Travel to Italy with Sierra Ridley: Photography Show at Lexington Park Library Gallery

Visit the Lexington Park Library during the months of June and July, 2023, for a tour of Italy’s beautiful countryside!

This limited-run exhibit featuring photography by local artist Sierra Ridley is on display near the library’s main desk.

Sierra’s show includes nine framed photography pieces based in the countryside of Pineto and Abruzzo, Italy, and also in the Apennine Mountains. These were selected as some of Sierra’s favorite images of which she had captured during her travels abroad.

Admission to the Gallery at the Lexington Park Library is free. Visit the St. Mary’s County Library website for current days and hours of operation.

The library is located at 21677 FDR Blvd, Lexington Park, MD 20653. Their phone number is (301) 863-8188.

The Lexington Park Library Gallery is a collaboration between the library, St. Mary’s County Arts Council, and local artists.

Visual artist Candy Cummings (1950-2014) established the Lexington Park Library Art Gallery in 2005 for the purpose of featuring amateur, student, professional, and children artists from the area.

For questions about this current show, or inquiries about featuring your artwork for a future exhibit, please email St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery Manager Caitlin Wakefield at: gallery@smcart.org

Links of interest:

To contact Sierra Ridley send an email to: Sierra.Ridley03@gmail.com

Library information: St. Mary’s County Library

The photos below have been provided by the artist. These images are all part of this amazing two-month exhibit.

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The Ruins of an old Medieval Castle, Rocca Calascio in the Apennine Mountains in Abruzzo Italy

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Framed Rooftop high in the Apennine Mountains.

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Flower Beds dwelling in the Apennine Mountains.

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A local Gelato shop in the small village that is based in the Apennine Mountains.

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The church of Santa Maria delle Pieta below Rocca Calascio, the highest fortress in the Apennine Mountains in Abruzzo Italy.

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The village hills in Castelvecchio Italy.

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Mysterious Alley in the mountain of Castelvecchio Italian village.

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Cattle Walk deep in the valley of the Apennine Mountains.

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Gelato entrance sign leading to a sweet treat in Castelvecchio Italy.

Photo by Caitlin Wakefield.

Photography Show Featuring Michael Montillo Opens in June 2023

Visit the St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop during the month of June 2023 to see our newest in-house art exhibit! This special show will feature the work of local photographer Michael Montillo.

Michael started taking pictures at a young age by “borrowing” his mom’s camera enough times that she began buying him Kodak disposables. He continued his adventures in film through his college years, often visiting beach and surf locations to capture the many different moods of the seashores.

Years later, in December of 2014, our featured artist received his first digital camera as a Christmas gift. Montillo’s transition to digital media launched endless opportunities to capture and share his favorite photos quicker and less costly than utilizing traditional film methods.

Michael’s portfolio has expanded to include landscapes and wildlife, two of his favorite subjects. Through his travels in the western portion of the U.S., Montillo has photographed an array of wild animals in their natural (and often difficult to access) habitats. Most images are accompanied by narratives which describe how he achieves his seemingly impossible close-ups.

Michael mainly uses his favorite Nikon DSLR as well as a Sony A7Riv Mirrorless camera. Montillo relates that his travel bag is heavy lately as he also carries various lenses to be prepared for the unexpected.

Michael’s artwork is available through his website and at the St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop during the limited run of this month-long exhibit.

The Gallery is open from 11 AM to 4 PM Wednesdays thru Saturdays and until 8 PM on First Fridays.

Come meet Michael in person on First Friday, June 2nd from 5 to 8 PM during the Opening Reception of his art show! This exhibit will close at 4 PM on Friday, June 30th.

 Learn more about our featured artist at the links below:

 Website: www.montillophoto.com

Facebook: Michael Montillo Photography

Instagram: @montillophoto

Dive in to our New Art Show by Eric Clark Jackson!

Visit the St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop during the month of March 2023 to see our newest in-house art exhibit, featuring the work of local artist Eric Clark Jackson!

