Cook, Camilla. Jill Freedman Hello + Goodbye, essay for exhibition catalog. Chroma Fine Art Gallery, Katonah, NY. Spring 2022
Cook, Camilla. Fresh Pics: Contemporary Art in Connecticut Ridgefield Guild of Artists Exhibition Catalog. 2010
Cook, Camilla. Fresh Pics: Contemporary Art in Connecticut Ridgefield Guild of Artists Exhibition Brochure. 2010
Cook, Camilla. Pioneering the Genetic Revolution: Eduardo Kac and The GFP Bunny Project. Graduate dissertation. 2009
"House Parties! 'First Blush: The Joy of Beginnings' Opening Reception at SM Home Gallery, Greenwich AtHome Magazine, July/August, 2018.
Villarreal, Alexandra"Ushering in Fall Season with 'Punch and Sizzle' Art Show." Greenwich Time, October 4, 2017 (cover story)
Hodara, Susan. "Liza Lou's Handmade Sea of Sparkling Glass" New York Times January 2, 2016. (Camilla appears seated, second from left)
"Mark Making: The Collaborations of Alanna Fagan and Nomi Silverman", Laura G. Einstein. VENU Magazine, September/October 2013 (p 68,69, 80)
"Hope Now Hangs on The Walls of Preemie Unit." Ariela Martin. New Haven Independent, November 2, 2012
"Get It Fresh! New RGA Shows Ready for Their Closeups." Laurel Tuohy. Ridgefield Patch, January 24, 2010
"'Fresh Pics' Featuring Local Artists Opens Jan. 23." Rita Papazian. Norwalk Citizen, January 15, 2010
"A 'Fresh' Look at Connecticut Art - Ridgefield Exhibition Features 52 Local Artists." Rita Papazian. The Westport News, January 13, 2009
"Exhibition Celebrates Connecticut Art." Stamford Plus Magazine, December 22, 2009 and Norwalk Plus Magazine, December 22, 2009
"Fabulous Fairfield: Meet Some of Fairfield's Most Fabulous Women" Fairfield County Business Journal, May 11, 2009
"Pens and Paintbrushes: Consultant is in the Business of Art." Harold Davis. Stamford Advocate & Greenwich Times, November 14, 2008
"Annual Holiday Show and Sale Opens November 25 at Silvermine in New Canaan." Westport Minuteman, November 18-24, 2005
"For Some Students, A Local Museum Became the Ideal Classroom." Shannon Hicks. Newtown Bee, August 25, 2000
A 'Fresh' look at Connecticut art -- Ridgefield exhibition features 52 local artists
By Rita Papazian
Norwalk resident Camilla Cook credits her husband Christopher with coming up with the catch phrase that sums up her artist consulting business: "Left Brain Services for Right Brain Artists."
The forthcoming opening of "Fresh Pics: Contemporary Art in Connecticut," an art exhibition at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, 34 Halpin Lane in Ridgefield, represents the focus of Cook's work as head of her company Camilla Cook Artist Consultant.
"Fresh Pics" opens with a reception on Sat., Jan. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. (snow date Sunday, Jan. 24), and features 52 artists from all over the area, including ones from Fairfield and Westport. Cook will lead a walk-through at 2 p.m. The exhibition continues through Feb. 20. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
This Staples High School graduate (class of 1998) is curator of the show that includes 52 of the artists she provides services for, ranging from administrative services to providing venues for the artists to show their work. The upcoming show is quite an accomplishment for this art history major who after a stint working as a guild/exhibition administrator at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan is now heading her own firm to provide the services to support artists with their work and careers.
During a recent interview from her Valley View Road condominium, which she shares with her husband, an employee of Hitachi-Capital America, Cook said she is excited about the upcoming show that will be mounted on the walls of three gallery rooms at the Ridgefield Guild. The exhibition will not only give the public a diverse retrospective of the works of contemporary Connecticut artists, with a few from New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, but also the show will bring a new audience to the Ridgefield Guild
"Fresh Pics" represents 55 works in a variety of media, including sculpture, painting, drawing, print-making and photography. The show offers a balanced survey of new work by emerging mid-career and world-renowned artists, ranging in age from 30 to 90. The oldest artist in the show is Antonio Frasconi of Norwalk, who will exhibit two works, "Norwalk Winter" and "Obama."
Westport and Weston artists include Paul Harvey, Janet Slom, Binnie Birstein, Cecilia Fradet, Nancy Jaffee and Nancy Reinker.
Fairfield artists are Roxanne Faber Savage, Jane Sutherland, Peggy Weis and Susan Newbold.
In addition to Frasconi, other Norwalk artists in the show include Irwin Block, John Harris and sculptor Derek Uhlman.
Cook, who curated "Focus On: Calder's Circus, the Lithographs" at the Neuberger Museum of Art last year, provides a variety of art consulting services for Frasconi, who she met through the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUN.Y. Purchase. Frasconi had taught at the university and was in the process of cataloguing some of his work. The young woman and artist formed a friendship and Cook was hired to do cataloguing and inventory of some of his work. Through their association she invited him and her other artist clients to be part of the "Fresh Pics" exhibition.
