"Memories and Dreams" Reception Tonight at Lakeside Gallery

The Lakeside Gallery will be showcasing the work of Brigitte McArdle from Wednesday October 17th to November 29th. This is the first time Brigitte will be exhibiting her extraordinary work. This would not be unusual since the gallery often exhibits the work of up and coming Sharon artists, but Brigitte is 89 and has been painting since she was a young girl in Germany.

Brigitte has had a love for making pictures as far back as she can remember being able to hold a pencil. Her father took her with him to the art materials store where he bought paints and art supplies. He liked to paint over line drawings in fairytale books and she was always in awe of the transformations.

Later in school, art was the star subject for Brigitte and in the last year of high school, her art teacher encouraged her by saying, “Girl, if you want art to be your life, I would tell you that YOU CAN.”  She carried that with her until she finally got into art school. The school was the "Lette Society" in Berlin, Germany. She graduated in 1944 after six semesters of graphics and illustration. Her parents lived in Frankfurt/Oder at the end of World War 2 and were forced to move to Hessia, near the city of Kassel that had an old and well regarded Academy of Fine Arts. It was totally destroyed by bombings in the last weeks of the war. Brigitte inquired and found that attempts were being made to start up the school again. She enrolled in 1948 and spent 4 years there in open-ended studies. She came to the US in 1955 and has been a resident of Sharon since 1957. Later she took extended instruction at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln,MA for calligraphy and at Wheaton College in Norton, MA for etching.

Brigitte began exploring acrylics in 1970’s and soon left all other paints behind. She loves the versatility and uninterrupted workflow of the acrylic work-process and finds it so satisfying. Her themes are memories and dreams which are like stories that haven't reached print.

Brigitte is passionate about her work and continues to be inspired. The opening reception for "Memories and Dreams" will be Wednesday night, October 17 from 7-9 PM at the Lakeside Gallery at the Sharon Adult Center. Please come, meet Brigitte McArdle, and celebrate her life’s work.  

Lakeside Gallery hours are 9:00am-4:00pm Mon-Wed.; Thurs until closing (8:00pm); Friday until noon. Other evenings by appointment. For more info call 781-784-8000. The Craft Corner will be open during the reception.