New Art Exhibit at Riverhead Town Hall Gallery: "I Seem to Like Black Ink"

John Mitty Thursday, July 12, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         
Press contact: Stephanie Smith
631-727-0900
Stephanie.Smith@eastendarts.org

Art Exhibit Featuring Toni Raiten-D’Antonio At Riverhead Town Hall Gallery

Exhibition Dates: July 2 – September 10, 2012 Presented by East End Arts

(RIVERHEAD, NY, July 12, 2012) –– East End Arts is pleased to announce a new art exhibit at the Riverhead Town Hall Gallery, featuring visual artist Toni Raiten-D’Antonio in an exhibit entitled “I Seem to Like Black Ink”, artwork of a wide variety of themes which all include the use of black ink to depict her graphic, playful, and thought-provoking style. Subjects include the natural world, from sunflowers to armadillos, as well as themes inspired by the beauty of Venetian glass and the gritty efficiency of the New York City subway system. Raiten-D’Antonio’s work is unified by an unusual perspective, which is informed by her work as a psychotherapist, writer, and teacher. The exhibit opened on Monday, July 2 and will run through September 10, 2012. Riverhead Town Hall is located at 200 Howell Avenue, Riverhead, NY (corner of Howell and East Main Street; 631-727-3200) and the exhibit is open during business hours. The public is welcome; admission is free.

More about Artist Toni Raiten-D’Antonio

Toni Raiten-D’Antonio, LCSW-R, is a psychotherapist, part-time college professor at SUNY Empire State College, public speaker, and author. She has written three mass market self-help books titled The Velveteen Principles, The Velveteen Principles for Women and Ugly As Sin. Making “stuff” is her hobby, her outlet and her compulsion; her artwork is one way she makes sense out of her day jobs.

Raiten-D’Antonio began making art in earnest in the 1990s, although she claims she has always had a need to "make stuff" since she was very, very young. As an adult, she chose to work with ink, pencil and paper because she did not have a full studio to accommodate her efforts. The limited access to media encouraged the development of a style that utilizes highly detailed graphic elements to produce images that reveal different truths depending on the viewer’s perspective – and willingness to look closely. For example, from a distance “Bob We Need to Talk,” is clearly a humorous image of a male armadillo, rolled into a ball, refusing to respond to his mate’s attempt at conversation. On closer examination, “Bob” is shown to include the words, “Defended by Design”, an apt description of both the armadillo and many modern human males.

Ranging from the more realistic “Still Unclear,” which portrays many young adults who don't know yet what direction their lives will take, to the impressionistic "Pacific Plastic,” which depicts a polluted sea, “I Seem to Like Black Ink” displays a psychologically astute artist’s take on the natural world and human nature. It also reveals an artist influenced by everything from graphic design to pop art and all the social sciences. The deceptively simple techniques of black ink allow her to process the complex emotional and social issues that are raised in her work as an educator and private psychotherapist. One gets the sense that this multi-talented artist offers the work with a wink and smile. She beckons viewers to think beyond first impressions, to look more closely to find the hidden messages in life.

The Riverhead Town Hall art exhibits are a collaborative effort on the part of East End Arts and the Township of Riverhead to support local artists and introduce their works to the community.

For more information contact Jane Kirkwood, East End Arts Gallery Director: 631-727-0900 or gallery@eastendarts.org, or visit www.eastendarts.org.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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