Stroll into the world of art with the Cultural Center

Warm white string lights now line the streets of Padanaram as the winter holidays approach. At the Cultural Center, wreaths hang from windows and the lights have made their way inside where artists dropped off their pieces Monday night for the eighth annual South Coast Artists Holiday Exhibit.

One of the Cultural Center’s first shows was held in December 2018, and the holiday show grows every year, with this year featuring 44 South Coast Artists Association members and 114 pieces, according to Gallery Director Jill Law.

The volunteer-run show at 404 Elm Street will open Friday, Dec. 6 with the Padanaram Stroll and remaining pieces will be displayed until Jan. 5. 

“It’s a nice union,” Law said of bringing artists from various locations in the South Coast. When the show was first proposed, she said they wanted to take advantage of the Padanaram Stroll, which ended up bringing in approximately 800 people to its first show.

“It was insanity,” she said, but clarified that now the show sees about 200 people each year, which still provides “tremendous” exposure for not only the artists association, but the Cultural Center itself.

“It’s the last hurrah for the year,” Law added, noting how the center closes for the months of January and February.

Artists were not asked to fill any sort of requirements beyond size due to the volume of pieces in this show, she said. The over 100 pieces all range in theme and medium.

Mary Monteiro, of New Bedford, who is one of the South Coast Artists members featured in this year’s show, said, “It’s a great way to support local artists.”

Though Monteiro has been doing art for over 50 years, it wasn’t until her retirement that she was granted the freedom to create what she wanted. Bringing in three oil paintings, Monteiro highlighted how she likes to create nature pieces that inspire the viewer.

One of her pieces is of a lotus flower, which she has named “Floating.”

“It’s really a piece that you can meditate on,” she said. “Just picture yourself as the flower, floating on the pond, because a lotus is very symbolic of inner peace. It’s rooted in the ground, but it just kind of dances in the light.”

Diana Arvanites, of Rhode Island, brought three encaustic paintings, which she explained is pigmented wax melted on top of a canvas.

Arvanites said she chose the pieces she did for her first holiday show because “they are bold in color and we tend to have such a dreary winter here.”

She explained that her works often deal with weather, depicting various weather patterns.

“I’m excited to see everyone’s work,” she said. “I think this is a wonderful idea and a fantastic group of people.”

Don Cadoret, of Tiverton, was one of the founding members of South Coast Artists, having created art himself for the last 50 years. 

“I’m passionate about what I do,” Cadoret said. “I will paint for 15 hours a day because it’s an OCD thing. I just love painting more than anything — sometimes more than eating. I’ll forget what time of day it is — I get totally absorbed in my work.”

Holding up two winter-themed pieces he brought, he explained he does narrative painting with acrylic on illustration boards.

He added, “These frames are 150 years old, so I try to compliment the work with the frame.”

Cadoret said what he really appreciates about this annual show is its location.

“Padanaram is so beautiful, especially this time of year,” he said. “There are few places that have that kind of community feel about it — that’s like a walking village.”