Rosie O'Donnell Art Exhibit, "Solace," Seen Oct. 9-Dec. 2 at New World Stages
By Ernio Hernandez
and Andrew Gans
09 Oct 2007
The art of actress-comedian and Broadway lover Rosie O'Donnell will be on display at The Gallery at New World Stages starting Oct. 9.
The collection of O'Donnell works is titled "Solace" and features paintings created during 2003-2005. The exhibition will run through Dec. 2.
In a statement New World Stages executive director Beverley D. Mac Keen said, "It is always thrilling to showcase a new and exciting artist. But it is even more exhilarating when that artist is crossing over from another medium of expression for which he/she is well known. There are 60,000 square feet here at New World Stages, and frankly I wish we had more room to show the unbelievable development of Rosie O'Donnell from 'hobby collage maker' to stunning visual artist. To me, her work, her compositions and materials, explore so many levels simultaneously: she balances anger and inspiration, hope and hurt, isolation and inclusion to ultimately poise on the wonderful point of solace."
O'Donnell began painting in earnest after the events of Sept. 11. In her blog, the actress wrote:
"9/11 happened –
something cracked open inside of me
i bought canvas
i bought all they had in the store
i had never felt that i was a real artist
deserving of a canvas
my art was my journal
ripped paper - glue and tape
headlines and photos
crayons & magic marker
a soulquake
the tremendous toxins
released during 9/11
spilled out of me
onto the blank stretched whiteness.
O'Donnell was most recently on Broadway in the revival of Fiddler on the Roof. The actress made her Broadway debut as Rizzo in the 1994 revival of Grease!, and she played a limited engagement as the Cat in the Hat in the Ahrens-Flaherty musical Seussical. The performer also spent some time on the other side of the footlights as producer of the Broadway version of Boy George's Taboo. O'Donnell rose to fame as a stand-up comic before landing roles in such films as "A League of Their Own," "Sleepless in Seattle," "The Flintsones" and "Exit to Eden." Her Emmy-winning talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," ran from 1996 to 2001, and her more recent TV credits include appearances on "Will & Grace" and "Queer as Folk" as well as the made-for-television movie "Riding the Bus with My Sister." The actress also spent a year as a co-host of "The View." O'Donnell is married to Kelli Carpenter O'Donnell; the couple has four children. O'Donnell's autobiography is titled "Find Me"; her newest book is "Celebrity Detox."
The Gallery at New World Stages will be open Monday-Saturday, 11 AM-6 PM. The Gallery entrance is located at 343 West 49th Street. For more information call (646) 871-1730.
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