford community leaders an opportunity to give back to the community. When we help one person, we help all people..."

Dates for Gail Ahlers and Dorota Streitfeld's show is as follows: on Lincoln 18: 5/24 and 5/31 at 9 pm and on Interconnect A: 5/27 and 6/3 at 12:30 pm. Enjoy!

Eat More Pie!!!—Absolutely the Yummiest Tangerota Berry and Chocolate Vanilla Volcano

Hey y'all! Just giving the update, hope everyone out there is a doing well and ready for some freaky good pie.

Tangerota Berry, which is a mouthful, I know, is an amazing pie designed after an amazing lady. If you do not know Dorota Streitfeld or haven't been to one of the Rebel HQ (http://www.rebelheadquarters.blogspot.com/) parties that she co-hosts, your life is far less rich, colorful and a whole lot less interesting. She is, without a doubt, one of my favorite people in New England and defiantly one of the friendliest. Look her up sometime, you'll be greeted with a smile and open arms.

But what's in a Tangerota Berry? Things I knew she'd like, and hopefully you will, too. It's a Tangerine custard with slices of Strawberries sprinkled throughout and a healthy kick of Tequila. It is almost like a Tequila Sunrise, but better. And in pie.

You might ask what you need to do to get a pie designed and named after you. Well... be like Dorota.

Our other flavor this week is Chocolate Vanilla Volcano. This is a sweet vanilla custard with a dark, near black, organic chocolate layered on top. You'd expect me to go all spicy, but that's in a few weeks when the good chilies come out. But no, this is super sweet and awesome goodness. No spicy just yet.

We'll be at the Hope Artist Village in Pawtucket this Saturday from 10am until 1pm. We've exceeded capacity for delivery this week (even before the announcement! Been a busy girl!) so if you'd like to pick up a pie, hit us up at the market. You can find directions here: http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=29

All you vegans out there, check us out next week, I've got something special with y'all in mind.
Hope everyone's well and having a wonderful week!
~Iris

Cutiepies—Our only competition is Mom.
http://www.cutiepiepies.blogspot.com/
(401) 331 2414

April 2009 Rebel HQ Open House Gallery with Cory Clinton /in memory of JW Harrington/

Dear Friends,

Please join us for the next Open House Art Gallery on Saturday, April 25, 2009, starting at 5 pm.
Cory Clinton coryclinton.com will show his 2D and 3D art, and you might be surprised, shocked, entertained, amazed, but never disappointed.

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice.
All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

As usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

Our dearest friend, JW Harrington, passed away last Tuesday.

He was often here, at the gallery, doing what he loved, taking pictures, photographing the event.
We will honor him by letting the show go on, in the spirit he would wish for, with the music, with the art, with the precious human to human connection. Please bring a candle to light for JW, if you so wish.

May you rest in peace JW, you inspired us so much, we will always remember you.

Cory, Dorota, Rich and Wayne

March 2009 Rebel HQ Open House Gallery with Frederika Sumelius

Please join us for the next Open House Art Gallery on Saturday, March 28, 2009, starting at 5 pm.

Frederika Sumelius, talented artist and dedicated social activist, will be presenting photographs of the ethnically cleansed Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minority women and their families in Macedonian refugee camps as their homes were destroyed in Kosovo after the end of the 1999 NATO Bombing in Yugoslavia: some biographies the women wrote of their lives before the bombing, during their plight; and examples of hand-work they created in income generation projects program created by Frederika.

Beautiful Roma-inspired tunes, songs of love, passion and longing by Aurelia Lucy Shrenker and Eva Salina Primack (www.myspace.com/aesings.)

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice.

All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

May all beings be well, happy, and safe from suffering,

Frederika, Dorota, Rich and Wayne

February 2009 Rebel HQ Open House Gallery with Kerry Smith

Dear Friends,

Please join us for the Open House Art Gallery on Saturday, February 28, 2009, starting at 5 pm.

We are honored to be showcasing the talent of Kerry Smith, colorful, whimsical and inspiring artist. And a wonderful story teller!

