NEWS
January 2020
Trailer Box Project Fine Art has moved!
New Address:
12 Francis J Clarke Circle
Bethel Ct. 06801
Trailer Box Project Fine Art has moved!
New Address:
12 Francis J Clarke Circle
Bethel Ct. 06801
Trailer Box Project Opens Season with Up-and-Coming Artist
Opening Reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, May 6th
Danbury, CT – Trailer Box Project will open its 2017 season with an installation by Brookfield
artist Beth Houghtaling. The exhibition asks viewers to question authority and confront their
deep-seeded beliefs. The Jonestown: What Flavor Are You Drinking? exhibit will be celebrated
with an opening reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, May 6th and will run through June 3rd.
“Though the 1978 Jonestown mass murder was decades ago, the exhibit is incredibly timely,”
explains Dana Walker, Trailer Box Project Director. “In today’s social media-driven society, it’s
easy to find oneself living in an echo chamber of one’s own beliefs. Beneath the vivid colors and
repetition in Houghtaling’s brilliant installation lies a significant question: how susceptible are
we to indoctrination, and how do we protect ourselves?”
In Jonestown: What Flavor are You Drinking? , Houghtaling utilizes mixed media including
resin, stamp carvings, and Flavor Aid packets to resolve her spiritually and physically abusive
past through the lense of the Jonestown murders.
“I had the idea of making something out of Flavor Aid packets and the stamp carving, so I
bought 70 packets of Strawberry Flavor Aid on the internet. Once I made that first piece, the
floodgates opened and the art has not stopped spewing yet,” says Houghtaling. “But it wasn’t
until early October 2016, as I was looking at the photos of Jonestown residents in life to use in an
art piece, that I realized my Jonestown Art was my way of expressing the emotions from my own
spiritual abuse, which only seems to make my art more powerful.”
Artist Beth Houghtaling, a Danbury native, is a mother and respiratory therapist. She is currently
studying Holistic and Integrated Health at Western Connecticut State University and plans to
pursue a career in art therapy.
Trailer Box Project, a project space and gallery in Danbury, Connecticut is dedicated to assisting
groundbreaking artists in sharing their concepts with the community. Members of the general
public are invited to attend the opening reception on Saturday, May 6th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
at Trailer Box Project, 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury. For more information, please
contact the gallery at 203.797.0230.
####
Opening Reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, May 6th
Danbury, CT – Trailer Box Project will open its 2017 season with an installation by Brookfield
artist Beth Houghtaling. The exhibition asks viewers to question authority and confront their
deep-seeded beliefs. The Jonestown: What Flavor Are You Drinking? exhibit will be celebrated
with an opening reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, May 6th and will run through June 3rd.
“Though the 1978 Jonestown mass murder was decades ago, the exhibit is incredibly timely,”
explains Dana Walker, Trailer Box Project Director. “In today’s social media-driven society, it’s
easy to find oneself living in an echo chamber of one’s own beliefs. Beneath the vivid colors and
repetition in Houghtaling’s brilliant installation lies a significant question: how susceptible are
we to indoctrination, and how do we protect ourselves?”
In Jonestown: What Flavor are You Drinking? , Houghtaling utilizes mixed media including
resin, stamp carvings, and Flavor Aid packets to resolve her spiritually and physically abusive
past through the lense of the Jonestown murders.
“I had the idea of making something out of Flavor Aid packets and the stamp carving, so I
bought 70 packets of Strawberry Flavor Aid on the internet. Once I made that first piece, the
floodgates opened and the art has not stopped spewing yet,” says Houghtaling. “But it wasn’t
until early October 2016, as I was looking at the photos of Jonestown residents in life to use in an
art piece, that I realized my Jonestown Art was my way of expressing the emotions from my own
spiritual abuse, which only seems to make my art more powerful.”
Artist Beth Houghtaling, a Danbury native, is a mother and respiratory therapist. She is currently
studying Holistic and Integrated Health at Western Connecticut State University and plans to
pursue a career in art therapy.
Trailer Box Project, a project space and gallery in Danbury, Connecticut is dedicated to assisting
groundbreaking artists in sharing their concepts with the community. Members of the general
public are invited to attend the opening reception on Saturday, May 6th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
at Trailer Box Project, 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury. For more information, please
contact the gallery at 203.797.0230.
####
Summer News 2016
Trailer Box Project now offers an additional space, The Trailer Box Gallery retaining our project space for supporting various artists with a space to work through and present fresh ideas. The Gallery will be featuring Bob Keating, Megan Marden, Mark Savoia, Rita Valley, and Cathy Vanaria this summer.
