The BESTiary

Will be open from June 30 through July 30, 2006

     A bestiary, or Bestiarum vocabulum is a compendium of beasts. Bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various real or imaginary animals, birds and even rocks. This show is a modern version created by an assortment of Middle Aged artists.

     The BESTiary is an exhibition curated by Phil Demise Smith that shows the very best that is in us and at the same time, shows the beast in us. There are 78 works created by 36 artists. It includes artists from 3 studios, Atelier Herenplaats (Rotterdam, Holland), Kunst & Vliegwerk (Leiden, Holland) and Pure Vision Arts (New York City). These studios work exclusively with mentally handicapped/challenged artists. All three studios have been internationally acclaimed for their work with these artists and for the works by these artists. Many works can be found in major collections and museums throughout the world and have been very popular participants in the New York City Outsider Art fair. Also included in this exhibition are works by the directors of these studios, Frits Gronert (Atelier Herenplaats), Hab Vanderwijngaard (Kunst & Vliegwerk) and Pamala Rogers (Pure Vision Arts). The artists from the studios include: Belinda Tijssen, Hans Hartman, Hein Dingemans, Jaco Kranendonk, Louisa Schott and Livia Dencher from the Atelier Herenplaats; Gerrie Van Baron, Marc du Bruijn, Martha Meelker and Tineke Scholten from Kunst & Vliegwerk; Susan Brown, Leon McCutcheon and William Britt from Pure Vision Arts. Other, individual “Outsider” artists include Hans Verschoor, Charles Lassiter and Cher Schaffer.

     Placed right Beside the “Outside” are the following “Inside” artists: Beaty Czeto (Holland), Bonnie L. Watkins (USA), Carole Teller (USA), Karin van As (Holland), J.M. Carnright (USA), Ken Kenan (USA), Kim Hanna (USA), Margarita Vatis (USA), Marty Carey (USA), Maya Wildevuur (Holland), Phil Demise Smith (USA), Rachel Volpone (USA), Suzanne Benton (USA), Barbara Cooper (USA), Debra Browne (USA) Herm Freeman (USA) and Gary Lichtenstein(USA).

     For more information please contact Phil Demise Smith at 646-245-8845.

Kim Hanna
Suzanne Benton
Ken Kenan
Beaty Czeto
Hans Verschoor
Hans Hoffman
Marty Carey

Charles Lassiter
Maya Wildevuur
Cher Shaffer
Phil Demise Smith
Rachel Volpone
Margarita Viatis
Marc du Bruiyn
Martha Meelker
Tineke Scholten
Leon McCutcheon
Pam Rogers
Susan Brown
William Britt
Karin van As

van der Plas Gallery