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice.

All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

Visit: www.RebelHeadquarters.blogspot.com for any past and future info, and tons of photographs from the events. And as usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

With love and wishes of ever flowing peace, creativity, whimsy and inspiration,

Kerry, Dorota, Rich and Wayne

Spectacular Fire Spinning, Flame Spitting and Hula Hooping Show in January

Stacey Trouble (top photo,) Loki Suthowski, Victoria Trofimova (bottom photo,) and Sunshine, thank you so much for your stunning performance. It was a real treat! We loved having you here, please come back again, and again!

Thank You!

Blogger Susan said...

Once again the Rebel Triumvirate - Dorota Streitfeld, Wayne Bridge and Rich Streitfeld - provided a context for Unbridled Happening on January 31. 2008 closed out with a bright and awe-inspiring bang, when the group show hung for December 27 showed Southern New England what co-sponsored motivation can do for determined artists and their work. What a group! What an output! What a blessing Rebel HQ is in a world so ready to offer a discouraging word.

What is it that's going on at Rebel HQ? It's hard to say, but it's impossible to ignore.

This month's show brought us the always lively and often interactive work of Jim Barfoot. Jim's approach to art is almost like that of a man trying to solve a problem - his "Orchestral Textures" was a standout for me, asking the question "what is the visual impact of musical unity and variety?" Jim's hands-on, 3D pieces had a constant audience, drawing art-lovers and their hands into conversation with wood - although the proximity of these pieces to the fireplace may have been a help. It was a very cold night. (Almost like eating seafood in front of a giant fish tank if you ask me.)

The spirit of Jim's work was all over the room - it showed up in the committed yet easy conversations and introductions, it showed up in the spontaneous and infectiously celebratory fire performances outside (a dish of "yeah it's winter... LET IT ROCK!"). As before, Rebel HQ January '09 was both a created event for art, and art that creates events. And hot damn - your children are welcome, too!

Dorota, Wayne and Richard are to be applauded for being who they are and for bravely allowing it to give rise to the best in us. At a point in popular culture when so many events and pieces are crafted for maximum cleverness and yield, these three simply do what they know best and allow it to do its thing in the hands, eyes, minds and hearts of excited Attendant Rebels.

They must love us all very much.

-Susan Barnaby

February 3, 2009 6:49 PM

January 31, 2009 Rebel Headquarters Gallery with Jim Barfoot

Dear Friends,

Please join us for the Open House Art Gallery on Saturday, January 31, 2009, starting at 5 pm.

This time extraordinary interdisciplinary artist, Jim Barfoot will invite us to the creativity gym of his making!

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Rich Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice. All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food, drinks, and musical instruments, if you play. By popular demand we will have a fire pit outside, so hot dogs, franks, wursts, sticks etc. will be nice.

As usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!
With love and wishes of ever flowing peace and creativity,

Jim, Dorota, Rich and Wayne

December 27, 2008 End of the Year Rebeliada with Fourteen Artists Group Show

Dear Friends,

Happy and Peaceful Holidays to Everyone!

Hope you can join us for the special End of the Year Rebel HQ Gallery Group Art Exhibit on Saturday, December 27, 2008, starting at 5 pm. We will be hosting a group show of fourteen artists featured in the invitation above.

If you wish please bring an item that represents something you want to let go of in the new year, so you can toss it into the fire. Eric Klein will be assisting anyone interested in a ritual of Letting Go. Bring your Intentions, Inspirations, Good Wishes and Voo Doos!

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists; and Richard Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice. All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking. Bring pot luck food/drink, franks and wursts, kelbasas and sticks for the outdoor fire pit, marshmallow, hot chocolate; and musical instruments, if you play.

And as usual kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

With love and best wishes for the New Year,
Amy Jean, Brooke, Chrystee, Cory, Dorota, Dylan, Eric, Ewa, Janice, Jim, Kerry, Laura, Mary Beth, Patti, Rich and Wayne

November 2008 Rebel HQ with David Tobin

Thanks to David Tobin and Everybody for a great time during November Rebeliada. There were over eighty adults streaming through the space...