Bob Keating Bob has been featured in The Berkshire Edge - “Nature’s Turn: Solstice Time, Plant Supports, Growers Gather, A Turkey Struts”. Bob’s metal work for the garden is also being featured at The New York Botanical Gardens, NYC
Megan Marden Megan’s work is in The 2016 National Juried Show at The First Street Gallery NYC, Juror Lori Bookstein, Through July 16,
Mark Savoia Mark will be exhibiting at Kehler Liddell Gallery, New Haven Ct. in, “Artist as Curator III” July 7 - August 21 - Artist reception July 7, 4pm - 7pm
Rita Valley Rita is presently showing at Manchester Community College, Manchester Ct. Dehn Gallery Presents “Woven Narratives” Seven Textile Artists. Rita will also be in a group show at Real Art Ways Hartford Ct. “Road to Ruin” Opens July 16,
Local artist gives NAHS inductees an assignment
Jim Felice, an award-winning Connecticut based sculptor, addresses NAHS inductees.
Shannon Ahearn, Staff Writer
February 4, 2016
Jim Felice, an award-winning Connecticut sculptor, assigned the 2015-2016 NAHS students at Danbury High School a project that he could feature in his trailer box exhibit.
“It will all happen by experimentation, by having fun, and an act of ‘let’s just see what happens,” Felice told around 80 inductees and their parents in the audience. “I have these objects I’m going to give them and I’d like to see you create something that inspires you by living with this object.”
The objects Felice handed out varied from abstract, aluminum circles to blocks of wood filled with holes.
Michael Obre, NAHS adviser and head of the Arts Department, had actually invited another artist to be guest speaker at the chapter’s induction ceremony held on Jan. 20. When the original speaker fell through, the NAHS officers reached out to Felice, and Obre couldn’t have been more pleased.
“Every year, I ask the guest presenter to talk about how art does not have to be the Van Gogh story,” Obre said. “He gave the National Art Honor Society a homework assignment, which I thought was great.”
Throughout his speech, Felice expressed how he was inspired by ordinary pieces. Street graffiti gave him the idea of the trailer box project, which is located here in Danbury. It is a free place where local artists can come to display their work.
Felice’s words and assignment inspired many of the inductees at the ceremony.
Samantha Galbraith, a freshman, says, “Every piece he showed had an interesting story to it and I loved it. Also, I found the objects he gave us to be very unique. I plan on working on the assignment and start thinking more about my work.”
The art Felice has created can be seen throughout Manchester and Fairfield County. He has also won awards including: “Award of Excellence in Sculpture,” “Best in Sculpture,” “2nd Prize in Sculpture” and “2nd Prize in Painting.”
Additionally, Felice talked about his art exhibits being on display worldwide. His work has been part of a set of sculptures that has traveled as far as Italy.
Felice organized a kiosk in which one trades art for the art displayed on the kiosk. It is no surprise that Felice has inspired so many, including Gabriella Cardosa, junior.
“Although his sculptures, one of which was inspired by a urinal, are both magnificent and motivating,” Cardosa said, “his ability to undermine the status quo that artistry is a side job in which no steady income could be made proved even more awe-inspiring.”
She continued that “both students and parents alike were inspired to let go of these societal ideals and follow their hearts.”
Trailer Box Project seeks participants to create hybrid monsters
“Chimera” Opening Reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, March 19th
Danbury, CT – Trailer Box Project will introduce “Chimera,” a new interactive solo exhibition
by Bethel artist Honorah O’Neill.
The hands-on exhibit, featuring life sized creatures with mix
and match parts, begins with an opening reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, March 19th, and will
run through March 26th.
“As an artist, Honorah O’Neill often utilizes her anthropological background to bring fables and
folktales to life,” says Dana Walker, Director of Trailer Box Project. “For her upcoming
installation, O’Neill has harnessed the mythological Chimera of ancient Greece, a monstrous
creature composed of the parts of more than one animal. Combined with her love for the natural
world and a wry wit, the resulting sculptures are playful and humorous.”
Honorah O’Neill, a painter and sculptor, studied at Ohio Wesleyan University and earned her
degree in anthropology. The owner of the Bethel Rainy Day Paperback Exchange bookstore,
O’Neill has exhibited her works throughout Connecticut and has amassed a following in the
greater Danbury area. Her installation for Trailer Box Project will include animals such as a
Bernese Mountain Dog, giant anteater and velociraptor dressed in a variety of costumes, from
Girl Scout to doctor. Each creature is made up of separate parts that can be switched with other
animals to make all new, imaginative hybrids.
