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CAMBRIDGE – The Main Street Gallery in Cambridge presents in its fall exhibition “Cooking Up Some Art,” a collaborative exhibition of 11 guest artists who are friends and have been members of a cooking group for over 30 years.
The artists work in a variety of media, including painting, book arts, photography, digital art, printmaking, collage, sculpture, and textile art. Their subjects vary widely, but at least one creates oil paintings of food. Guests will exhibit alongside the eight artists who are members of the gallery.
The group began in the Washington, D.C. area when its founder, the late Michael B. Platt, a renowned artist and art professor at Howard University and Northern Virginia Community College, suggested that some of his artist friends and art students all get together to cook together. Back then, a cooking event lasted an entire day, as the group would meet early to shop at markets, grocery stores, and specialty shops, then head to one another’s homes to spend the rest of the day cooking and enjoying their feast.
The group also sometimes traveled to members’ summer homes in the Shenandoah Valley and on the Choptank River, where they also enjoyed swimming, kayaking, fishing, and sailing. In those early days, there was a rule established by Platt that they could only cook foods they had never eaten before.
This led to some dinners featuring venison, wild fish, and exotic side dishes. Although the group no longer strictly adheres to this rule, their dinners are reportedly still very creative. At their last meeting, they recreated dishes from their individual travels. The meal sparked lively table conversations about places they had visited, the art scene in DC, and memories of past dinners.
“Our dinners always involve lots of food and laughter,” says member and artist Randi Trinka. “We’ve had so many crazy, unforgettable times together over the last 30-plus years and it’s always great fun to reminisce. And of course, we always remember Mike Platt, the creative guy who brought us all together.”
Cooking Group artists exhibiting at MSG include Washington artists Carol Beane, Barbara Frank, Michael Platt, Lynn Sylvester, Ernestine Martin Wyatt and Donald Wyatt, Cambridge artist Theresa Knight McFadden, Takoma Park artist Stephanie Sove Ney, Laurel artists Debra Mathews Tyler and Dwight Tyler, and Springfield, VA artist Randi Trinka.
“Cooking Up Some Art” opens September 6 and runs through October 27. There will be two artist receptions at the gallery on the second Saturdays, September 14 and October 12 from 5-8pm.
Admission to the receptions is free and the public is welcome. Light refreshments will be served. There will also be a short artist talk at the reception on September 14th.
The Main Street Gallery is located at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge and is part of the Arts and Entertainment District. The gallery is open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The gallery is currently reviewing work from prospective members and guest artists. If you are interested, contact MSG via the website mainstgallery.net or by phone at 410-330-4659.
