#1 "Nostalgic Mist" by Katia Andreeva
The inspiration for this box came from Russian architecture and people.
#2 "From Sea to Shining Sea" by Aphrodite
In this piece, my vision is to blend together two different climates in two beautiful places that are both very dear to me. They are the warm heat of the tropics in the Virgin Islands and the cold feel of a New England winter depicted here together as one.
#3 "Time In A Box" by Mary Asa-Powers
I am happy to bring my stained glass art to the islands and to contribute to this wonderful program Arts Alive. Most of my stained glass projects are quite large panels for doors, windows and wall spaces. This challenge of creating a small piece using the cigar box was fun.
#5 "One Fish, Blue Fish" by Lynn Berry
The theme of outside the box inspired me to expand the limits of the box to create something connected with the sea that in turn connects us with other people and places on the planet. The sea connects us all.
#6 "Ars Gratia" by Richard Berry
Art is the glue, which binds a civilization.
Art is what makes us human.
Art is the map, life is the journey.
Art for Arts Sake!
#8 "Exploded Color Wheel" by C.A.H.S. Art Annex #1
The students also did watercolor paintings of the decorated box.
#9 "The Moran Mystery Box" by Janet Cook-Rutnik
This antique looking cigar box was full of mystery for me so I decided to look for information on the Morans, the Dominican Republic, and Cigars. Included is a little story that showed up in the NY times archives from 1890 that has more to do with chivalry than cigars this is a little party box with small treasures.
#10 "Tuscany Sunset" by Janet Cook-Rutnik
I found the task of painting cigar boxes to be intimidating because they are so wonderful in their own right that I could not bring myself to alter anything that wasn't raw or unpainted. To the beautiful Tuscany landscape, I added a Caribbean seascape.
#11 "Sun Grown" by Janet Cook-Rutnik
The Sun Grown box looks like a perfect stash for leaves of some sort enjoy.
#12 "Celebrate Arts Alive" by Emory Cortese
As this was a fundraiser for Arts Alive, I decided that someone might like it as a memento of the season. I also left the cigar-paper on the side as a "Truth Window" which shows the foundation of the piece.
#13 "All the Way Open" by Eranah Davies
I opened the box into two pieces to make supports for my collages & a watercolor. (These possibly could be framed) My work is all about fun, freedom, spontaneity, & playfulness. I use formal elements such as shape & color like pieces in a puzzle, which I manage & organize until it makes sense.
#14 "Box of Dreams" by Alison Davis
This is a special box to keep your dreams, memories of the past, and wishes for the future. Turtles reside in my fantasy world so I give them as guardians of your dreams.
#15 "I Nothing" by Craig Donut
This piece is my artist statement on love and life, the outside warm organic soft and natural, while the inside is cold, mechanical, sterile, machine like and carries the essence of man.
#16 "Sainted Mother" by Susan Edwards
Inspired by music box sent by artist friend from Oregon "When the Saints Come Marching In".
#17 "Peace & Love" by Marc & Anat Fellner-Erez
Peace and love must come to the surface. Peace and relaxation, like a nice dip on a warm day must resonate in your heart and peace of mind has its place, but don't let the words eclipse your sun.
#18 "Tango Moonlight" by Virginia Ferreyra
Collected on the beach walks on St. Thomas are the coral and shell pieces that form the dancers and also the sea glass that completes the background. The scene was inspired by the flowing sensation that the proximity of the sea creates and is present in the free play, free form that is like a melody.
#19 "Resurrection of the Sea Spirit" by Robin Fredey
My recent work centers around ecological responsibilities to our oceans. This is any assemblage using plastics and debris washed ashore on our Caribbean beaches combined with natural sea materials and vintage shell buttons to express how caring for our oceans can prevent a growing death and in fact can bring about a rebirth.
#20 "Changchun Purse" by Edney Freeman
This purse was inspired by my trip to China in 2006. I used mementos and money from the trip and the map on the back shows were I was.
