“Mobility: Art with a Mission” opens at Narrows Art Gallery

Narrows Art Gallery, Stockton Springs, featuring the work of William Landmesser, presents the fund-raising exhibit, “Mobility: Art with a Mission”, July 1- Dec. 31 2018.

Pathways- waterways, hiking or ski trails, roads- have figured prominently over the last forty years in the work of Stockton Springs artist and gallery owner William Landmesser.   Not only have these means of travel afforded Landmesser access to life experiences, they are natural visual subjects with their linear perspective moving the eye inward.   Pathways have become for Landmesser metaphors for life’s journey.

Several years ago the artist discovered Free Wheelchair Mission (www.freewheelchairmission.org ) , an organization which “provides free wheelchairs at no cost to people with disabilities living in developing nations.”   In 2001, engineer , inventor, FWM founder and part-time Verona Island resident Don Schoendorfer   introduced in a simple, durable, affordable wheelchair. To date, just over 1 million individuals in developing countries around the world have received one of the mission’s wheelchairs.   Amazing as that is, it is estimated that 100 million people are in dire need of the gift of mobility. This Spring Landmesser conceived the idea for an art exhibit that would unite appreciation for his own mobility with the dreams for mobility of those less fortunate.  An FWM wheelchair can be built, delivered and assembled for $80.   Two-thirds of the sale of all artwork, whether from the gallery or artist’s web-site (www.narrowsartgallery.com) ,   will be used to reach his goal of helping one hundred individuals experience the gift of mobility.   That’s 100 FWM wheelchairs.

“Mobility: Art with a Mission” exhibits work from the past forty years in such a way that obvious references to travel are mingled with works whose travel themes are more subtle, inviting the viewer’s personal reflection on what it means to be mobile. A reception for FWM and Mr. Schoendorfer is being planned for late summer and will be announced in a future Café des Artistes.

Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri. 10-5; Sat. 10-3; Sun. 3-5. Directions: click “About” at www.narrowsartgallery.com.