THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MEET THE ARTIST DURING AN OPENING RECEPTION ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026, BETWEEN 2:00PM AND 4:00PM.

The Town of Barnstable announces the latest installment of its Artist Spotlight program, featuring the works of Rita Colantonio. The exhibition, “Image and Imagination” is on display in the James H. Crocker, Jr. Hearing Room and the Selectmen’s Conference Room at Barnstable Town Hall September 30 through December 30, 2026. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Town Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (except State and Federal holidays) and is located at 367 Main Street, Hyannis. Free parking is available in the South Street and Town Hall public parking lots. Visitors are invited to enter through the front doors on the Hyannis Village Green entrance.

 

Please note: Town Hall Elevators are currently out of service, but the artwork may be viewed virtually on the artsbarnstable.com website:
https://artsbarnstable.com/interests/galleries/town-hall-hearing-room-gallery/

 

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT:
Rita Colantonio’s art style is very diverse, ranging from surrealism to abstract portraits to painterly still life and street scenes. She enjoys capturing people in their quiet moments, as well as street and travel photography. Many of her travel photographs end up as collages or painterly sketches. Her style is often graphic with bold colors and abstraction. Her love of the Masters and storytelling feeds her inspiration. Much of Colantonio’s work is based on interpretations of her photography. Her digital art skills and use of the iPad device allows for further creative exploration. A recent focus of her art has been on collage, both digital and analog, and geli plate printing. In this exhibit are featured many of her digital collage pieces.

 

ARTIST STATEMENT:
After 16 years as a public school art teacher I dreamed of coming to Cape Cod to create my own art. When I retired to Cape Cod in 2009 my dream was coming true. I started painting with watercolors and had five years of lessons with prominent watercolor artists at the Cape Cod Art Center. Around that time, I began to photograph the beaches, ocean, marshes, flower gardens, vintage buildings and people. I found that my love of photography became a strong focus for me. I joined the Camera Club, doing well in competitions and exhibitions.

 

But at some point, I needed to make a choice on how I could focus my art. How could I bring together my love of painting and photography. The answer came with my first experiments with the iPhone and the editing apps I discovered. I became obsessed with creating images on my phone and later the iPad Pro. There were many late nights discovering so many possibilities for creating art. So much inspiration to be had by others doing the same thing. It was a new medium, a new world of image making. It allowed me to let imagination take control with complete freedom to create.

 

Now at full circle I am rekindling my drawing and painting skills by experimenting with collage and mixed media work. The combination of photography, digital painting, collage and mixed media offer me opportunities to create endless forms of art.

 

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Rita has exhibited her work both locally and internationally, winning many awards for her digital art. She is a member of four Cape Cod art organizations and holds a Master Designation at the Cape Cod Art Center. Rita has curated two large iPhoneography competitions at the Plymouth Center for the Arts. She has also led Digital Art groups and taught workshops in the area, including one for Cape Cod public school art teachers.

 

You can view her art on her website at: ritacolantoniodigitalart.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.colantonio.art
Flickr @ritacolantonio
Instagram @jules4921

      

ABOUT THE ARTWORK SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM:
Artist Spotlight is an initiative that showcases the talents of local artists by featuring their work on the meeting room walls, specifically the James H. Crocker, Jr. Hearing Room and the Selectmen’s Conference Room, 2nd floor in Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis.

 

For more information on this program email melissa.chartrand@barnstable.gov
508-862-4767 l www.ArtsBarnstable.com