The Pelham Art Center hosted its first annual Artist Club Exhibition from April 7 to May 21 to feature an array of artwork from local artists from the Westchester, New York City and Hudson Valley regions.

The collection showcased more than 75 pieces of work, including collages, drawings, paintings, sculptures and digital media. The diverse exhibition displayed art regarding personal life topics of the artists. Many of the pieces displayed in the exhibition were available for purchase.

The Artist Club was created in 2021 with the hopes of presenting artists with opportunities to share and exhibit their work and to participate in community-driven events through art. By joining the club, the artists were also exposed to interactions with other local creators, the exchange of artistic ideas and inspiration for future pieces. 

“I was very interested in joining because, since I am (at the school) all the time, I didn’t really get much interaction with other working artists and it was very nice to become a part of that community,” said Rebecca Schwarz, a featured artist in the exhibition and art teacher at the middle and high schools.

The art of Schwarz and many others featured in the collection was focused on Covid-19 and the struggles endured throughout the pandemic. Schwarz displayed her recent piece titled “Clothes in Quarantine.” Her inspiration came from the clothes in her closet that she had no reason to wear.

“Covid, not only was a good inspiration because it was so traumatic, but also, as an artist, I have probably never been more productive because there was nothing else to do, so I got a lot done during that time,” said Schwarz. “Looking in my closet, seeing all the clothes I would have worn to events but no events were happening, and the clothes were kind of just sitting there, waiting to be put on.” 

The exhibit concluded with a gala, offering the opportunity to take a final glance and purchase the pieces.