#21 "Out of the Box Moko Jumbie" by Helen Faythe Green
The "handmade" border on this Arturo Fuentes cigar box matched a painting I had done of a Moko Jumbie perfectly. I combined the two to create a black, white and gold Caribbean inspired piece a favorite subject and color scheme.
#22 "St. Francis" by Helen Faythe Green
Since childhood, I've stored treasures in cigar boxes. This prayer, attributed to St. Francis is one of those treasures. I love the fact that it has a door opening to a tine prayer closet.
#23 "The Treasure Box" by Mishela Henderson
I am a 7-year-old artist born in St. Thomas. I studied with Alison Davis and Kimberly Young and have exhibited in the FireWorks all clay show. This box was designed to bring you luck with money from all over the world.
#24 "Black Fancy" by Elizabeth Hesser
Art is one of my greatest joys in life! Whether it be oil, acrylic or pottery, just to create is a blessing. Box can be for jewelry or ?...
#26 "Memories of Jim" by Gordon Hesser
The "fish" piece on the top of this box was found at Dj Vu shop 15 years ago! It really is an oldie by Jim Tillett himself! The map is more recent, by Sonny Thomas. Both pieces can be re-framed if desired. The descriptive piece inside the lid was on the back of the original "fish" piece.
#28 "Represent Nothing" by Clay Lindol-Jones
I feel these images and objects come to me like iron to a magnet during the execution of a 3D collage project, likewise their arrangement. Believing in pre-destination of the piece and materials the artist and art in channel.
#29 "Crescent Moon" by Larry Lipsky and Ziya Neema
Cigar box with crescent moon painted and sewn on canvas, finished with embossed copper strips and a pewter embellishment.
#30 "Hoverer" by Merryn MacDonald
I find inspiration in my surroundings - the simple events of day-to-day life, nature, the many places, and cultures observed. My art reflects my interest in animals, particularly visible in my attempts to capture the motion and expression in all of my subjects.
#32 "Buen Provecho" by Kathrine Martin
This small cigar box inspired the designer to convert it into a recipe box. The tabs were graphically designed & everything was "Hecho a Mano" or "Handmade" which is the only embossed words preserved on the box, yet everything inside the box will be home made. Buen Provecho!
#33 "Playful Piano" by Cathryn McLeod
This piece originated with my photograph of a beautiful old upright found in a schoolhouse at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly near my home. This creation brings my flat paper photographs into the world of three-dimensional objects, rounded out with a song.
#34 "Horns Driving the Fish Crazy" by Madeleine Meehan
Like music, Meehan's work states themes, vibrating from point to counter point, striking chords and stroking innuendos, moving lyrically and emphatically. In the process of imaging music and dance, she utilizes her emergent facility to compose the visual music of color and line, connecting between abstract and figurative interpretation.
#35 "Our Environment in a Box" by Montesorri Students
This box stemmed from our current studies about the environment.
#36 "Polka Dot Gazelle" by Ziya Neema
Inspired by the gazelles in Africa. It's kind of like a petroglyph.
#37 "Harmonic Balance" by Loretta Pshsniak
Thinking outside the box or inside the box, side-to-side, top to bottom, all sides in relation to each other, performing a unity of senses like eye, ear, nose & mouth. Harmonic balance in the key of black.
#38 "Beyond the Cracked Looking Glass" by Merry Phillips
Through abstraction into reality, we are continually trying to find ourselves. "Beyond the Cracked Looking Glass" reflects the various dimensions that we look through and travel as we find our true name.
#39 "Tip Toe Into My World" by Monique Purguy
Having passed 77 years 52 of which St. Thomas was my main anchor, I thought it would be fun, at least for me to make an inventory of my life. Have a peek at my secret garden. I used a few of the media I enjoy to create an artsy world around me.
#40 "Sketch & Brushes" by Tony Romano
This was #2 of 5 sketches submitted to Arts Alive for consideration of the program cover. Also has encaustic brushes & my signature hand print.
#41 "Remind Me Later" by Melissa Short
I wanted to use everyday items that would normally get thrown away to make your life easier.
