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Inspired by Claude Monet and the Impressionists, Monet Mingle blends art, atmosphere, and community into a relaxed yet refined garden setting. Guests will enjoy signature cocktails, live music featuring harp and classical guitar, and fine bites prepared on site by Chef Joe Garvey, creating an immersive and sensory-rich evening. At the heart of the event, three accomplished regional artists—Joseph Gyurscak, Jessica Barnum, and Christopher Monteiro—will create original plein air paintings live throughout the evening. Guests will have the rare opportunity to watch each work unfold in real time, culminating in a dramatic live reveal and auction of the finished paintings at sunset. Adding to the experience is the evening’s signature cocktail, “The French Connection.” This luminous, impressionist-inspired drink blends smooth vodka with vibrant pineapple juice and a touch of Chambord—offering a palette of flavors as layered and expressive as a Monet masterpiece. Bright. Elegant. Effortlessly chic. With limited capacity, Monet Mingle is designed to be an intimate and memorable experience for art lovers, collectors, and the broader community. Proceeds from the event will support AOY Art Center’s ongoing mission and help advance its vision for The Farmstead, a dynamic future arts campus serving Lower Bucks County. “Monet Mingle is about more than a beautiful evening—it’s about bringing people together through art and creating a shared experience that feels both inspiring and personal,” said Bette Sovinee, Executive Director of AOY Art Center. Tickets are now available and advance purchase is strongly encouraged. |
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Featured Artists
| " I have been painting for almost 50 years now and I can tell you the journey of an artist is not a linear path, there are twists and turns. There are times when an artist is not sure what direction to go in or not having confidence in themselves. Judging their own work to the point that it never sees the light of day. Then there comes a moment, a breakthrough in a technique, vision and finally you can capture a subject close to your heart in your own personal way! Someone acknowledges your work, or you start to see things more clearly, someone buys your painting then a gallery exhibits your work, then a magazine or contest you always dreamed of being part of happens. There is momentum in these events and that is why you need to develop the courage to put your work out there. Let the public experience your personal vision, be true to yourself and hold on to those dreams, dream big and continue to work towards your goals! Eventually all your forces come together... your time, your talent, focus and your voice, this is when you take your rightful place as an artist. Being a creator is a special calling, no one can fully explain why that burning desire makes you get up that next day and do it again. But the sacrifices you might endure will eventually give way to personal victories and an understanding of who you are and what your unique contributions and impact are to the world of art!" |
Chris Monteiro is a graduate of School of Visual Arts, New York Institute of Advertising and Pan American Art School where he later taught courses in Advertising and Design Layout and Fine Arts. He had a long and distinguished career as a commercial artist and instructor. Chris paints in oil, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolor, and mixed media. Christopher participated in three different Urban Sketchers in Singapore. He has also participated in plein air events in several states. Taking advantage of local beauty and historical sites, he organizes and demonstrates plein air for a group of artists on a regular basis. Christopher has received many awards and accolades in his artistic endeavors, among them, having the distinction to design the first New York City Marathon T-shirt in 1976. Christopher is currently an art instructor in Lower Makefield where he teaches watercolor. He also teaches Plein Air at Phillips Mill. He holds additional demonstrations and workshops throughout the year. For more information visit his website at http://christophermonteiro.com |
Jessica Barnum studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. She extensively studied the figure and then fell in love with painting animals and landscapes. Throughout her time in Philadelphia, she spent many weeks drawing at the Philadelphia Zoo drawing animals and working en plein air studying under Larry Francis. After PAFA Jessica moved out to Colorado for a short time to live and work on a ranch where she gained a lot of inspiration for her paintings and drawings of horses. In 2014 she moved to New York City to continue making art and then studied at Brooklyn College where she received her master’s degree in art education. Jessica currently lives in Bucks County where she teaches high school art and adult pastel classes. She primarily works in pastel and continues to create drawings of animals, landscapes and her two young children. She has shown her work at PAFA, the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the New Hope Community of the Arts, Phillip’s Mill and more. |
Cocktail Menu by Special Guest Chef Joseph Garvey of Joey G's and Joseph's Premiere Events & Catering |
Live music provided by Heartstrings, a classical duo of AOY members, Rick and Sandra Wortzel. |
Please Support Our Sponsors |
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"You learn a lot about a community by how much it embraces, elevates and provides access to the arts. AOY Art Center, a nonprofit artistic hub on Mirror Lake Road, provides countless opportunities for residents to embrace their artistic side as a vehicle for growth, creativity, and profound joy. Through adult classes, youth programs, and public events, AOY Art Center uses the arts to not only inspire community members but also connect them to one another."
~ Bill Donahue, Managing Editor, Suburban Life Magazine, "Best of Yardley" article
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