Mixed-media art exhibit opens May 9 at NorthEast-Millerton Library

MILLERTON — Poetry and mixed media collages are merging at the NorthEast-Millerton Library to provide a window into artist Deborah Macheski’s world at “Daydreams and Moonlight Meditations,” an exhibit that will be officially opened at a reception at the main building at 75 Main Street, Thursday, May 9 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Macheski’s display consists of collages titled by lines which combine to create poems which she will read at the reception.

Each piece is framed in black with a black background so that as the viewer looks within to find the message, there are “no other distractions.”

She says that she generally creates without a specific plan, instead allowing pieces to grow “intuitively.”

Macheski employs a combination of textures, shapes, sizes and colors garnered from various sources including nature, decorative papers and “public images,” some from the 1400 and 1500’s, adding other touches ranging from pencil to wax crayons to gold or silver ink to complete the image.

Occasionally, the work emerges as a whole and is immediately glued into position, but sometimes she lets creations sit, making changes until she is satisfied with the result.

Macheski’s early love of art was nourished by her mother, a fashion illustrator, who would take her to children’s programs at a museum. At home Macheski would ignore bedtime, drawing in the dark or under the covers and later revising the work until she achieved “what I wanted.”

That sparked a 30-year career designing jewelry and accompanying small boxes and trays. Ten years ago, a course at the Interlaken School of Art in West Stockbridge led her on her current parallel path which includes exhibits at farmers markets and the Copake Grange.

Macheski creates at home and with a group of artists who meet weekly. For more information call the Library at 518-789-3340.