CALAIS – Art at the Kent’s 2024 exhibition, “Illuminated Worlds,” presents the curated creations of two dozen Vermont artists, in a show that runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 6 through Sunday, October 6. Visitors can view these works inside the rambling historic structures of the Kents’ Corner State Historic Site as well as throughout its grounds. An opening celebration will feature live music, food, and beverages on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 3 p.m. to 5 pm.
In this once-a-year exhibition, Art at the Kent highlights work from Vermont artists, each of whom draw inspiration from realms, interior and exterior, real and imagined, known and unknown. Mediums span glass, fiber, paint, metal, clay, wood, paper, stone, photography and more. The theme, “Illuminated Worlds,” is expressed in many ways, exploring the complexities of time, space, and weather as well as wonder and abundance. Imagery is derived from exterior landscapes, both micro and macro. Gerald Bergstein’s (Strafford) intricate, multi-media paintings explore vast and imagined worlds while Adrienne Ginter’s (Brattleboro) and Megan Bogonovich’s (White River Junction) creations in paper and clay, respectively, investigate nature’s minutiae and wild wonders. Thetford artist Li Shen creates and then photographs her own surreal still lives, at once marvelous and bizarre, spilling from the pages of books.
Beyond our earth and sky, these artists also express the private and the personal. Kerry O. Furlani’s (Poultney) carvings in wood and stone express powerful tales of attachment and loss. With such breadth of work, the exhibition curators, Cornelia Emlen, Allyson Evans and David Schutz, connect story lines and imagery while paying homage to the historic building that is a major player in every Art at the Kent show. Exhibiting artists of “Illuminated Worlds,” include Michael Abrams, Jamaica;
John Anderson, Warren, Sarah Ashe, Middlebury, Misoo Bang, Burlington; Gerald Bergstein, Strafford, Wendy and Harry Besett, Hardwick; Megan Bogonovich, White River Junction; Paedra Bramhall, Bridgewater; Maureen O’Connor Burgess, Montpelier; Janet Cathey, Randolph; Cameron Davis, Charlotte; Kerry O. Furlani, Poultney; Adrienne Ginter, Brattleboro; Valrie Hird, Burlington; Sabine Likhite, Waterville; Nancy Winship, Charlotte; Richard Moore, Burlington; Susan Bull Riley, East Montpelier; Leslie Roth, Montpelier; Rebecca Schwarz, Burlington; Li Shen, Thetford; Marcia Vogler, Charlotte; James Westermann, Morrisville; and Stephanie Wolff, Norwich.
Art at the Kent is open for weekly viewing every Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment at (802) 223.6613 (during
exhibition hours only) or [email protected]
Art at the Kent is a program of Historic Kents’ Corner, Inc., in partnership with the Vermont State Curator’s Office and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. For over a decade and a half, contemporary art exhibitions have been presented to engage and challenge audiences by providing unusual exposure to mid-19th century architecture enhanced by the art of our time. The Kents’ Corner State Historic Site is administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.
