COMMUNITY GALLERIES

Mary Jean Canziani: STAGED

Ann’s Place Gallery
September 12–November 1
Black-and-white painting, rendered in panel-like segments, of a woman in a strapless gown with curled hair and a jeweled bracelet, caught mid-turn at the base of a curving staircase with a dramatic light source above her; a small plaque on the banister reads "WHEN THE CHEERING STOPPED."

When the Cheering Stopped, 2026, Acrylic on repurposed book covers, 16 x 20 inches.

Artist’s Statement:
In Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, the character Jaques says, “All the world’s a stage and all its people merely players…”  He describes our lives as a predictable series of seven stages or roles. It is a bleak perspective, but Shakespeare knows human existence isn’t “merely” a series of scripted entries and exits. Individuals can choose the roles they play. STAGED was inspired by the creative disciplines of film and performing arts. From the plays of Ancient Greece to modern cinema, audiences have been entertained with stories that mirror our own behavior. Too often, the lessons put forth fail to be applied. Rather than follow the drives of ego and emotions, artists have shown us the importance of ethics and morality over the self in deciding how to act. Repetitious role-playing or the courage to live authentically and unselfishly — the choice is always ours.

Artist’s Bio
Mary Jean Canziani holds a BFA from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, with a concentration in Printmaking and a strong foundation in Art History. A career spent in the creative field afforded opportunities to add to her studio arts training and develop further skills in visual arts. Her experience in visual merchandising, graphic design, and operating a decorative painting and mural business exposed her to a myriad of skills and techniques that inform her personal art practice. Several years ago, she began teaching studio art to adults. Teaching has provided a fitting arena where her previously learned abilities and experience can be shared with others. The unexpected bonus is that her own education is continued by learning from her students. Canziani’s work has been exhibited in group and solo shows at venues in New York and New Jersey. She has had three solo exhibits in Venice, Italy, at the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro. Her work is owned by collectors in Italy, France, Israel, Germany, and the United States.

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