Art Opening Receptions: Friday, May 8, 2026 / 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Joel Mason – Victorian Gallery @ 9 Vassar Street
Westford Split by Joel Mason
Joel Mason, who earned a BFA from Cooper Union and an MFA from Hunter College/CUNY, is Professor Emeritus in the department of Communication Design at New York City College of Technology/CUNY. Prior to his career as a design educator, he served as Director of Graphic Design for New York’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Administration (PRCA). He later maintained a graphic design practice for clients including Citicorp, the New York State Department of Law, and the Alliance for the Public Schools. Mason’s current work explores a range of ideas and interests from photography to lens-based digital photo prints and vector-based geometric systems. “Looking through the view finder the first time I ever took a picture, I was immediately drawn to subjects resembling those I’d been composing with pencil, paint and paper,” he remarks. “My understanding of subject matter deepened as I saw photography become a bridge between the physical world of things and those same things transformed into flat juxtaposed shapes.” Mason has exhibited his work at the Grace Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Leubsdorf Gallery (Hunter College), Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, and at the Art Society of Kingston. He moved to the Hudson Valley in 2016 and currently resides in Kingston, NY.
Julian Allen – Reception Gallery @ 12 Vassar Street
Just a Humble Servant of You, The People by Julian Allen
Julian Allen is a multidisciplinary artist working across illustration, painting, animation and music. He graduated from the Hartford Art School with a BFA and his creative journey is rooted in a deep passion for storytelling and expression through diverse mediums mainly using oil paint, graphite, charcoal and ink. “In my recent work, I explore themes of individuality and leadership, delving into the resilience of the human spirit and its ability to transcend limitations,” he recants. “Through vivid imagery, dynamic compositions, and emotionally resonant narratives, I aim to challenge viewers to reflect on what it means to break free and achieve the extraordinary…whether through the delicate interplay of color and form in my paintings or the precise detail of my illustrations, my art seeks to inspire action as much as reflection.“ Allen’s work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the lower Hudson Valley, NY, and is held in both private and public collections.
Monika Kalra – Hancock Gallery @ 12 Vassar Street
Artist Monika Kalra
Monika Kalra is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores consciousness and inner transformation through a reflective journey within oneself. Born in Delhi and now based in New York, early in her career she founded the artistic fashion brand Monaara in London after working with major fashion houses. Through her art, she invites viewers on a journey of inner transformation, self-discovery, and an authentic reflective experience she calls The Eternal Expression. She shares, “My purpose is to offer healing vibrations in a chaotic world, helping souls navigate challenges, rebuild inner strength, and emerge renewed.” She continues, “Since 2001 and at a young age, I have practiced meditation with the Brahma Kumaris. Each composition is informed by extended periods of silence and inner observation allowing metaphysical insight to be translated into a refined visual language.” She explains, “I attempt to create in a blissful and meditative state to manifest the impressions of spiritual vibrations and metaphysical experiences through art.” Kalra’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across London, New York City, the Adirondacks, and Florida, reflecting a practice that moves between urban and contemplative environments. Her recent exhibitions include the Spirituality and the Arts conference at the Harvard University Divinity School, the LABRC Sacred Arts program at Oxford University, UK, View Arts Center, and the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts. She is currently a resident artist at Peace Village Learning and Retreat Center in NYS. With Rosary of Victory, her recent body of work being exhibited at the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, she explores the spiritual perspective on the journey of gaining victory over the self. She reflects, “Success is External, whereas Victory is Internal. True victory is when one is able to conquer the faculties of mind, intellect and impressions and become their master.” The series traces the soul’s progression through successive states of consciousness and transformation, inviting viewers to pause, center themselves, and reconnect with inner strength.
