ABClatino Magazine Year 8 Issue 10 | Page 15

Invitada / Guest: Elisa Pritzker

Fotos por / Photos by Sevan Melikyan

cupltures

Artista / Artist: Paola Bari

Curadora / Curator: Elisa Pritzker

Born in Melzo, Italy, Paola had only just received her bachelor degree when she was hired by IBM Italy. She worked for the prestigious firm in Milano until 1996, when she became an advanced system programmer and was invited to cross the Atlantic. 

At first, Paola's ceramic appeared at the Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie, but it would not be long before she began to appear in exhibitions at more prestigious galleries, including the Denise Bibro Fine Art Gallery, Byrdcliffe Barn Pottery, and James Cox Gallery, all in New York. In 2003, she cofounded RiverWinds Gallery and expanded

to other local galleries, like Briggs Mountain Gallery, Case Del Arte, Barrett Art  Center and Howland Cultural Center.  Recently she collaborated with a group of artists to Paola has had exhibited pieces

in both Europe and America.

Though Paola primarily works with paint and ceramic, she also created pieces using metal surfaces. Her art sometimes takes the form of functional objects like tea pots, plates and vases. Additionally, her sculpture in porcelain is quite whimsical, featuring stretching frogs, cats, and ornately decorated game fowl. Paola is a member of the International Porcelain Artists and Teachers.

She is currently the co-curator along with Mary Ann Glass of Gallery 40 in Poughkeepsie, New York.