On Saturday, February 18, The Guild of Harwich Artists hosted Cape Cod abstract artist and Guild of Harwich Artist member, Norma Ann Mutch. Ms. Mutch discussed her career as an artist, material selections, and her love of abstract art. “I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. During my high school years, I was one of a small group of talented young artists selected to be given free art classes three afternoons a week for three years at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.”
After high school graduation, Ms. Mutch continued with her art studies, winning a scholarship to The School of the Museum of Fine Arts and continuing on full scholarship for four years, graduating with highest honors from the School. After graduation, she worked in the graphics and design field for many years, married and managed to continue painting while raising a family in the United States and overseas.
“When we moved to Cape Cod in 1998, I chose to change my art identity and began to explore non-representational expression or abstract painting,” Ms. Mutch explained.
Ms. Mutch is a member of VAC, a by-invitation-only artists’ visual co-operative group of twenty Cape Cod artists; a juried member of The Cape Cod Art Association (CCAA); a juried member of The Guild of Harwich Artists with Gallery participation rights; and a member including faculty staff of the Creative Art Center, in Chatham (CAC).
In 2010, Ms. Mutch participated for the second time in a collaborative of 22 painters and fibre artists working in pairs to inspire each other in their respective medium. The 2010 endeavor was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the anthem “America The Beautiful” words by Katherine Lee Bates of Cape Cod. The result of the collaboration was a 2-year traveling exhibit opening in July, 2010 at Doric Hall, The State House, Boston, MA, followed by The Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, MA, and completing its journey December, 2011 at the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis, MA.
More recently, Ms. Mutch was awarded “The People’s Choice” award for her painting “Follow Your Path” at The Cape Cod Art Association 2015 “Class Act” exhibit.
The Guild of Harwich Artists hold monthly meetings January through May, and in October and November, at the Harwich Community Center, 100 Oak Street, Harwich, MA. Each meeting features a well-known Cape artist demonstrator. All programs are free and open to the public, with light refreshments served.