Trailer Box Project, a project space and gallery in Danbury, Connecticut is dedicated to assisting
groundbreaking artists in sharing their concepts with the public.
Members of the general public are invited to attend the opening reception on Saturday, March
19th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Trailer Box Project, 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury.
Operating hours for the exhibition are Thursday through Saturday, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, or
by appointment. For more information, please contact the gallery at 203.797.0230 or visit their
website at www.trailerboxproject.com.
Trailer Box Artist Brings the Beatles to WestConn
WCSU show features Eppridge photo chronicle of Beatles’ 1964 US visit
Iconic and very personal images of the Beatles taken by Life magazine photojournalist Bill
Eppridge capturing the craziness of the Fab Four’s first six days in America will be featured in a
new exhibit at WCSU, with an opening reception this Saturday, January 23rd at 4:00pm.
Trailer Box Project artist and Chair of the Department of Art at Western Connecticut State
University Catherine Vanaria assisted Adrienne Aurichio, photo editor and wife of Bill Eppridge,
in the preparation and installation of this remarkable exhibition, along with WCSU Department
of Art Exhibition Preparator David Haislip, Gallery Curator Melissa Ralston Jones, and Visual
Arts Assistant Lori Robeau.
Catherine Vanaria, a photographer and educator, has over 37 years of darkroom experience. Her
work is included in the Polaroid Collection and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Collection.
Vanaria’s recent series explores the intriguing storylines of vintage and historical photographs.
The photographs displayed in the new exhibit, “Bill Eppridge — The Beatles: Six Days That
Changed the World, February 1964” were taken by Eppridge before and after the Beatles’
historic performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The blackandwhite
images will be on view
at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University through
March 13th. For more information, please visit http://www.wcsu.edu/art/gallery.html .
Bob Keating
Colo Colo Gallery
101 W. Rodney French Blvd.
New Bedford Ma. 02744
September 23 - Oct. 13, 2015
Trailer Box Project now offers an additional space, The Trailer Box Gallery retaining our project space for supporting various artists with a space to work through and present fresh ideas. The Gallery will be featuring Bob Keating, Megan Marden, Mark Savoia, Rita Valley, and Cathy Vanaria this summer.
Bob Keating Bob has been featured in The Berkshire Edge - “Nature’s Turn: Solstice Time, Plant Supports, Growers Gather, A Turkey Struts”. Bob’s metal work for the garden is also being featured at The New York Botanical Gardens, NYC
Megan Marden Megan’s work is in The 2016 National Juried Show at The First Street Gallery NYC, Juror Lori Bookstein, Through July 16,
Mark Savoia Mark will be exhibiting at Kehler Liddell Gallery, New Haven Ct. in, “Artist as Curator III” July 7 - August 21 - Artist reception July 7, 4pm - 7pm
Rita Valley Rita is presently showing at Manchester Community College, Manchester Ct. Dehn Gallery Presents “Woven Narratives” Seven Textile Artists. Rita will also be in a group show at Real Art Ways Hartford Ct. “Road to Ruin” Opens July 16,
Local artist gives NAHS inductees an assignment
Jim Felice, an award-winning Connecticut based sculptor, addresses NAHS inductees.
Shannon Ahearn, Staff Writer
February 4, 2016
Jim Felice, an award-winning Connecticut sculptor, assigned the 2015-2016 NAHS students at Danbury High School a project that he could feature in his trailer box exhibit.
“It will all happen by experimentation, by having fun, and an act of ‘let’s just see what happens,” Felice told around 80 inductees and their parents in the audience. “I have these objects I’m going to give them and I’d like to see you create something that inspires you by living with this object.”
The objects Felice handed out varied from abstract, aluminum circles to blocks of wood filled with holes.
Michael Obre, NAHS adviser and head of the Arts Department, had actually invited another artist to be guest speaker at the chapter’s induction ceremony held on Jan. 20. When the original speaker fell through, the NAHS officers reached out to Felice, and Obre couldn’t have been more pleased.
“Every year, I ask the guest presenter to talk about how art does not have to be the Van Gogh story,” Obre said. “He gave the National Art Honor Society a homework assignment, which I thought was great.”
