On Friday, August 2nd, from 5-8:00 p.m. (in conjunction with Middletown’s Gallery Walk series) there will be an opening reception for Connecticut artist, Jon Sideriadis whose exhibit, Astromythos, featuring compelling, other worldly illustrations will be on display at Green Street from August 2nd through August 29th during regular business hours (M-TH 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m.-12 noon).
Jon Sideriadis is an accomplished freelance illustrator and writer, as well as, an adjunct faculty member at Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford. The exhibit title, Astromythos, a Greek-like word that Sideriadis has purposefully invented, literally translates to “the star myth”– and also serves as the title for a fictional universe that is the setting for an illustrated book series that Sideriadis has been developing for the past thirteen years. This creatively concocted term combines the words “astronomy” and “mythology”– two subjects for which he is intensely passionate. In the tradition of the Epic poets, the fictional world of Astromythos presents an older, more sophisticated mode of storytelling to modern fans of fantasy and science fiction. Heavily influenced by the art of the Byzantium and Illuminated Manuscripts, each of his intricately detailed paintings depicts an allegorical character or a scene from one of the fascinating myths of his magical Astromythos universe. To visitors of this exhibit—young or old, literary scholar, or sci-fi fan, each of those alluring characters and startling frames of imagery provides a certain visual feast for the imagination.