Featured Artist Friday - 1st Friday Gallery Hop

Spring seems to be making it's way into the Piedmont which, if the rain holds off, will make for a GREAT evening in the Arts District tonight! So this week's featured artist is really many...all of those whose work is in the Arts District of Winston-Salem. After all, it is the City of the Arts!

I'm missing the necessary info to do a full introduction on one particular artist, but since she is having her debut exhibit tonight I have to give her a shout out. She is Emily Beroth... a very young and enterprising artist with the personality and imagination of at least four people put together. Emily creates "cap people"...little 3D pieces made out of container caps. They are fabulous!

Her exhibit will be in the studio of Mary Bailey Thomas. If you are local to the Winston-Salem area come on out to First Friday Gallery Hop on Trade Street and enjoy an evening of great art, music, and more. There is a new gallery to explore - Delurk Gallery - in addition to the many other existing galleries, shops, and restaurants. It's always fun!

Be sure to go see Emily's exhibit. I can't wait! And tune in again for a proper introduction of this up and coming young artist...

Featured Artist Friday - Kathy Alderman

This week I am introducing Kathy McCracken Alderman of  Burlington, NC. Kathy is a versatile artist creating in several media: painting, photography, silver wind chimes, whimsical totems and yard art. She has always appreciated art, but like so many women, Kathy focused her creative energies on raising her family. Once her children were grown she had a bit more time to explore her art.

A self-proclaimed "late bloomer," Kathy is enjoying her artistic endeavors. She explains, "By now most people have found their niche and settled down. Not me, not yet anyway. I'm still exploring and just having fun with the different media available to me. So far the paintings I have created have been using oils, acrylics, and pastels."

Her photography started as a way to remember the activities of her children and family and to capture the beauty of nature to use as reference for her paintings. She says, "The rolling hills and natural creeks of rural Caswell County provide beautiful vignettes for my lens. Whether here at home, along the coast, or by the banks of the White Oak River, 'Mother Nature' never fails to inspire me." While she initially took photographs as inspiration for her paintings, she has found that people want to buy them before she even gets a chance to paint the images.

  

 

Either way, I think her landscapes are quite beautiful! I love that they have a softness about them, yet a rich use of color. They have a peaceful quality that I can just get lost in. They remind me of home.

 

And this piece...LOVE it! I have a thing for tree people. I love how these just seem to float, juxtaposed with the high energy yellow background. Just dreamy!











Kathy has also been playing with antique silver, crystals, glass and acrylic beads to design beautiful wind chimes. She has had requests to use silver from families to create unique gifts that can be passed down through the generations, and she also has quite a collection on her own to choose from as well.

In addition to her silver assemblages, Kathy also creates whimsical totems and yard art.

She has work in several galleries including:
Burlington Artists League Gallery, Burlington, NC
Focal Point Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC
HollyHocks, Mebane, NC
Flying Dove Studios, Burlington, NC
Point of View Gallery, Burlington, NC
Alderman's Repair, Burlington, NC


She is a member of the Alamance Artisans Guild and a pending member of the Cosmic Cow Society. Kathy can be reached at Aquaheart@bellsouth.net

Featured Artist Friday - MIA

Unfortunately I don't have an artist to introduce this week...it's been one of those weeks! I do have someone upcoming though sometime in the next couple of weeks...a young artist who is having her debut show opening in March and I can't wait to showcase her unique pieces! You will love her!

Meanwhile, for this week I'll just ask the question:

Who is your favorite artist - current or historical - and why?

Two of my favorites are Escher and Picasso. I've always loved Escher's ability to twist reality and fool the eye. His mastery of tessellations is unmatched. And Picasso...the inspiration behind the name of my local fiber arts group The Beecassos. I love Picasso's wonky faces! When I was a new (translate: exhausted) mom I always said I felt like a walking Picasso! :) Sometimes I still do...

Like this week....

Since I can't publish their works I'll give you these links. Enjoy!
http://www.mcescher.com/
http://www.picasso.fr/us/

Featured Artist Friday - Rose Wenkel, Burlington, NC

Welcome again to Featured Artist Friday! This week I'd like for you to meet Rose Wenkel, another of my fellow Cosmic Cow Society members. Originally from New York City, Rose came to North Carolina in 1972 where she raised her family. Then at age 50 she went back to school to get her degree in Graphic Design, after which she worked in advertising until she retired.

