60°
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- After retiring from teaching four years ago, Mitchell Visoky, 61, of White Plains, settled into a Port Chester studio and spend more time depicting nature's idiosyncrasies.
"I do the work for the visual qualities of nature, rather than a message. I want people to look at the work and just get an emotion from the image. I don't have an environmental message or humanitarian message," said Visoky, who taught art in Croton for 34 years.
Visoky says he's enthusiastic about his four altered monotypes inclusion in a 12-artist New Rochelle Art Association centennial celebration showing at the Mid-Westchester Jewish Community Center (JCC). His "Pods," "Thistle," "Golden Treasures," and "Structures" pieces will be on display through Feb. 26, when the JCC will hold a reception closing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that Sunday.
The four works on display are all related to the geography surrounding Visoky.
"They all sort of relate to nature in a way. Either the natural environment or the structural environment, meaning man-made structures like buildings. Nature has so many unique qualities to it that you don't expect. I try not to use things that everybody notices and have become symbols. It's more personal to me that way," he said.
After spending his childhood exploring several art forms, Visoky studied printmaking in college. He did some boutique textile work and tended to focus personal work on traditional methods that featured the same object in different sizes or angles. Enrolling in a workshop with Dan Welden, a master printmaker, in 1989 inspired Visoky to create "altered monotypes" by adding to the prints.
"Some of these images are transfered from Xerox photographs and added. I collage over some of them or draw with colored pencils," he said. "I love all different parts of art so combining them all together really pleases me."
Visoky has a second exhibit of encaustic paintings made with heated wax and other materials formally opening at the Mamaroneck Artists' Guild Gallery this Saturday.
Click here to follow Daily Voice White Plains and receive free news updates.
