The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition

Competition Countdown - February 7th

Open to visual artists worldwide over the age of 18, The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition will be accepting entries from February 7, 2012. The awards for selected artists are specifically chosen to enhance and promote careers in fine art. The juror this year is Ira Goldberg, the Executive Director of the well-known Arts Students League of New York.

Check out the Agora Art Blog for "7 tips to get it right for competitions" which offers important advice to consider when entering a competition.

To find out more, visit: http://www.agora-gallery.com/competition/default.aspx.

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January 19th - Opening Reception

The reception for Figuratively Speaking, Portal to Enigma andDegrees of Abstraction took place at Agora Gallery on Thursday January 19, 2012. A large, lively and diverse crowd gathered and there was a great feeling of energy in the rooms. Many of the artists whose work was featured in the exhibitions were able to attend the show, and this added a special, dynamic element to the atmosphere.

In keeping with Agora’s international flavor and determination to promote talented artists wherever they come from in the world, the artists had a range of backgrounds and cultural influences. Just as an illustration, Marianna Merler came from Italy, Rodolfo Cuesta from Spain, Elizabeth Gomez originally from Columbia, Jacques Desgagnés from Canada, Kiko Sobrino from Brazil and Roula Chreim from Lebanon.

The artists were happy and excited to be in America and experiencing NYC at this time of year. Some artists discussed what made the evening or their art particularly meaningful. Pat Gastreich was wearing a blouse and a pair of shoes which she had painted herself, andJacques Desgagnés spoke about his gratitude to Agora and Angela in particular, and his belief that only art and artists can save the world. Shyamala Rao spoke about her commitment to aid animal rescue organizations in Chicago and how she paints animals to raise awareness of the issue. Andreas Strobel attracted much attention, showing the audience how to change the colors of his works using the remotes which are a feature of his art.

When the artists had introduced themselves to one another just before the reception started, the staff surprised Angela by announcing that it was her birthday, thanking her for all her dedication and hard work throughout the year, and joining the artists in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to our favorite Gallery Director!