Treasured New Paltz arts venue honors founder with 80th birthday exhibit

Stuart Bigley, founder of Unison Arts in New Paltz, has drawn the human figure weekly for years. Now approaching his 80th birthday, Bigley is celebrating a 36-year journey of drawing human figures into the beloved local arts venue he created. This Sat., July 1 at 4pm, a closing reception will be held at Unison to honor his artistic accomplishments.

The festivities will center around an exhibit of Bigley’s long evolution in painting, drawing and photomontage. His abstract works showcase his deep-seated love for music; the melodies that filled his studio often found a place within his work. His earlier paintings, characterized by a subtle color palette and relaxed brush strokes, gradually gave way to more structured geometric designs in his later series. These designs, coupled with layered translucency, ingeniously manipulate focus and balance in his works. An exploration of his studio archive unveiled a collection of acrylic abstractions on paper, a medium that Bigley asserts gives him utmost creative freedom. 

Once a traditional darkroom photographer, Bigley has now ventured into digital manipulations. His recent photo-based artworks show a touch of playfulness and experimentation, reminiscent of his paper paintings, with his fondness for geometric patterns reappearing in repeated motifs and forms leaning towards abstraction.

Following his retirement from Unison in 2012, Bigley intensified his focus on observational figure drawing, a pursuit he describes as “forensic” in its quest for accurate representation. A compilation of thousands of drawings in pen and ink, Japanese brush-pen, and most recently, water-soluble graphite, reflect his continuous search for precision in form. This vast body of work demonstrates a unique freedom of line, reminiscent of his initial forays into abstraction.

To mark this special occasion, Unison will introduce the Stuart Bigley Scholarship, a new initiative aimed at expanding opportunities in the arts within their local community. It’s a fitting tribute to a legendary local character who has supported countless artists from diverse disciplines for decades.

For more information, visit unisonarts.org.