Hope to see everybody in December for the special End of the Year Group Exhibit. Bring your Intentions, Inspirations, Good Wishes and Voo Doos!

Holiday Festival and Downtown Stroll—December 06, 2008

PPS is bringing back the much loved Holiday Festival and moving it Downtown! On Saturday, December 6th, the PPS Downtown Holiday Festival will showcase 11 stunning lofts, located in six historic buildings that have undergone dramatic restorations! These private residences will be open to the public from 11A.M. – 4 P.M. This superb tour will feature an outstanding medley of homes, ranging from an exquisitely appointed penthouse, to sleek loft spaces and artists' studios.

Don't forget to visit our friends at the OfficeLab at the Federal Reserve Building hosting the 2008 Most Endangered Properties Traveling Exhibit, which is part of this great tour.

The Registration Center (where you pick up your guidebook which serves as the ticket) is at the Peerless Building Atrium at 150 Union Street.See below for directions. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day-of the tour. Pre-sale tickets will end on Thursday, December 4th at 5 P.M. All tickets after that must be purchased at the Registration Center for the Day-of ticket rate.
For more information visit the Providence Preservation Society, or the OfficeLab.

Rebel HQ November 2008 Post Thanksgiving Art Gallery Vernissage by David Tobin

Please join us for the Open House Post Thanksgiving Art Gallery on Saturday, November 29, 2008, starting at 5 pm.

David Tobin will treat us to a vibrant, expressive oil painting show. It is extremely exciting to anticipate all this mesmerizing color and incredible energy on the Gallery walls!

As always Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the accompanying host artists, And Richard Streitfeld is our host of honor and whimsy, bank of information and network advice.

All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Bring pot luck food/drink, Thanksgiving leftovers, and your overnight staying guests; children born, and yet-to-be-born; musical instruments, if you play. And as usual, kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

GO OBAMA!

Just a Couple of the Latest Ink on Clayboard by Wayne M. Bridge

Way to Go, David, Deb and Wayne!

We are proud and happy to announce that paintings by Wayne Bridge, Deb Carlson and David Tobin have been chosen for the 22nd Rhode Island Juried Competition at the Warwick Museum of Art. Please join them for the Opening Reception on Friday, November 7th, from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Museum. The juror this year is Michael Peery, an accomplished painter and educator. For more information go to www.warwickmuseum.org/experience/experience.htm

Open the Door… Unconventional Bedtime Story Written and Illustrated by Wayne M. Bridge

Here is yet another creation by Wayne, this time the author Wayne M. Bridge. The book he wrote and illustrated is amusing, surprising, mysterious, and hmmm… scary a bit. Perfect for this time of the year. Wayne's imagination and inspiration is truly unlimited and contagious. For an authographed copy of the book, please write rebelheadquarters@gmail.com

As the author himself puts it: "Wayne is an author, artist and craftsman, currently living in Rhode Island. His pleasure in having written and illustrated this book is immeasurable. He hopes it scares your children. He is a very bad man." $40. Enjoy!

Rebel HQ October Art Gallery Party Preparation

Just a great shot of Rich (the CPA) and Wayne (the artist) getting their costumes ready for yesterday Rebel HQ Gallery. We all had an amazing fun last night, tons of pictures are coming soon. Thank you so much to all for adding your energy into creating such a wonderful sense of community and art appreciation thorough this event!

OfficeLab at the Federal Reserve Building—Working Downtown Providence is Exciting

Meeting Miriam Goldsmith and Wayne Franklin at the OfficeLab, the cooperative office space at the Federal Reserve building downtown Providence (info and the website in the blog below.)

Rebel HQ Invades Federal Reserve

Rebel HQ has set off an art bomb at the Federal Reserve building in downtown Providence, with the help of our friends on the inside. Our allies at OfficeLAB have provided wall space in their new collaborative workspace. We filled the walls with art in time for the opening event.

