Alfred University’s (AU) Herrick Library will present “Selected Paintings 1990-2016 by Stephen Perrone” beginning Friday, March 4 and running through Saturday, April 2. Perrone is a Central New York artist and member of the AU Class of 1982.
Herrick Library will display an array of paintings created by Perrone during his career in the arts. After settling in Sylvan Beach, NY he began taking art classes at Syracuse University and Munson Williams Proctor Institute. Primarily a self-taught artist, Perrone has been participating in exhibitions for the past 30-plus years.
He says in his artist statement: “I enjoy painting on anything that offers an unusual surface and a good feeling between the brush and my hand. There is a rawness to my work that I hope contributes to the nature of each ‘personality’ on display.
“These figures (in the Herrick exhibit) were made with an eye toward the ordinary. I wanted a little unattractiveness in the physical sense, and I wanted body language to be an important consideration in trying to understand each subject. If they seem unrefined and restless, that’s largely what I had in mind.”
Perrone continues, “Finally, my hope is that each painting conveys a measure of simplicity and fragility that I feel is so much a part of the human experience. Life is both pleasant and difficult, and I’m attempting to demonstrate both possibilities with the sensitivity and compassion we all deserve as human beings.”
Most recently, Perrone presented “The Homeless” at Studio 24, Syracuse, and his “Selected Paintings” at the Rome (NY) Art and Community Center. His art has also been shown at the Art For Artists (AFA) Gallery, Scranton, PA,; The Art Etcetera Gallery, West Newton, MA; The Book Mill Gallery, Montague, MA; The Broome Street Gallery and The Ariel Gallery, SoHo, and the Cedar Tavern, New York City; the Roberson Museum, Binghamton; the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn; and The Delavan Center, Syracuse.
Perrone has been a featured artist at the Clinton House Artspace, Ithaca; and at the Joan Lucas Rothenberg Gallery, The Redhouse, Studio 24, and the Szozda Gallery, all in Syracuse.
His work may be found under “Stephen Perrone” at facebook.com.