I first discovered Silvermine when we were living in New York City. A friend encouraged me to bring my work to the Silvermine Guild of Artists Exhibition of the Northeast (A-ONE) and see if I could be accepted. That was the beginning of my long connection with Silvermine. I remember that at the time, long before technology made it easy to share our work on phones or computers, artists carried their pieces in by hand, and there was always a great sense of anticipation and energy surrounding the exhibitions.
Silvermine was never just about exhibitions—it was alive with classes, conversations, and a community of artists. The directors were inspiring, and the programs always felt fresh and meaningful. Even now, Silvermine continues with the same vitality, and we still travel miles to be there, to see the exhibitions, to participate, and to connect with fellow artists. The conversations don’t always stay on art—but there is always a shared spirit of creativity.
To me, Silvermine has always meant access to excellent art and artists, a place where you feel at home and are continually surprised and inspired. Over the years, I have collected works from remarkable artists, some still working today and others who have passed on. Silvermine remains a window into the ever-changing world of art—an institution that evolves with new ideas yet continues to offer a place of belonging for artists and art lovers alike.
Adrienne Cullom, born on May 27, 1938, in Memphis, Tennessee, is a distinguished American artist celebrated for her mastery in printmaking, watercolor, engraving, and fiber mask making. She began her artistic education at the Atlanta Art Institute from 1956 to 1959, and later expanded her skills internationally by attending Vienna’s Akademie für Angewandte Kunst for a year. Thanks to a French Government scholarship, she furthered her craft at Stanley William Hayter’s Atelier 17 in Paris from 1961–1962 (Annex Galleries, bhnyfineart.com, Arbor Gallery).
It was during her time at Atelier 17 that Cullom met fellow artist Sergio González-Tornero. The pair relocated to New York, where they married and started raising a family in Greenwich Village. In New York, they continued refining their printmaking techniques at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop. By 1968, they had settled in Mahopac, New York, where they transformed a home into their personal print studio (Annex Galleries).
Her artworks have been widely exhibited. In 1983, she participated in the Boston Printmakers National Exhibition and a summer show at Philadelphia’s Rosenfeld Gallery, and had a solo exhibition at the Silvermine Center for the Arts in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 1985, her engraving “Contemporaries” was featured as an Associate Membership Print by the Society of American Graphic Artists (Annex Galleries). Later, in 2012, Cullom and González-Tornero held a joint exhibition at the Marina Gallery in Cold Spring, NY, showcasing their fiber masks and modernist paintings side by side (Annex Galleries).
Cullom has also received multiple awards throughout her career, including Honorable Mentions from the Boston Printmakers Exhibition (1972) and the National Arts Club Exhibition in NYC (1975), as well as First Honorable Mention (1995) and Best in Show (1997) from the Putnam Arts Council Exhibition in Mahopac (Annex Galleries).
Her work is included in both gallery and museum collections, notably the High Museum of Art’s holdings such as the 1968 etching The Flood—an artist’s proof in etching measuring 24 × 24 inches (High Museum of Art).
To inquire about the availability of Adrienne Cullom's work, call Silvermine Gallery at 203-966-9700 x 220
Credits:
Silvermine Arts Center