‘Communities across CONTINENTS’ features Adam Masava, Kenya Cooperstown, NY— Communities across Continents: Adam Masava/Kenya + 8 Upstate Artists, the Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. The exhibition focuses on artists’ “communities” – whether family or friends or beloved animals. International visiting artist, Adam Masava, attended the reception in person from Nairobi, Kenya — His trip began in Columbus, GA. Upstate community artists are: Christine Alexander (East Meredith) , Charlie Bremer (Otego), Ashley Norwood Cooper (Cooperstown), Christine Heller (Middlefield), Megan Irving (Westford), the late Lavern Kelley (Oneonta), Stephanie Marcus (Cooperstown) and Lucia Phillips (Hartwick). They offer a broad range of concepts and works that include clay and wood sculpture, and paintings. Also in the exhibit: dozens of paintings by elementary art students from Riverside results of their work with artist-in-residence Adam Masava. Free admission. Adam Masava, the featured artist, offers vibrant full-figure images, the people of his bustling informal settlement, Mukuru, outside Nairobi. Masava celebrates his community, which, despite the challenges of living in what he calls “an infamous slum,” comprises hard-working and peace-loving citizens who sustain the local economy. He represents them as colorful figures in motion as they carry crates, water jugs or fruit, painted on repurposed rust-colored metal. The metal comes from the material often used for roofing in Kenya. The eight Upstate artists have largely been in hibernation because of covid and are rediscovering community. Christine Alexander offers a pensive self-portrait while Steph Marcus presents a large work of her small family. She noted they are only now tentatively reaching out to others. Megan Irving, when stuck in her art investigations, says “I happily make portraits of dogs… It’s common to find a bond between people who love dogs — and this feeling of connection and community is welcome in my studio practice.” . Otego artist Charlie Bremer praised “the vital hope each of us can bring to one another … generosity, compassion, and kindness … with the illuminating light of open heart, open mind.” He is exhibiting a small work depicting an elfin child: “I believe the greatest gift to both community and humanity are the creative dreams and free imagination of young people, ” he noted. Masava will be in the Cooperstown area a week and will introduce his art and culture as a de-facto community artist-in-residence. He will be visiting schools and organizations – from pre-K at the Village Library organized with the Cooperstown Art Association, to elementary art students in Oneonta, to Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta Art students. A European tour will follow Masava’s ‘Coming to America’ visit. Masava’s work was first featured at the Art Garage last fall in a solo exhibition, Direct from Nairobi, that concluded the gallery’s environmental and social justice series, High Alert. The exhibition includes a hybrid, limited-attendance Artist’s Talk on April 13th at 5PM accessible via zoom. Pre-registration required. The exhibition will be on view through the end of May. The gallery will be open Saturdays 11AM-1PM and daily by contacting leartgarage@gmail.com. Refer to FBArtGarageCooperstown and theArtGarageCooperstown Instagram for more information. #WeGoOtsego #ThisIsCooperstown #WeAreCooperstown