Autumn Group Show coming to UpFront

The UpFront Exhibition Space exhibit its Autumn Group Show with works from Gordon Graff and Kieth Helwig from Oct. 9 through Nov. 23. An artist reception will be held on Oct. 18 from 1-6 p.m.

Graff’s sculpture is a convergence of utility and art, the origins of the parts in each piece come with a cultural and worked history that he expands into a composition of fiction. His background in furniture restoration gives him the skills to create with. By placing these disparate objects together, they become characters in a conversation or drama, speaking from their cultural, utilitarian past. They ask for interpretation by the viewer’s perception and imagination. Graff has an active intuitive sense in his placement of these objects in his pieces while giving them a new life. In this piece, Graff has reconstructed a California memory of beach life using its habitation debris.

Helwig’s life has always been interwoven with creating art and frame shop/gallery work. Picture framing led to pursuing the preservation, conservation and restoration of art specifically paintings. “Late 1990’s I was back again owning a gallery/frame shop combined with restoration services. Since 2009 I’ve been mostly full time with my creations.” he said. “Currently exploring nature with photographs I take around my environment in north east Pennsylvania, which I then use as subjects for my work. However, every now and then I revert to a more spontaneous approach creating mixed media wall pieces inspired solely by thoughts and imagination.”

The UpFront Exhibition Space is located at 31 Jersey Ave., Port Jervis, N.Y. Call (845) 754-1808 for more information.