The Butler Institute of American Art's 73rd Annual National Painting Exhibition

June 28th through August 23, 2009 is the Butler Institute of American Art's 73rd Annual National Painting Exhibition, Midyear Show. 72 Works were selected for this years show by juror George Adams, New York gallery owner and art historian.


If you have not visited the Butler Institute of American Art you are missing one of the greatest gifts the Mahoning Valley has to offer. The Butler collection includes works from four centuries, and is assembled in Butler galleries in chronological order according to the history of America. The Butler is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM, and on Wednesday from 11:00AM until 8:00 PM, Sunday from noon until 4:00 PM. It is located at 524 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH and Admission is free. If you need to contact them they may be reached at (330) 743-1107.







This year at the Midyear show, Youngstown's own James Pernotto will premier the painting SALT; Germs and Steel. The painting is acrylic on photo on wood and it is 60" x 135".










About his work he states:

This artwork is a depiction of dissipative structures. Most structures exist in a state of equilibrium (a chair), they are dead. Dissipative structures (a flame, a tornado, a human) exist in a state of change; they are processes and they are alive. When dissipative structures reach a point of equilibrium they cease to exist, they are dead. To look closely at SALT is to become aware of these organic processes. Steel is dead, steel making is a process that is as alive as the people who created it. The image that overlays SALT is the Van Allen belt, the envelope that protects the earth from the damaging bombardment of particles from the sun. It is also a process.