The Artist-in Residence for 2025 is Carlo Savo
MY PROCESS
Ideas begin as feelings. I allow these feelings to occupy a space in my mind until I feel the impulse to work them out on paper. Once I form a more concrete concept, I consider which format will best express the ideas I am exploring.
I practice multiple disciplines to ensure I have the widest range of tools for investigating subjects that interest me. My current repertoire includes drawing, illustration, painting, photography, graphic design, woodworking, and, most recently, woodblock prints.
Aside from figurative work, I rarely use external references. Instead, I rely on memory and past experiences. It’s more important to me that the subjects depicted in my work feel authentic rather than strictly replicate reality.
Each piece is guided by intuition. I allow the idea to take shape within the chosen format, without being tied to a final vision. This openness leaves room for organic development and unexpected ideas to emerge. As Francis Bacon said, “…For me […] painting is
ARTIST’S BIO
Carlo was born and raised In Northeast Pennsylvania a few miles outside of Scranton PA. He began drawing at a young age copying comic book covers and popular cartoon characters of the era. As a teenager, he taught himself painting and traditional figure drawing. Though he received some guidance from various individuals who encouraged him in his artistic pursuits, Carlo has never had a formal art education. At the age of 18, he became an apprentice auctioneer and entered the world of antiques and fine art. During his sixteen years as an auctioneer, he gained firsthand knowledge of the art world and collecting. In 2016 he left his career in antiques to pursue new opportunities and further explore his artistic vision.
The Artist-in Residence for 2024 is Brooke Wandall
Brooke is an avid book collector and painter living in NEPA with her two daughters. She received her Fine Arts degree from Marywood University.
For Brooke, drawing was an activity she never grew out of. Her mother is a notable local folk artist and Brooke Brooke usually paints abstract terrariums with flowers, but she also enjoys painting realistic still lives with books and vases. Occasionally, she feels inspired to create large abstract landscapes.
Her creative process typically begins with her staring into space and noticing small details in the world that would normally go unnoticed. Nature, unique objects, and fellow abstract painters inspire Brooke and her work. For Brooke, being creative is about expressing herself through her painting because that’s how she communicates her world to others.
The Artist-in Residence for 2023 is artist Joe Statuto
Joseph Statuto graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree. His shows have included his photography, drawings and paintings. He is currently a resident of Clarks Summit.
His work can be seen on Instagram:
jostat_abstract_art
The artists of Verve Vertu Art Studio and the Artists for Peace are our new
Artists-in-Residence for 2022.
Artists for Peace
Verve Vertu Art Studio is an arts apprenticeship that taps into the creative energy of people with special needs. The artists work in a wide range of mediums, creating unique and whimsical art pieces. We will feature a new artist from Verve Vertu each month. The artists’ work is in our Paul & Nancy Ford Room.
The Photography of Selena Waters
Selena has been part of the studio since 2010. She enjoys working in all mediums, but photography is her first love.
2021
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Mel Wolk has agreed to be the Artist-in-Residence at The Gathering Place for 2021.
Dr. Mel Wolk is a retired Pediatrician and Pediatric Allergist. He is a self-taught photographer who graduated from the New York Institute of Photography. He had been a free- lance photographer with Pennsylvania Magazine for twenty years. He produced a food calendar and many other images for Browntrout Publications, and his images have appeared in Country Living, Popular Photography, and Gourmet Magazine.
Past exhibits in juried art shows have included Stroudsburg, Clarks Summit, and Scranton galleries. Solo exhibits were at the Trolley Museum, Tudor Gallery and the Artists for Artists Gallery in Scranton.
A photo-digital interpretation won him a place in a juried show at the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg, PA. Because of his interest in antique and junk cars, he had a solo show at the Antique Automobile Museum in Hershey, PA.
For the past few years, he has extended his work into Abstract and Expressionistic art. The use of found objects enhanced with vivid colors has since won him places in juried shows at the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, Connecticut, and the Robertson Art And Science Center in Binghamton, NY. His most recent entry was at the Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Dr. Wolk’s exhibit at The Gathering Place will feature his abstract and expressionistic work. His devotion to art is shown in his own words: “Without imagination you would have no creativity; without creativity, you would have no art; without art you would have no culture; without culture, you would have no thinking; without thinking, you would have no imagination.”
One of Dr. Wolk’s favorite quotes is from Salvatore Dali, “ The world will never have enough outrageous!”
