Two more talented artists from Asheville's River Arts District

Hello All! Greetings from cool, green Asheville, NC! Hope you are having a good summer. We can't complain about the weather here, it's been great so far in the "Land of the Sky".
Today's post is about two more fabulous artists that I met in Asheville's River Arts District. I've really enjoyed taking time to meet the River Arts District artists and I'd like to share their work with you. And if you've already been to the River Arts District, please comment on your experience.

But first, I have a couple of updates from my other post Asheville's Talented River Arts District Artists. Artist Joyce Thornburg is an featured artist at the Atelier Gallery of Fine Art on 24 Lexington Ave., Asheville. She has an "Retrospective of Faces" exhibit that started June 11th. Click on  Joyce Thornburg's  name to read about the article I wrote about her. She has a large 1800's farmhouse door painted her her folk art faces on it and it is a striking anchor to her exhibit in their street front window. Her show will end on June 30th. But if you miss her show and are local, then go Curra's Mexican restaurant in Woodfin, you'll see one of her "Faces" doors there.

Secondly, a bit of some odd news for one of our talented artists, Stephen Lange (to read my post about Stephen Lange click on his name.) Stephen, while working on one of his uniquely natural and beautiful circle paintings, he decided to place it outside the studio building to dry and came back to notice it had been stolen! Now you have understand, this painting was 6 feet wide! To view the video about the reported incident see this video from WLOS-TV. To view an article on the matter, here's a link. On Stephen Lange's website you can see his beautiful circle paintings.

Now I'll get to our next artist and painter, Benjamin Kaleblevi as shown here with his paintings. Ben considers his work to be abstract surrealistic.

You can find Benjamin's studio at the Riverside Studios, 174 West Haywood St. Asheville.  Even though, most of his work is abstract, of late, he has been busy with commissions of pet portraits. I found his abstract paintings very mysterious. The viewer must take some time with each painting in order to see all of the hidden information that Benjamin has included within.  These hidden clues tells the story of Benjamin's life journey, as he so kindly shared with me. And I like that quality about Ben's paintings. You'll see what I'm talking about in the photo below. Ben takes time with his paintings, they are not rushed. 

Inside Ben's studio, he was working on a cat portrait. And right now, he seemed to be very content working on his new subjects. He has an update and notified me that he is presently painting on location at a local hangout called "The Bywater" on Riverside Dr. His website is under construction, but you can find his bio and art on the River Arts District website.

A larger view, below, of Ben's studio space.

While walking along the River Arts District, here is a few photos of outdoor sculptures you'll want to see.

Garden sculpture below just outside the Curve studios.

Now, I have to say, I had goosebumps just seeing artist Heather Knight's work at her Element Clay Studio  . Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet her in person, but get to meet her assistant as she was setting up Heather's new studio space. Her textile wall tile collection in this photo is stunning, yet she has a varied body of work of bowls, exhibit pieces, and commissioned pieces. You can see work on her website and many items are available for purchase online.

Her stunning porcelain and clay work has been featured in magazines like, Coastal Living, House Beautiful, Charleston Home and many more. We are fortunate to have her here in the Wedge studios in the RAD.  She works mostly with porcelain, but also works in clay. Her works are a balance I would say, of modernism and nature, which she does so well. There's no denying her style, once you've seen it, you'll be able to easily recognize it again. The textures and the movement of her work will keep your interest and her choice of size for her elements is unique in itself.

Closeup

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post about Asheville's Talented River Arts District Artists. Please feel free to leave comments.  

Oh, I can't forget! White Duck Taco Shop has recently opened up in the RAD. Here's an article about the owners and their new restaurant.  Have a creative summer! Allison

What I Saw On National Public Gardens Day - Part 2

Hello everyone! Finally, part two of this series has arrived! In the previous blog post about What I Saw On National Public Gardens Day, I reported on the outdoor sculptures. Today, let's see what's going on inside! There is actually plenty for the art lover to see in the educational building. There are permanent art works I'll show you and then to my delight there was a new exhibit called, "I Can't Believe it's Paper!", by Artist Carol Funke going on until June 28, 2011. As you'll see in my photos, her use of homemade paper is interesting and the colors, exciting.

First of all, when you enter the building the first permanent exhibit you see is Teresa M. Reilly's, NC Arboretum Quilt. If you are a quilt lover, this is worth seeing. It makes such a grand impression once you enter the building.

 There are many more quilted pieces around the hallways and all quilt enthusiasts should see this exhibit.

As you go up the stairs, you'll see this large woven piece. "Random Weave Basketry", by Greg & Carla Filippelli. Medium: Reed.

Next as you turn around the corner into another room you'll see the Chinese Dragon Robe made from handmade paper.

Now you've entered the room with Carol Funke's handmade papers turned into brilliant artworks. Here's one I really liked. 

"Motion In Color II"

Homemade Paper

A side view, so you can see how the strips of the paper are crossed and stand out from the rest. Cool, huh? 

A different view, so you can see head on how it looks. Her goal here was to show two different images from two views.