Throughout his speech, Felice expressed how he was inspired by ordinary pieces. Street graffiti gave him the idea of the trailer box project, which is located here in Danbury. It is a free place where local artists can come to display their work.
Felice’s words and assignment inspired many of the inductees at the ceremony.
Samantha Galbraith, a freshman, says, “Every piece he showed had an interesting story to it and I loved it. Also, I found the objects he gave us to be very unique. I plan on working on the assignment and start thinking more about my work.”
The art Felice has created can be seen throughout Manchester and Fairfield County. He has also won awards including: “Award of Excellence in Sculpture,” “Best in Sculpture,” “2nd Prize in Sculpture” and “2nd Prize in Painting.”
Additionally, Felice talked about his art exhibits being on display worldwide. His work has been part of a set of sculptures that has traveled as far as Italy.
Felice organized a kiosk in which one trades art for the art displayed on the kiosk. It is no surprise that Felice has inspired so many, including Gabriella Cardosa, junior.
“Although his sculptures, one of which was inspired by a urinal, are both magnificent and motivating,” Cardosa said, “his ability to undermine the status quo that artistry is a side job in which no steady income could be made proved even more awe-inspiring.”
She continued that “both students and parents alike were inspired to let go of these societal ideals and follow their hearts.”
Trailer Box Project seeks participants to create hybrid monsters
“Chimera” Opening Reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, March 19th
Danbury, CT – Trailer Box Project will introduce “Chimera,” a new interactive solo exhibition
by Bethel artist Honorah O’Neill.
The hands-on exhibit, featuring life sized creatures with mix
and match parts, begins with an opening reception at 5:00pm on Saturday, March 19th, and will
run through March 26th.
“As an artist, Honorah O’Neill often utilizes her anthropological background to bring fables and
folktales to life,” says Dana Walker, Director of Trailer Box Project. “For her upcoming
installation, O’Neill has harnessed the mythological Chimera of ancient Greece, a monstrous
creature composed of the parts of more than one animal. Combined with her love for the natural
world and a wry wit, the resulting sculptures are playful and humorous.”
Honorah O’Neill, a painter and sculptor, studied at Ohio Wesleyan University and earned her
degree in anthropology. The owner of the Bethel Rainy Day Paperback Exchange bookstore,
O’Neill has exhibited her works throughout Connecticut and has amassed a following in the
greater Danbury area. Her installation for Trailer Box Project will include animals such as a
Bernese Mountain Dog, giant anteater and velociraptor dressed in a variety of costumes, from
Girl Scout to doctor. Each creature is made up of separate parts that can be switched with other
animals to make all new, imaginative hybrids.
Trailer Box Project, a project space and gallery in Danbury, Connecticut is dedicated to assisting
groundbreaking artists in sharing their concepts with the public.
Members of the general public are invited to attend the opening reception on Saturday, March
19th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Trailer Box Project, 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury.
Operating hours for the exhibition are Thursday through Saturday, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, or
by appointment. For more information, please contact the gallery at 203.797.0230 or visit their
website at www.trailerboxproject.com.
Trailer Box Artist Brings the Beatles to WestConn
WCSU show features Eppridge photo chronicle of Beatles’ 1964 US visit
Iconic and very personal images of the Beatles taken by Life magazine photojournalist Bill
Eppridge capturing the craziness of the Fab Four’s first six days in America will be featured in a
new exhibit at WCSU, with an opening reception this Saturday, January 23rd at 4:00pm.
Trailer Box Project artist and Chair of the Department of Art at Western Connecticut State
University Catherine Vanaria assisted Adrienne Aurichio, photo editor and wife of Bill Eppridge,
in the preparation and installation of this remarkable exhibition, along with WCSU Department
of Art Exhibition Preparator David Haislip, Gallery Curator Melissa Ralston Jones, and Visual
Arts Assistant Lori Robeau.
Catherine Vanaria, a photographer and educator, has over 37 years of darkroom experience. Her
work is included in the Polaroid Collection and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Collection.
Vanaria’s recent series explores the intriguing storylines of vintage and historical photographs.
The photographs displayed in the new exhibit, “Bill Eppridge — The Beatles: Six Days That
Changed the World, February 1964” were taken by Eppridge before and after the Beatles’
historic performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The blackandwhite
images will be on view
at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University through
March 13th. For more information, please visit http://www.wcsu.edu/art/gallery.html .
Bob Keating
Colo Colo Gallery
101 W. Rodney French Blvd.
New Bedford Ma. 02744
September 23 - Oct. 13, 2015