The press begins for LOVE & PASSION

This week's article featured in the Southampton and East Hampton Press, by Ms. Pat AWESOME Rogers!

Art Looks at Love from Both Sides Now

By Pat Rogers

Gerri Giliberti’s “I Love” will hang in the “Love & Passion” show on view at Ashawagh Hall this weekend. Had your fill of roses and romance, or are you looking for more of both? Whatever your answer, passion and love will be highlighted this weekend at Ashawagh Hall in Springs. The third annual “Love & Passion Art Show” is the largest to date tackling these thorny topics, with almost 75 artists submitting paintings, sculpture or photography that expresses a particular perspective on love or passion. So far, passion is ahead by a landslide.
“I’m seeing more passion than love,” said curator and artist Karyn Mannix. “Passion can be anything. It could be about war, race cars or whatever the person is passionate about.”
Another thing that’s evident is that viewers will be hard-pressed to find red heart clichés among the artwork. What will be seen is a diverse presentation that runs from tenderness between pandas to raw spray painted emotions on brick walls. A solitary pregnant woman stretched out and portrayed in bronze is part of the show. So is a cartoon woman gone mad with an axe.
Most of the artists live and work in the Hamptons. They include Abby Abrams, Dennis Leri, Kathleen Bifulco, Trish
Franey, Gerri Giliberti. Christa Maiwald, Alex Vignoli and Linda and John Capello. Ruby Jackson, T. Herndon Kennedy, Lisa Kiss, Ruth Nasca, Maria Pessino, Frank Sofo and a host of others are among the local artists exhibiting work in the show. Members of area arts collectives Bonac Tonic and Arts 4 are represented. So are artists who live farther afield. Artists from New Orleans, Chicago, California, Texas and other states are shipping their art to be part of the show.
While the artwork takes center stage, the event is also a fund-raiser for Ashawagh Hall. Staying true to theme, there will be several “sex kittens” dressed like 1920s cigarette girls enticing the crowd to buy raffle tickets benefiting the venue. Straight-up donations will also be accepted at the two-day art show. Part of the proceeds from art sales will be donated to defray the costs of last year’s renovation of the hall.
The renovation project carried a total price tag of $240,000. Around $97,000 has been raised through private donations, leaving $143,000 of a $150,000 loan still to be repaid, according to Vito Sisti, as relayed through Ms. Mannix. The cost to rent the hall for art shows and events has increased but private donations are an important part of the plan to satisfy the debt.
Love & Passion is quickly becoming an area tradition for Valentine’s Day. This year, artists responded en masse to the open call.
“The response is outrageous,” Ms. Mannix said. “People really want to be part of the show.”
The first Love & Passion was curated by Ms. Mannix at @Pebbles, an alternate space in a vacant East Hampton shop. Last year, she teamed up with Mr. Sisti to bring Love & Passion to Cellar, a Southampton wine shop. This year, the show was moved to Ashawagh Hall with Mr. Sisti assisting Ms. Mannix with the show.
It made sense to bring the exhibition back to East Hampton, and to Ashwagh Hall in particular, for several reasons, Ms. Mannix said. She recently took over the duties of longtime Ashawagh Hall Art Chair Abby Abrams. When she realized the weekend wasn’t claimed, Ms. Mannix rented the space for the show. She pointed out that Ashawagh Hall has an expansive space where plenty of artists can participate—more than alternate spaces can typically allow.
Love & Passion is just a fun show to present around Valentine’s Day. Artists can either go with the romantic flow or react against it as they wish. The opening provides a perfect excuse to see what fellow artists have been up to and to get out and socialize.
“This is a big community meeting place,” Ms. Mannix said. “Openings get packed—especially with group shows. It seemed a great opportunity to do something fun in February and raise some money for Ashawagh Hall.”
The Love & Passion Art Show 3 will be held at Ashawagh Hall, 780 Fireplace Road, Springs, on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. An opening reception will be held on Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. 50/50 raffle tickets will be sold for $5 each or five for$20.

Justin Smith’s “She Doesn’t Like Roses” will be on view at Ashawagh Hall.
(PS- Congrats to Mr. Smith for his media attention!)