Cook received her bachelor of arts degree in art history from Boston University and her master's degree in modern and contemporary art history from SUN.Y. Purchase. She said she is drawn to contemporary artists. One of the reasons is because with living artists one can talk to them and learn about their work and their process.
"What excites me so much is to have access to the artists " to ask them questions " to have a dialogue. My having known these artists a few years, I see them continue to grow, to see their projects, to see their excitement," she said. She likes the idea of talking about art with the artists "and finding out what's in their head."
The curator describes the upcoming show, which she sees as a collaboration between the artists and the Ridgefield Guild, as "thoughtful, finely done, diverse and representative of a group of artists in a variety of media. " It's pretty exciting to showcase the diversity of these artists," she said.
Rachel Volpone, president of the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1974, is "thrilled to be working with Camilla and hosting the Fresh Pics exhibition. It promises to be a show of great energy and diverse artistic style."
Volpone said the excitement of the show will come from the mix of work showcasing a variety of artists and different media. The underlying contemporary theme at the beginning of a new decade "seems to be fitting," she said. "These working artists have their own process and vision in achieving their take on what is new and fresh -- the art will provide a window into their different sensibilities, which will be fascinating."
The guild president said she will be particularly interested in watching how Cook puts the show together.
"The design and installation of an exhibition is an art form in itself and the challenge will be how to make the show flow with so many different artists. Camilla has sourced each work individually and will design the show around her vision of what is new and exciting in the art world. I am very interested to see it all come together," Volpone said.
In commenting about the upcoming show, Volpone added that the Ridgefield Guild of Artists "is a place where artists can find support and encouragement on their own individual artistic journeys. We work to create opportunities, promote our artists as well as provide educational programming."
In a prepared statement about the importance of supporting the arts in Connecticut, Cook said the state has "a rich and vibrant cultural scene, offering challenging, intellectual programs" that represent a full range of artistic subjects and styles from avant-garde to the traditional. The volume and diversity of artists, museums, galleries, art centers, theatres, schools and universities, make the Connecticut art scene well worth exploring.
When asked what advice she would give to someone interested in becoming an artist, Cook advises the artist to create a consistent body work; compose an artist statement and a biography and begin to establish a presence.
"Launch a clean and user-friendly Web site; apply to juried competitions; seek out galleries; apply to exhibition opportunities; be aware of grants and residencies. All work should be polished, consistent and professional," she says.
As a consultant, she describes herself as a "secretary, manager, resource and behind-the-scenes advocate for the artist."
"I help them take the next step," said Cook of her 60-plus clients, many of whom she met through her work with Silvermine.
Other artists represented in the show include: Christine Aaron, Larchmont, N.Y.; June Ahrens, New Canaan; Corina S. Alvarezdelugo, Branford; Cynthia Atwood, New Marlborough, Mass.; Donald Axelroad, Stamford; Karin Bartimole, New Rochelle, N.Y.; Jennifer Contini Enderby, New York, N.Y.; Christopher Curnan, Ridgefield; Alanna Fagan, Milford; Jim Felice, Ridgefield; Ernest Garthwaite, Old Greenwich; Lori Glavin, Darien; Rima Grad, Larchmont, N.Y.; Lou Hicks, Greenwich; Ann Hodgdon-Cyr, Windsor; Jane Ingram, Ridgefield; Nancy Jaffee, Weston; Stephanie Joyce, New Canaan; Paul Kaiser, Easton; Marty Kremer, Pound Ridge, N.Y.; Nancy Lasar, Washington Depot; Cate M. Leach, Darien; Connie Manna, Stratford,; Michael Manning, Montclair, NJ; Susan Manspeizer, Pound Ridge, N.Y.; Nancy McTague-Stock, Wilton; George Megrue, New Canaan; Liana Moonie, Greenwich; Carey Parks Schwartz, Stamford; Steven P. Perkins, Rye Brook, N.Y.; DeAnn Prosia, Newtown; Nancy Reinker, Weston; Gay Schemmp, Winsted; Alan Shulik, Guilford; Nomi Silverman, Glenville; Karen Sorensen, Woodbury; Judith Steinberg, Stamford; Jodiann Strmiska, Bridgeport; Florence Suerig Greenwich; Jo Ubogy, Cos Cob; and Torrance York, New Canaan.
In summing up the collaboration between Cook's artists community and the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, Volpone said it is "an outreach into a broader Connecticut art community in which we hope to continue the conversation."
On Feb. 6 at 2 p.m., Cook will moderate a panel discussion of "Resources and Opportunities for Artists." The panel will include representatives from the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, and area arts councils and organizations (snow date Sunday, Feb. 7). The event will bring to light some of the untapped resources, services and opportunities for local artists with opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.
For information call (203) 438-8863.
"A 'Fresh' Look at Connecticut Art - Ridgefield Exhibition Features 52 Local Artists." Rita Papazian. The Westport News, January 13, 2009