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Sandra Corpora's Recent Works Focus of New Banana Factory Exhibit

DATE: March 30, 2011
CONTACT: Mark Demko, ArtsQuest, 610-332-1300, ext. 342, or mdemko@artsquest.org

Sandra Corpora's Recent Works Focus of New Banana Factory Exhibit

Exhibit Features 32 Oil Paintings Created by the Artist in the Past Year

BETHLEHEM, PA - Stunning plein air landscapes, intimate portraits and color-rich still lifes highlight the collection of new works by painter Sandra Corpora, on display in the Crayola Gallery of ArtsQuest's™ Banana Factory® , 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem, from April 9-June 12.

"Sandra Corpora: A Year of Painting" features 32 of Corpora's most recent oil paintings, all of which were created in the past year. Included in the show are breathtaking still lifes of flowers and lush gardens, detailed portraits of friends and acquaintances, and small plein air to 40-inch by 60-inch landscapes reflecting the beauty of France's wine country, Sicily and other locations near and far. The interplay between texture and light and Corpora's amazing attention to detail come together in each work to perfectly capture a moment in time, whether it be a misty autumn morning at Graystones Preserve in the nearby Poconos or a late-afternoon view of the ancient fishing village of Cefalu, Italy.

"Each subject I choose to paint attracts me in a particular way and the challenge lies in making the painting feel true to that. Sometimes I want to capture the grace of a human figure or animal, or the ‘person' in the portrait," Corpora says. "In the landscape I look for the specific light, color and shapes unique to those places. Those elements are created by the roll of the land, or time of day, or the atmosphere that sharpened or softened the colors.

"My still life paintings are often inspired by the harvest of fruit and vegetables and flowers grown in our garden. Being able to watch these subjects grow and mature gives me a connection with them and an anticipation of what I want to convey in painting them."

A resident of Bethlehem, Corpora earned her fine arts degree in painting from Kutztown University and put her creative talents to work as Rodale's Creative Director for 14 years. In the early '90s she shifted her attention to pursuing her passion for art full-time, painting prolifically both at home and abroad. Over the past two decades, she has been featured in numerous solo, juried and invitational exhibits throughout the nation including at the Salmagundi Club in New York City, Allentown Art Museum, Reading Public Museum, Phillips Mill in New Hope, Pa. and Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia. She has also won numerous honors for her paintings including the Award of Excellence in the "Oil Painters of America 13thAnnual National Juried Exhibition" in 2004.

Crayola Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Receptions for the Sandra Corpora exhibit will take place Fridays, May 6 and June 3, 6-9 p.m., as part of the Banana Factory's monthly First Friday celebration. The public is also invited to hear Corpora discuss her art and inspirations during an artist's talk at the Banana Factory on May 6 at 5 p.m. Light refreshments will be served; the event is free and open to the public.

For more information on Sandra Corpora: A Year of Painting, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300.

ABOUT ARTSQUEST

ArtsQuest™ is a Bethlehem, PA-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest®; the Banana Factory® cultural arts and education center; and the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest's programming reaches more than 1.5 million people annually.

For more information on ArtsQuest, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300