Paintings by Wayne Bridge, Ewa Stosik-Moers and Dorota Streitfeld can be seen at the historic Federal Reserve Building in the heart of Providence’s Downcity starting today, Thursday, Oct 9, 2008, 8:00 am—5:00 pm.

The OfficeLab is a new place for sharing office space and resources with a community of entrepreneurs, freelancers and mobile professionals. It was created through Urban Sun Investments' "Seed Providence" initiative to support and foster the city's burgeoning knowledge economy. Bring your laptop, work, relax, network, drink coffee and enjoy this unique workspace in the heart of Downcity. Try out the 8mbps upload and download speeds by either plugging in directly or tapping high-speed WIFI (Simultaneous Dual N-band). OfficeLAB is offering monthly memberships at the introductory rate of $175 for 40 hours of access per month.

View Larger Map
Where: 170 Westminster Street, Providence, RI (3rd Floor)
For more information go to www.officelab.us

Rebel HQ Open House Gallery Invitation—October 25, 2008 Dress Up, Not Stress Up

Please join us for the costume and art party on October 25, 2008, starting at 5 pm.

Wayne Bridge and Dorota Streitfeld are the host artists. All art is offered for sale, discussion, comments and ice breaking.

Please take it easy, if the costume issue stresses you out. Hmmm.... But that's the point. Ok, we'll have a massage (torture?) chair for those stressed out art celebrators. :)

Bring pot luck food/drink, and musical instruments, if you play. And as usual, kindly forward the invitation to friends and foes!

Heavenly September Rebel Headquarters Gallery with Ewa Stosik-Moers

Dear friends, thank you for making these nights such a blast!

Ewa, thank you so much for showing your incredible, sensual talent, love of beauty and sense of humor, and for being such a lovely Angel.

We realized that not just adults connect very nicely during the gallery nights. The teenagers, and younger crew are so natural at networking and having fun. Thank you for inspiring us, kids!

Ryan, Sasha and their friends, Diane, Jessica, Chris and Vika, Andrew, Didgeridoo David... Thank you for making music! We all appreciate your amazing talents so very much.

October 25 will, naturally, be a costume gala. Hope to see everybody here. Bring your friends or foes, what the hell!

Sponsor Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk with Marjorie Lewis

Marjorie Lewis will be taking part of the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk on Sunday. She will be here at the next Rebel HQ Open House Gallery the day before. Please kindly sponsor her cause, walk or talk with her—she is fun! For more information go to http://www.alz.org/ri/in_my_community_memory walk.asp

Next Rebel HQ Show September 27, 2008 featuring Ewa Stosik-Moers

Please sharpen your visual appetite for the upcoming Vernissage of a wonderful, hot, spirited and wild Polish American artist. Ewa Stosik-Moers is a talented photographer, painter, illustrator, architect, art therapist and energy healer. September 27, 2008 at 4 pm.

Vernissage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A vernissage (varnishing, from French), also known as a preview, private view or simply opening, is the start of an art exhibition. Guests may be served canapés and wine as they discuss with artists and others the works in the exhibition. Critics and press may also be present, or invited to separate private viewings.
At official exhibitions, such as the Royal Academy summer exhibition, artists, in the past, would give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them (J M W Turner was known for making significant changes to works on varnishing day while his fellow academicians were simply varnishing). The custom of patrons and the élite of visiting the academies during the varnishing day prior to the formal opening of the exhibition gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an art work or a series of art works with friends and sponsors. Nowadays, for commercial shows it is an opportunity to market the works on sale to buyers and critics.
There also is a comparable ceremonial ending of art exhibitions, called finissage. Larger art exhibitions also may have such an event at half time of the exhibition (midissage).

Variations on a Theme Installation Photos Warwick Museum of Art—August 26, 2008

(Show Installation Photos courtesy of David Tobin, who's incredible oils we will have honor to showcase at the Rebel HQ in November!)
For more information about the Warwick Museum of Art current exhibit we are part of, and their fabulous wine tasting event on Friday September 12, please go to:
http://warwickmuseum.org/experience/experience.htm