Press Release - Oceans of Possibilities Art Exhibit - 7-13-22 - Abbot Public Library

For Immediate Release June 24, 2022

Contact: Cassandra Sprague 781-631-1481, Ext. 212

Michael Leykin To Direct Oceans Of Possibilities Art Exhibit At Abbot Public Library

On View: Wednesday, July 13 - Friday, August 5

Public Reception: Wednesday, July 13, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

On Wednesday, July 13, Michael Leykin will present his first directed art show. He has gathered the work of Michael Marrinan of Wellfleet, Chris Volpe of New Hampshire, Pete Hocking of Provincetown, and Todd Bonita of New Hampshire, as well as some local artists in a carefully curated collection of ocean-themed art. Please join us for a public opening reception on Wednesday, July 13 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Abbot Public Library’s Virginia A. Carten Gallery.

Michael Leykin comes from the North Shore and attended high school at St. John’s Prep. He graduated with a degree in Entrepreneurship at Babson College and went on to start his own business. He has always had a passion for the arts and decided to test the waters of art shows with this being his first one.

About the Artists:

Michael Marrinan was born in London, England and has lived on Cape Cod since 1999. An established artist who works on linen, he began working with copper seven years ago. His "oils on copper” starts with the aging of the copper, with a process that involves both sulfur and organic tomatoes. Once this process is complete he continues with the use of oils to enhance the coppers' inherent patina, creating a one-of-a-kind piece.

Christopher Volpe is an artist, writer, and teacher whose paintings approach nature less as a visual motif than as a site of introspection and metaphor for intangible feelings and ideas. His work is shown nationally and held in the permanent collection of Smith College and the Whistler House Museum, as well as in numerous private collections.

Pete Hocking is a visual artist and writer based in Providence, RI & Provincetown, MA. His work is concerned with personal narrative, place, poetics, and political consciousness. He teaches at Goddard College in the Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts program and in the Division of Liberal Arts at Rhode Island School of Design.

Todd Bonita fell in love with the ocean while growing up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small New England harbor town outside of Boston. After graduating from the Art Institute of Boston, he continued post baccalaureate study of classical painting and drawing at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A twelve-year career as an illustrator - which included a creatively-explorative period working as a muralist, sculptor and designer - followed. He focused full time on fine art oil painting in 2006, creating works for art galleries and collectors. He currently maintains a small studio space at The Button Factory artist studios in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

With an education in early childhood development as well as fine art, Debra Freeman-Highberger founded the Acorn Gallery School of Art in Marblehead based on the understanding that a child’s involvement in the arts improves motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. Debra Freeman-Highberger studied painting independently and worked as a portrait artist in Ulm, Germany. During her time in Europe, she traveled through France, Germany, and Switzerland, painting landscapes.

Michael Graves is a nationally-recognized, plein-air artist based in central Massachusetts. Over a 35-year career, Graves has received over 85 awards and medals, and has been featured in numerous books and publications, including The New York Times, American Artist, and The Best of Oil Painting. He was recently inducted into the Guild of Boston Artists, and is a long-time member of the Rockport, Hudson Valley, Old Lyme Art, and North Shore Art Associations and Allied Artists Professional League.

For additional information, please click here, email mar@noblenet.org, or call 781-631-1481.