 In 2014 Eric began creating wildlife illustrations using wax and dye resist techniques. His very first illustrations were of fish and birds caught in and around his home on the Potomac River, which he began showing at local art fairs. Now, Eric is being juried into some of the most prestigious fine art fairs in the country, including the Naples National Art Fair, the prestigious Coconut Grove, and the historic American Craft Council in Baltimore.

Jackson also became involved with public installations, including a project in 2021 of a large series of native butterfly species depicted on a series of flags in Leonardtown, Maryland.

 Eric’s work establishes a connection to the water through memory and experience and a desire to know it more deeply. He has always been impressed (and slightly envious!) of naturalists who are able to easily identify a bird or sea creature by a quick glimpse or call. “That encyclopedic knowledge is something I’ve never been able to pull from, but by studying and meticulously recreating each species, I am able to get to know its identifying characteristics”.

 Mr. Jackson’s inspiration stems from his encounters with Chesapeake and mid-Atlantic fauna as well as aquatic life and waterfowl while he explores the local waterways. Eric relates that Maryland is sometimes known as “America in Miniature” due to the varied terrain, wildlife, and extensive coastlines. Whenever he experiences a struggle for ideas, he has found that the best option has always been to simply go outside and explore!

 What mainly sets Eric’s work apart from other wildlife artists is the fact that his illustrations are created through a full-immersion, batik process. This means that colors are applied in layers across the entire piece, as opposed to working piecemeal across a canvas like a traditional painting or colored pencil illustration.

 There are always unexpected outcomes in colors and textures with the batik process; embracing imperfections and unexpected surprises keeps Jackson grounded in his practice. It also pushes him to explore and improve his craft.

 Eric Clark Jackson holds a master’s degree in teaching and spent 10 years as a public school art teacher. Still passionate about education, he offers batik classes for students and adults, either online or on location (details at www.bayfibersstudio.com/classes) and is scheduled to return to the Southern Maryland Folklife Summer Workshop 2023 event as a guest instructor.

 Eric’s artwork is available through his website www.bayfibersstudio.com and also at the St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop during the limited run of this month-long exhibit. 

 Learn more about our featured artist at the links below:

 Website: Bayfibersstudio.com

Facebook: facebook.com/bayfibers

Instagram: @bayfibers

 Upcoming local workshops:

Southern Maryland Folklife Center/ Summer Workshops May 2023, details TBA at: https://www.somdfolklife.org/

Meet Merideth Taylor - Virtual Artist's Talk

Meet Merideth Taylor - writer, photographer and author at a very special virtual presentation!

Merideth is the author of Listening In: Echoes and Artifacts from Maryland’s Mother County and will give a fascinating informal talk about her work on Thursday, February 24th from 4 to 5:30 PM via Zoom. The talk will also be accompanied by a slideshow and will be hosted by the Lexington Park Library.

An exhibit of Taylor’s artwork and stories is currently on display at the Lexington Park Library Art Gallery located at 21677 FDR Blvd, Lexington Park, MD, The display runs from January 18th to February 28th, 2022 and is open during all regular library hours. Please visit the library’s website for their current hours.

Reviewers have called Listening In “a stunning portrayal of a remarkable landscape and culture fast disappearing”, “a true treasure, especially for those from St. Mary’s County,” and “a must read.” 

Washington Post writer Adrienne Higgins praised the book: “For more than 20 years, Merideth Taylor has been bearing witness to old, fading buildings in St. Mary’s County, Md., where she lives. Most are small homes or farmsteads, empty and cloaked in a mantle of abandonment and decay. Contained in their flaking paint, sagging roofs and enveloping vines are the traces of lives that have been lived and the joys and sorrows of the people who once occupied them."

This program will include a Q & A session.

For additional details and to register to receive the link to the Zoom meeting visit the St. Mary’s County Public Library website . This talk is free to view and participate in but attendees must register in advance.

This event is presented in collaboration with Merideth Taylor, the Lexington Park Library, and St. Mary’s County Arts Council.