Happy 50th, A.I.R. Gallery!

One year ago, NY artists Yvonne Shortt and Daria Dorosh created a new A.I.R. program called Research & Development. The program’s focus is to design & test new models for art and to share them with our artist community.

Using the Artist Open Call framework and money Ms. Shortt and Ms. Dorosh donated to Research and Development, they purchased time on the NASDAQ electronic billboards to say “Happy 50th A.I.R. Gallery.” On September 26th, the electronic billboard premiered in Times Square, running 24 times between noon and 2pm for 15 seconds each time.

Artists from the New York and National membership self-selected to be part of the open call cohort for this project. As part of the cohort, the artists met for three weeks to create the letters while discussing art and each person’s artwork. Mediums used included installation, watercolor, embroidery, photography, textiles, white canes, hearing aids, paint, and more. The billboards celebrate all the current AIR artists - National, Adjunct, NY, Fellowship, and Alumni. The artwork was created by ten artists including 2 NY members, Yvonne & Daria, and 8 National Members, Simone Paterson, Diane Cionni, Katherine Mann, Ann Stoddard, Holly Wong, Chlo Abadessa, Marlana Stoddard - Hayes+June, and Robin Dintiman.

Happy 50th A.I.R Gallery!

Here’s to 50 more years of trailblazing!

Find more information about each artist and their contribution below.

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Marlana Stoddard Hayes & Jun Carmen Hayes

These pieces are the combined efforts of a mother and daughter. These two letter designs of A and H showcase an understanding and abstract curiosity shared through the familial bond of adoption. Using watercolors: the power of nature and culture are blended together through striking shapes, colors and details. We have enjoyed the process of collaboration!

Chlo Abadessa

Diane Cionni

For this celebratory collaboration, I wanted my designs to express exuberance, inclusivity and transformation, qualities I associate with art and the AIR community. Both letters take their imagery from an imagination-based project about invisible worlds and ever changing interconnectivity. The P is a cropped detail from a monoprint made with etching, silkscreen, watercolor on stencils and oil based ink; the I drawing detail is white ink on black paper.

Simone Paterson

We are all integrated circuity where energy flows without the mind's insistent dominance. My choice of medium, embroidery/ stitching, acknowledges women's historically unpaid, undervalued, and invisible labor.

Robin Dintiman

Holly Wong

My letter H and number 5 were designed to honor A.I.R.’s 50-year legacy of feminist dialogue within the artistic community.  I chose to create richly patterned sections on the letters that spiral and use a quilt motif as an homage to the Pattern & Decoration movement which continues to move forward the debate around so-called “women’s work.”  The color selection is full spectrum and reflects my maximalist tendencies and desire to embrace all that is my life and my body.

Simone Paterson

We are all integrated circuity where energy flows without the mind's insistent dominance. My choice of medium, embroidery/ stitching, acknowledges women's historically unpaid, undervalued, and invisible labor.

Katherine Mann

I wanted to create paintings for my letters that would reflect my own interest in hybridity and luxuriant maximalism while celebrating what AIR gallery has been for me: a community. I made these pieces with sumi ink and acrylic on paper, focusing on creating environments full of eyes, ribbons, clouds and chrysanthemum forms smashed together in a swirling, abstract world. Like the artists at the gallery, diverse and disparate parts coming together to make one incongruous but glorious whole.

Holly Wong

My letter H and number 5 were designed to honor A.I.R.’s 50-year legacy of feminist dialogue within the artistic community.  I chose to create richly patterned sections on the letters that spiral and use a quilt motif as an homage to the Pattern & Decoration movement which continues to move forward the debate around so-called “women’s work.”  The color selection is full spectrum and reflects my maximalist tendencies and desire to embrace all that is my life and my body.

Marlana Stoddard Hayes & Jun Carmen Hayes

These pieces are the combined efforts of a mother and daughter. These two letter designs of A and H showcase an understanding and abstract curiosity shared through the familial bond of adoption. Using watercolors: the power of nature and culture are blended together through striking shapes, colors and details. We have enjoyed the process of collaboration!

Diane Cionni

For this celebratory collaboration, I wanted my designs to express exuberance, inclusivity and transformation, qualities I associate with art and the AIR community. Both letters take their imagery from an imagination-based project about invisible worlds and ever changing interconnectivity. The P is a cropped detail from a monoprint made with etching, silkscreen, watercolor on stencils and oil based ink; the I drawing detail is white ink on black paper.

Ann Stoddard

Yvonne Shortt

The white cane in the G is about blindness and visually impairment. Ninety-five percent of us will experience a disability or know someone close to us who has one.  I want to explore disability in an open dialogue for myself to grow, and because we are all connected for others to grow also.

Ann Stoddard

Daria Dorosh

My letter “L” evokes a garden stroll and discovery of beauty and mystery on the path. I photograph the plant world to depict the complexity that I feel about its continuous evolution, from seed to flower to seed to compost. I too am part of this give and take that is shared by all organic life and celebrate it through art.

Daria Dorosh

My letter “L” evokes a garden stroll and discovery of beauty and mystery on the path. I photograph the plant world to depict the complexity that I feel about its continuous evolution, from seed to flower to seed to compost. I too am part of this give and take that is shared by all organic life and celebrate it through art.

Katherine Mann

I wanted to create paintings for my letters that would reflect my own interest in hybridity and luxuriant maximalism while celebrating what AIR gallery has been for me: a community. I made these pieces with sumi ink and acrylic on paper, focusing on creating environments full of eyes, ribbons, clouds and chrysanthemum forms smashed together in a swirling, abstract world. Like the artists at the gallery, diverse and disparate parts coming together to make one incongruous but glorious whole.

Chlo Abadessa

Robin Dintiman

Yvonne Shortt

The hearing aide design in the dot is about connecting and grounding. Ninety-five percent of us will experience a disability or know someone close to us who has one.  I want to explore disability in an open dialogue for myself to grow, and because we are all connected for others to grow also.