Art exhibit at Gallery 50 to open with reception June 6

Fun and Games, an exhibit of works by artist Michael Fitts, will open with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Friday June 6, at Gallery 50, 50A Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach.

Based in Charlottesville, Va., Fitts has spent more than 30 years transforming everyday objects into fine art, pushing the boundaries of how observers view the ordinary. Known for his distinctive oil painting on reclaimed metal, Fitts elevates the often overlooked or discarded things in daily life into powerful symbols of contemporary culture within the context of mass production and a throwaway society

After he finished art school, he began to use scrap roofing copper and salvaged tin for painting surfaces, to eliminate the expense of traditional canvases. Those unconventional choices have has since evolved into a hallmark of his artistic identity.

Fitts said, "Surfaces are very important, more important than the subject’s painted on them. Of particular interest are scrap pieces that have markings, distressed paint or dents and scratches, evidence of a previous purpose that were produced before I discovered the piece. Collaboration with those past elements keeps the process evolving and interesting.”

The show will be on display through Wednesday, June 25.