Fri 3/27 @ 5-8PM

Thu 4/30 @ 6:30-7:30PM

The title of the Valley Art Center’s next show gives a subtle clue to what it might contain and what the artists’ intentions were.

Fun, To What End?, curated by VAC assistant director and gallery manager Julie Polsinelli, features work by two area artists who have won awards in VAC’s Annual Juried Art Exhibitions in the past, Edward Raffel and Will Wilson.

While Raffel mostly works in salvaged materials, in this case 3D lamps, and Wilson works in mixed media and paints 2D, they share a sense of experimentation and yes, fun. Wilson says his work is aimed at “creating a joyful celebration of the different,” and includes influences from cartoon, graffiti, illustration and abstraction, aiming to feel “weird and comfortable at the same time.”

Raffel is known for his distinctive sculptural installations made with found material, in this case creating table lamps, in which he reconfigures, rearranges and assembles his materials to create three-dimensional works that dazzle with light, color, form and repetition, works he calls “a tiny refuge from the misery of the day.”

The show opens with a free, public reception on Friday March 27 from 5-8pm (5-6pm is Sensory Friendly Quiet Hour), and runs through May 6. There will be an artist talk on Thursday Apri l20 from 6:30-7:30pm.

For more information, go to valleyartcenter.org.