More works from Artist: Carol Funke

The colors and textures are so inspiring and exciting.

I didn't get the names of these pieces, but one the natural piece with mixed media on top that she created is really interesting as well.

"Motion In Color"
Oh, how I loved this piece. The colors, textures and how the design comes off the edges. There's a lot going on, but I didn't feel it was too much. Well done, Carol!

"What Goes Around, Comes Around"

Quad Tripe

Four individual pieces when put together make one. 

The variety of her work amazed me. This series of painted and folded homemade papers, I think works and like nothing I had seen lately.

"Waves of Color"

I hope you enjoyed the Carol Funke's artworks of mixed media and homemade paper exhibit. I know I did! You can see her exhibit now through June 28, 2011 at the NC Arboretum. Click on Carol Funke's name to read about her background and exhibit.

What I Saw On National Public Gardens Day - Part 1

Hello Everyone, and greetings from beautiful Asheville, NC! On May 6, 2011 it was National Public Gardens Day and I decided to head off to the North Carolina Arboretum. The great thing about NPGD is the admission is free, so next Spring remember that date and visit a public garden. It's known many artists get their inspiration for their artwork from gardens and it's only fitting that I go and take photos of  the NC Arboretum's outdoor sculptures and indoor art exhibits. In case you've never been to the NC Arboretum, it's definitely worth it, if you are in the area. Such a beautiful natural setting with the mountains as the backdrop and plenty of flowers and plants up close to behold. The short winding trails are fun to walk and then for more dedicated hikers there are longer trails for good wholesome exercise and fresh mountain air. And when you're ready to rest, there are plenty of rocking chairs out on the porch waiting for you. Or if you enjoy a quiet space tucked away out in nature, there's a nice bench waiting on you.

I'm dividing my posts into several parts, otherwise it might overwhelm you if I post all the photos in one post! Reminds you of those boring "this was my summer vacation" slides you had to sit through with friends or family, right? So, Since I don't want to lose you, I'll post Part 1 first and others later. Also, keep in mind, I'm only posting a few of the works there, not everything. I want to leave something there for you to see for yourself.

Now, once arriving and driving up the road to the main parking lot and building, you get sucked in to the beauty of the location. The mountains all around you, the creek nearby, and the blooming plants. You almost have to be careful as your driving to keep you eye on the winding road up the hill, because you eyes will be thrilled once you've entered their gates. And speaking of gates, oh!, just you wait till you see their beautiful handcrafted garden gates. And it's worth taking the time to notice all the details of each gate. You'll see what I mean in the photos below.

 Right side of the "Stream Garden Gate" by David Brewin and Joseph Miller

Medium: Brass, steel, bronze, paint

Fish on the Garden Gate

Left side of the Garden Gate

Woodpecker on left side of the gate

Next on our tour, you'll see  outdoor sculpture, "A Hedge Against Extinction", by Artist: Martin Webster

Closeup

Around the front of the main educational building, there is a waterfall and pool area. They just recently added these new sculptures, I think there is four of them placed around the pool. 

Title: Magniflower 3

Artist: Martin Webster

Medium: Ferrocement, steel armanture

Closeup

Walking closer to the trails is this very tall, very huge Native American Indian bronze sculpture.

Title: Oh Great Spirit

Artist: Nell Banister Scruggs

Front closeup

Back close up

Near the Native Indian sculpture is 

Title: Remembrance Bell

Artist: Stefan Bonitz

Once walking on the trail from the education building, you'll see next, 

Title: Rhododendron Trellis

Artist: Grace Cathey

Medium: Steel

 Close up

While walking you might want to keep you eye open for a few smaller pieces like this, 

Title: Night Watch

Artist: Barron Brown

Medium: Granite

This is a view of the walking trails, nicely maintained and most shaded which is great in the hot summertime.

Now approaching the ampitheatre area. 

View of more paths

Flowers and plants to enjoy with identifying tags of our native plants

In Part 2 of this post, I'll be showing of the indoor art exhibits. It's definitely worth the return to my art blog. Please come back for more! I hope you enjoyed the views. Love to hear your comments of the NC Arboretum if you've been there and if you haven't love to hear from you too!

Thank you, Allison

For more information about the North Carolina Arboretum, click below and visit their site.

North Carolina Arboretum

Asheville's River Arts District And It's Talented Artists

Hello Everyone, it's good to be back on the blogging scene again!
Just to update you, my family and I have made another move. We have relocated to Asheville, NC! Who knew little ole' Asheville (and my hometown I might add) would become #1 in Top Small US Cities. Pretty exciting to me. Now there's the River Arts District to see artists in their studios and plenty of downtown art galleries. It just fueled me, to say the least! So I decided to play tourist and head to the River Arts District and here's a few artists I met! I'm including links to articles and artist's websites for more detailed information for your future reading pleasure.

