'Best of the Best' Bedford museum showcasing pieces from its permanent collection

Dec. 30—BEDFORD, Pa. — The beauty and brilliance of art is being celebrated in this extensive collection.

The "Best of the Best" exhibition is on display through April 14 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Bedford, located in the Anderson House, 137 E. Pitt St., Bedford.

The show features curated selections of artwork from the museum's permanent collection comprising both timeless classics and contemporary gems that are meant to inspire, provoke and captivate.

"We're ending our year and we wanted to really showcase some of the most exquisite pieces in the permanent collection in a celebratory way," said Christi Draves, SAMA-Bedford site coordinator.

"This year at SAMA, it is our 'Year of Service' and what we can do for the community, for the artists and for art in general, so the 'Best of the Best' show not only shows the quality of art that we possess, but also the quality of care that we put into the pieces that are gifted to us. We want to celebrate the people who have helped to make us great."

She said a show of this magnitude has never been done before.

"Some of these pieces are extremely high in value from artists who are recognizable and at the level of being the best of the best," Draves said. "It's not a cohesive show; there are a variety of artists, mediums and pieces, but what holds them together is the artists' passion and the work and time, and you can see that. These are some of those pieces that may not always get out because of their value, but we have this very nice show that we were able to put together."

The show features 35 pieces, ranging from paintings that have withstood the test of time to thought-provoking contemporary pieces that push the boundaries of artistic innovation.

"We have a variety of Colleen Browning pieces that are realistic, lifelike and offer vivid images," Draves said. "We have a Charles Olson piece out, and it's a very large acrylic on canvas. There's a David Armstrong piece with a tree by a lake and you can totally imagine kids playing at this clubhouse. We also have an (Abraham) Lincoln bust in bronze that's three-dimensional, so it's a wide array of artists from the full spectrum, and we are covering the best of the best within the realm they like to work in."

She said some large and underutilized pieces are on display, along with work that hasn't been shown recently in other SAMA locations.

"We want to utilize the gifts that have been given to us," Draves said.

"These are valuable pieces of history that we've preserved."

She said subject matter varies in the pieces.

"There's people and portraits, landscapes, abstract, sculpture and copper relief," Draves said. "There's really something here for everybody. This is art that people can connect to."

She said the pieces are arranged in a way in which they flow together seamlessly.

"We've blended and matched colors, so when you walk, there's landscapes, and then it's more people focused, and then some abstract," Draves said. "It's really done based on the colors and patterns and the feelings and mood of the paintings."

She added that viewers to the exhibition will have a transformative experience that will foster a deeper appreciation for the artistic heritage that enriches lives.

"We want to show that we appreciate these gifts and this ability to be able to show it back to the community for years to come," Draves said. "This show is a really nice way to end the year by coming back to those who have supported us for almost 50 years now. It's an honor to be able to appreciate that 50 years later."

Museum hours are noon to 4:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Admission to the exhibition is free.

For more information, call 814-589-3020 or visit www.sama-art.org.