#42 "Women in the Box" by Caroll Sirhakis
My work is a symbolic gesture to the premature destruction of our environment.In them,clusters of individuals have gathered in obvious piety,celebration,homage,and peace,to share a seemingly unknown tradition.Their garb is both flowing in the lines of natural life,yet rigid with form and formality.Each piece begs you to look more closely;to understand the take being told.
#43 "Flying" by Caroll Sirhakis
Now, at 70 years old, my new direction more freedom of work and thought in my creativity more fun. After my extensive career of tightly structure commercial work, I now comb the island for unique organic materials, each piece once a living thing, each piece speaking its own being with color and texture, each piece still determined to show the value of its life.
#44 "A "More" Box" by Ellen Swane
To dare to feel.
To dare to listen.
To dare to put it all together and search for the courage to act and stay with it for as long as needed.
#45 "Peacock Blue" by Mandy Thody
As a self-taught artist working in both painting and sculpture, in several mediums, I am always looking for connections between my two and three-dimensional work. My life on the water has been the main influence here, with mainly blue to turquoise backgrounds and depictions of marine and bird life, as well as the occasional mermaid.
#46 "Dream Box" by Jon Uwema
I've been trying to work on using the theme of island folklore as inspiration for my pieces the goat foot woman, jumbies, iguanas.
ST. THOMAS, VI - March 18, 2009 - On Friday, April 17, 2009, Arts Alive will host its first fundraising event entitled "Outside the Box" a Classical Concert and Art Auction. Over 40 Virgin Islands professional and student artists have created beautiful works of art from a non-traditional medium -- wooden cigar boxes! The artists recycled cigar boxes and designed incredibly imaginative and clever works of art- featuring realistic and abstract paintings inside and out, collages, 3-D mixed media, and constructs that qualify as sculptures.
According to Priscilla Hintz, Fundraising Chair "the boxes are so diverse and colorful that viewers may not realize that all the artists have been working from a similarly sized standard rectangle or, in a few cases, from a trapezoid or long rectangular cigar boxes". The boxes will be auctioned at Tillett Gardens on Friday, April 17, 2009. "Many artists not only designed outside the box but they offer a little extra surprise inside", Hintz added. The fundraising event will be held in conjunction with a classical concert featuring, violinist Brett Omara, accompanied by John Cahill.
A native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Brett Omara has rapidly made a name for herself in both the classical and pop music scenes of New York City and Santa Fe playing at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden. She has also been a member of the Redbull Artsechro, the Philharmonic of the Americas, The New England Ensemble, the NY Chamber Opera and the Manhattan School of Music Symphony. Currently Brett lives and plays music in St.Thomas. She is founder and director of the Virgin Islands Montessori Suzuki Violin School.
For the past 30 years the Arts Alive, Tillett Foundation has contributed to the cultural life of the Virgin Islands. Its ability to serve the community will grow in the coming years, as they expand their student outreach programs with projects such as the Student Musical Essay Contest, Arts Alive Student Program Art Contest and the Virgin Islands Young People's Music Competition.
Tickets for the event are $25, which includes a complimentary glass of wine, or mojito, Cuban inspired hors d'oeuvres and the concert. "We kept the ticket price affordable in the hopes that people will invest in a unique work of art to benefit Arts Alive student outreach programs." Hintz said.
The "Outside the Box" Preview will be at Everyday Clay Studio and Gallery in Tillett Gardens from April 8th through April 17th, The Box Art Auction and Concert will take place on Friday, April 17 at Tillett Gardens. Silent Auction and Cocktail reception from 7:30 p.m., Live Auction and Concert at 8 p.m.
Arts Alive is administered by the Tillett Foundation, a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) arts organization. Its mission is to present quality visual and performing arts in the Virgin Islands and to involve and encourage young people in the appreciation, study, performance, and exhibition of fine music and visual arts. It's supported by a grant from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal funding agency in Washington, D.C.
The "Out Side the Box" event is sponsored by Kerrygold Butter, Dionysus Wines, and West Indies, distributors of Bacardi. For further information, call Lynn Berry at 340-776-8566.