For Immediate Release:
Contact: David Kuehn, Executive Director
Cotuit Center for the Arts
Phone: (508) 428-0669
Email: David@cotuitcenterforthearts.org
Website: ArtsOnTheCape.org
“Layer Upon Layer” and “The Process of Picture Books” at Cotuit Center for the Arts
Cotuit Center for the Arts will host two art exhibits February 28 to March 29. The Pastel
Painters Society of Cape Cod will present its Signature Member exhibition, “Layer Upon
Layer,” and a group of picture book artists will present “The Process of Picture Books.”
The opening reception is Saturday, February 28, from 5 to 7 PM, with a Gallery Talk at 5
PM.
“Layer Upon Layer” includes 33 paintings by artists from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, Connecticut, and New York, representing a wide variety of subject matter and techniques.
“There is something for everyone,” said Betsy Payne Cook, a Signature Member of the society and organizer of the exhibit.
“People are often surprised by the diverse types of paintings that can be created with pastel, either alone or mixed with other media. They will be able to see a wide range of styles in this show, from realistic to impressionistic, to abstract,” said Cook.
The title of the show refers to the way pastel artists build color, values, and depth in their paintings through the use of multiple layers of different pastel pigments. The show celebrates that depth in the atmospheric layers of a landscape, in the folds of fine fabrics, and in the textured, tactile layer of pigment on paper in abstracts.
“Often, on quality textured and sanded papers and other surfaces, you can build up 10 to 15 layers of pastels,” Cook said. A range of textured surfaces are available, and some artists, including Cook, create their own surfaces. “I use a pumice and acrylic ground brushed onto gatorboard. Some people use their own handmade paper. It is the tooth of the surface—the rough texture—that grabs the pastels and allows you to create, layer upon layer,” she said.
The Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod has more than 250 members in 30 states and
U.S. territories, including 40 Signature Members. Organized in 1995, the society holds exhibits for pastel artists, offers one-day, weekend, and week-long painting workshops and sponsors juried exhibitions each year that bring in paintings from all over the United
States. Pastel artist at all levels are welcome to join.
“The Process of Picture Books” will appeal to children of all ages. The show features preliminary sketches and final illustrations by 20 different picture book illustrators from

Cape Cod, New England, and other states, including many members of the Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
“The show will be a delight for children, their parents and grandparents, and anyone who loves picture books,” said Jim Hill, the curator for the show.
“We will have some well-known book illustrators represented,” said Hill, “including
Brian Lies, New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of the Bat series (‘Bats in the Band,’ ‘Bats in the Library,’ and others). Some are very established, while others are up-and-coming artists.”
Local artists in the show include Jason Hart, Moira Swiatkowski, Russ Cox, Renee Kurilla,
Marlo Garnsworthy, and Brook Gideon.
There will be a wide variety of techniques and styles of illustration. “People will be sharing everything from rough early sketches and character designs, page layouts, and examples of how they are refined through multiple iterations of drawings and color studies,” said Hill.
“I always like to tell illustrators who are just starting out—and I think it is a good reminder for everyone, no matter what stage they are at— that a lot of work goes into the finished product,” said Hill.
“The picture book you marvel at started out as a sketch. You don’t see all the effort it took to perfect it enough to publish. I really love to see that process; that is really what it is all about for me.”
Illustrators do not often work with authors during the creation process. Hill quotes picture book illustrator Maria Frazee as saying, “I don’t collaborate with the author; I collaborate with the manuscript.”
This allows the illustrator the freedom to interpret the manuscript as they see fit.
“When the author finally sees the art, they often say, ‘This is so much more than I ever imagined,’” said Hill.
Hill is president of the Cape Cod Writers Center. He graduated from Vermont College of
Fine Arts and has several children’s books in process.
Admission to the Gallery is free. Cotuit Center for the Arts is at 4404 Route 28 in Cotuit.
Gallery hours are 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday and during events at the
Center. For more information visit artsonthecape.org or call 508-428-0669.
# # #
What:
“Layer Upon Layer” and “The Process of Picture Books” art exhibits
Where:

Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Route 28, Cotuit
When:
February 28 through March 29, Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM
Opening Reception February 28 5:00pm-7:00pm
Artist Talk at 5:00pm
Admission:
Free
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