The first artist I met is Jonas Gerard (what a great name, right? Sounds like an artist name to me). He was so kind to allow me to take photos of his 5,000 sq. ft. studio/gallery and you have to see his cool art van. He is an abstract and representional painter and uses mixed media. If you have a love for vibrant color and abstract art, you'll enjoy his paintings. Jonas is emerged on the artscene in the 70's and truly is a color expressionists in my opinion. I totally relate to his creative process since he works more intuitively and which you can experience this through the movement of his paintings. His creative works consist of large and small paintings, 3D wall sculptures and free standing sculptures, painted bowls, decorative tiles, and gifts. Jonas Gerard's works have been exhibited all over the US and abroad. I would like to invite you to watch his performance video, it's not your usual artist painting video. And last note, definitely don't miss Jonas Gerard's "We The People" painting accepted by The White House in 1975.

On the way to Jonas Gerard's Studio and Gallery

Free Standing Sculpture by Jonas Gerard

Stunning entrance to Jonas Gerard's Gallery, full of color and energy!

Jonas Gerard's Art Van!

Rear View of Gerard's van.

Next on our tour, artist Stephen Lange. How do I share with you what I saw in Stephen's art? It's incredible. Words and phrases like mystery, dedication to details, glitter, layering, multi-dimensional  and complexity make his art such a success. I had not seen anything quite like Stephen's work and it was a fresh escape to hear about the process and the components of his work. They beauty of his paintings lay determined by the light of the day. As the light hits his paintings, you'll see what I mean. In his latest series, he's used reflective tape as one of his mediums and to it's advantage, very well. As the sunlight hits the small sections of tape, the sun's reflection is reflected back to you, giving you the wonderful feeling of the sun shining brightly on the ocean's water. Now the painting has interacted with you. The brighter the light the stronger the impression. So his paintings change as the lighting around them changes throughout the day.
Then to learn about the process of Stephen Lang's highly successful circle paintings... well, I'll have to leave that to another post. The next day I did see his circle paintings at the City Bakery Cafe downtown...awesome on their dining room walls. The warm paint tones on their walls made it a perfect backdrop for his large paintings.

Here's Stephen Lange with his very popular circle paintings made with handmade dyes. On the left his newest series of water paintings using reflective tapes. (Before)

(After!) Tada! See how Stephen's paintings glow in the different lighting conditions. His inspiration for this series of paintings was from his love of the marshes and water when he lived in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Now, we are fortunate to have Stephen and his family living in Asheville.

One of the most delightful artists I've met on this tour was Joyce Thornburg, an Outsider/Folk Artist. Joyce is a full-time artist and North Carolina native. She is such a delight to meet and one can feel her love for art. As Joyce says, she paints because she has to. Her soul longs to paint daily and is truly set free doing so. She paints on whatever she can, even recycled doors and photographs. One of my favorites was Joyce's "Natures Lollypop" painting. She has a love for cats, faces and travel and it shows in her work. She is more than a regular staple at The Wedge studios, she more like a muse for your soul. Joyce's art has been exhibited and collected throughout the US, Europe and Mexico.

Here is the lovely Joyce Thornburg painting on one of her recent doors. By they way, she suggests they can be used as headboards!

These are just three of the fine people that I have met, so far, in Asheville.  On my next post, I will introduce you to some more of the fine artists who ply their trade in this great city.  Remember, when visiting Asheville, simply look for the yellow signs for the River Arts District.  Plus, be sure to enjoy all of the sights, the music, and food while in Asheville.

One section of Asheville's colorful River Arts District.

"An Indiana Winter"

Hello!
Yes, it's been awhile since my  last post. But for a very good reason, we moved from NC to Indiana! As you can imagine, I've been busy with packing and unpacking. We moved to be near my husband's family and my 5yr. old  daughter has been having a blast enjoying the abundant snow. We are adjusting to the climate here and the cultural differences that those of the south. And can I say, "Go Colts!". Okay, I know they lost.

Finally, I say with a sign of relief, I'm getting back to painting again. With a change of scenery, I felt inclined to focus on rural Indiana. Looking out of a second floor window where I paint gave me an interesting perspective. I normally don't paint landscapes, but challenged myself to creating an abstract landscape from the view of my window.

Naturally, the colors this afternoon muted with the overcast sky, yet the terrain is interesting to me. I look out and see (no, not dead people), but rather lines and angles across the land. Like when you are in an airplane and looking down below (if you're not looking at an engine) and seeing patchwork patterns. The details of trees, hills, creeks, rivers, homes, etc., are abstracted and what's left is patchwork of colors. That's what I see here in the snow and cornfields in the dead of winter. It's a different kind of beauty. It's quiet and muted looking as if the land were saying,...it's time to slow down and rest. Perhaps, I'll do this particular scene each season to investigate the changes in textures, colors, and lines. I hope you're interested in following me on this journey. I'm also including a few photos of rural Indiana.

Here's the study I did today. Please feel free to leave comments. Thank you, Allison

"An Indiana Winter"

Ongoing Seasonal Study

Canvas Paper
Oil

Closeup

My husband took this photo about 4 a.m of the moon was shining so brightly across the farm.

Family time spent sledding.

My 5yr. old Sarah having the time of her life!

The rest of the Uncles/Aunts and cousins having a great time together.