Art  has been a major part of her life in one way or another for the past 30 years. In addition to running an ad agency, over the years she has painted and taught classes in oils, watercolors, and mixed media. Rose says, "Upon retiring I went back to my paints and brushes once more, giving me an outlet for the many more years of creative thinking still unexplored."

Having lived in seven states and traveling extensively is reflected in Rose's paintings. She explains:

 "Often drawing from the many inspiring sights and experiences in my life shows in the diversity of subjects, while the bright colors reflect spirit and personality. Although primarily an oil painter, I often switch to watercolors and like to experiment with mixed media, finding new way to express ideas in art.

The one thing that ties my work together is color, bright bold colors that draw the eye and evokes feelings of all kinds."

And oh is that true! She uses rich, intense, saturated colors that just draw you in and keep your attention. Whether it's a soft dreamy piece or a bold abstract, Rose's use of color embodies her energy and joy for life.

Her work has sold locally, throughout the eastern US, in Italy and England. To see more of her gorgeous paintings please visit her website, or The Cosmic Cow Society, or ArtistRising

Images provided by the artist. All rights reserved.



Featured Artist Friday - Carole Donovan, Graham, NC

This week's Featured Artist is Carole Donovan of Graham, NC. Carole is a fellow Cosmic Cow Society member and a truly fascinating person to know. Originally from Australia, Carole moved to the US where she worked as a cartographer in California before retiring and moving to North Carolina in 2004. Always the adventurer, she enrolled at Alamance Community College to fulfill her dream of becoming an artist. In spite of her years of experience with drafting maps, she said the transition to fine art did not come easy to her at first, but she persevered, finding her passion for painting. For her painting is "one of the most distinctive, attractive, and gratifying forms of art."

Her pieces are diversified and the contrasts between the subject and the colors are sometimes subtle, sometimes bold and striking. She began with watercolor and went on to the other mediums to test the contrast of the layered colors and what she could get from them. Although oil takes a  long time to dry, she says it produces such fine blending that it is her preferred medium to work with. Sometimes she will work on 2 pieces at a time so one can dry a little before continuing on it.

 I particularly love her bold use of color and strong graphic style. She says, "I do enjoy using all the mediums and hope that my personality comes through in each piece I do."

Knowing her as I do, I'd say she succeeds at that quite well! She is lively and fearless and full of joy. You can't help but smile just being around her. Her paintings have that same affect on me....I think you will agree!

Carole is a member of the Burlington Artists League and Gallery  and the Artists of the Cosmic Cow Society of Greensboro.  She is also an instructor of watercolor painting at Twin Lakes Retirement Center. You can reach Carole at caroledonovan@bellsouth.net or by phone (336) 227-1338.

Featured Artist Friday - Phyllis Hinton Haile, Roaring Gap, NC

This weeks featured artist is Phyllis Haile of Roaring Gap, NC. Phyllis creates works in clay as well as oil paintings and we met during a recent salon at the Yadkin Arts Cultural Center. I'm always fascinated by clay pieces. Clay is one of those media that requires great skill and vision to bring out its full potential and Phyllis has both of those things. Her work is very organic, featuring the things of nature that inspire her.

She explains:
"Whether I am working on functional ware, a decorative vase or a carved sculpture, I am inspired by nature. I look out of my studio windows and enjoy the birds darting in and out of the trees, blooming plants, and at the end of the day, a summer sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nature gives me peace and I want to transfer this in my work"


Garden Lady
 available at Little River Gallery in Sparta, NC









Garden Lady
available at Little River Gallery, Sparta, NC

 




















Originally from Missouri, Phyllis studied Commercial Art at University Central Missouri, as well as oil portraiture at Minnesota River School of Art. Phyllis lived in Wisconsin and Minnesota before moving to Roaring Gap in 1996. Widely exhibited since 1989, Phyllis' beautiful works have won numerous Purchase, Best of Show, and First Place awards. She is a member of the Yadkin Valley Craft Guild in Elkin, NC, Associated Artists Winston-Salem, Yadkin Arts Council, and is a founding member of the Little River Gallery in Sparta, NC.

