The Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville is exhibiting “Women: Strength in Numbers,” which is “a collection of eclectic work celebrating the strength of women during these difficult times” by artists Martha Elmes and Elly Barksdale. The exhibit is open on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm for the month of September. Various mediums encompass the exhibit in this unique venue in downtown Lyndonville on Depot Street.
Elmes, who also runs the Satellite Gallery and Community Space, has taught art for over forty years. Twenty of those years were at Northern Vermont University, previously Lyndon State College, in the Fine Arts Department, where students experienced the arts of sculpting and drawing under her tutelage. When asked what sentiment she was trying to evoke from the exhibit, Elmes stated, “It’s about women, the strength, the burden that they carry, the bull that we have to go through, and the politics presently. We are making a statement by presenting a series of images that are very, very strong. I am hoping people will come in to see it as a body of work; first of all, looking at technique and knowing we have art in the downtown, the creative economy is one of the key things. I am hoping people come to see the art, understand the message, they can discover it on their own.” She also stated, “We try to make the women that we depicted are not all bathing beauties. I think it’s really important to realize we’re all shapes, sizes, ages, and ethnicities.”
Elmes was then asked if she thought the exhibit impacted male society’s perception of women. “I have had a lot of men in here. They look at it not just looking at naked sculptures; they are looking at the body of work for what it is,” she responded.
After seeing photos of the exhibit, Northern Vermont University student Libby Bille said, “I think it’s really cool. I myself am an artist. I thought it was gorgeous. I love the use of colors and angles; there are natural forms and also geometric forms. I think it’s a lovely exhibit to have that’s full of meaning and gorgeous artwork.” NVU librarian Elizabeth Bergman said, “I hope it would inspire thought and perhaps helpful actions in any generation. Many times, we think of strength as the fighter, the protester. There is strength in just continuing.”
When asked if there was a message she wanted to convey, Elmes’ reply was, “Support the arts! And be nice to women because if you didn’t have us, we wouldn’t be a society.”
Feature Photo by Christopher Bean