You can find her work at:

Little River Gallery of Sparta
33-A North Main Street; Sparta, NC 28675;
12-4PM Thursday, Friday, Saturday 336-372-3007

Yadkin Arts Cultural Center YARD
226 East Main Street
Yadkinville, NC

Yadkin Valley Craft Guild
126 Main Street
Elkin, NC

Associated Artists Winston-Salem
301 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem,NC

Phyllis can be reached at
P.O. Box 436
Roaring Gap, NC 28668
email: phaile3008@charter.net

Featured Artist Friday - Jody Pounds, Yadkinville, NC

This week's featured artist is Jody Pounds of Yadkinville, NC. Jody is a glass artist working in mosaics, which I find to be so very beautiful! I have a special love of glass work. My past experience with stained glass was in the Tiffany style - cut, copper wrapped, and soldered - which I did for about 7 years several many years ago before art and fabric collided in my world. But what Jody does with glass is quite different and very intricate. I've seen her at work and the process is just fascinating. She explains:

"I create art by taking hundreds of tiny pieces of stained glass and fitting them together into a mosaic. The variety of colors and textures in the glass provide me with an endless palette and I find that I am most often inspired by the glass itself as each piece of glass is different. The colors can be both vibrant and delicate and I find that the glass speaks to me - until I can’t resist picking it up and smashing it and then putting it back together, my way.

"In Flight" by Jody Pounds

She continues:
I have been creating mosaics since 2001 when my loving husband gifted me with an antique stained glass window. I fell in LOVE with stained glass and knew that I would find a way to create with it. At that time in my life there was no chance of taking any formal stained glass classes so I did a lot of research and basically taught myself the art of mosaics. In 2010 I opened my professional studio, A Mosaic Moment, on the campus of the gorgeous new Yadkin Cultural Arts Center in downtown Yadkinville, NC. My studio is located in the YARD (Yadkin Artists Residing Downtown) and from there I create and teach. I also work part-time for the Yadkin Arts Council so my days are overflowing and wonderful."

Jody is a dynamic person full of energy and great ideas! She creates everything from windows to wall pieces, functional pieces to public art. Please visit her website to see more of her beautiful works in mosaic glass!

(Pictures provided by the artist. All rights reserved)

Featured Artist Friday - Kathy Brusnighan, Greensboro, NC

This week's featured artist is Kathy Brusnighan from Greensboro, NC. Kathy is a remarkable painter whose work evokes emotion and a sense of the Divine. Working in oils, acrylics and mixed media, Kathy creates pieces that blend light and imagery in a captivating way. She says, "I love color and emotion...I love trying to capture and convey an emotion in a painting...more than just a pretty scene." Currently she is working on new pieces that are abstracts and mixed media exploring mystery and spirituality. "I want to glorify God and my paintings encourage and bless the heart...bring peace, comfort, joy...all of the wonderful emotions we were given to explore", Kathy explained.

Widely exhibited with her works in private collections all over the world, in 2010 Kathy was asked to display her work at an area hospital during December. She was overwhelmed with the response from patients, staff, and visitors who were moved by her work. Seeing that art could be a factor in bringing comfort and healing, she founded Art with Purpose and gathered 16 artists to present a traveling group exhibit "Courage." Debuting last fall at Circa Gallery in Asheboro, NC  "Courage" will be seen in many hospitals and galleries across the Piedmont for 2011-12. Future exhibits are already being planned.

I am blessed to have Kathy as a friend and fellow Cosmic Cow Society member! I hope you enjoy her work...you can find more about Kathy and see more of her work on her website.

(photos provided by Kathy Brusnighan. All rights reserved)

Featured Artist Friday - Thomas Rice

Welcome to a new feature of my blog: Featured Artist Friday! I'm beginning this series with Atlanta artist Thomas Rice. He's incredibly talented - oils, watercolors, sculpture, and is a much sought after landscape designer. He's also the husband of my husband's cousin. :)

In December at the Fridy family reunion we were treated to a viewing of two of his works en route to their new owners. One was this really cool copper wire sculpture portrait. My photo doesn't begin to do it justice...it's three dimensional and that doesn't show well here against the white wall, but trust me, it is an incredible piece!



The other piece was this fabulous oil portrait:

Thomas has many photographs of his work on his webite. Hop over there and enjoy!