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October Issue 2007
Waterfront Gallery in Charleston, SC, Features Works by J. Michael Kennedy, Amelia Rose Smith and Karen A. Vournakis
Waterfront Gallery in Charleston, SC, will present the exhibit, Out of the Corner of the Eye, featuring three views of Charleston's urban and rural landscapes by J. Michael Kennedy, Amelia Rose Smith and Karen A. Vournakis. The exhibit will be on view from Oct. 5 - 31, 2007.
J. Michael Kenndey
"Dramatic color is the element that most often stops me in my tracks," says J. Michael Kennedy. "I decided to let my eye go beyond the natural colors we see and let my palette and brush take more chances with color in these landscape and architectural paintings. Instead of copying what we see around us, I am painting familiar places with an enhanced sense of the many colors involved."
Kennedy adds, "Starting with my first
impression, I work in a number of layers of dark to lighter shades
and refine the color and highlights in the scene. I believe the
enhanced result makes familiar places sing a little louder. You
may recognize the building or the waterway but the reality jumps
out of the painting and dances a little more."
Kennedy received a BFA in 1981 and after 16 years working in the
advertising field as an art director, left to pursue painting
full-time in 1997. He has exhibited and been recognized in numerous
shows in the southeast including winning the Mayor's Purchase
Award in the 2006 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Outdoor Art Exhibition.
He is currently represented in galleries in Beaufort, SC, Myrtle
Beach, SC, Wilmington, NC, and Morehead City, NC.
Amelia Rose Smith explains, "Inspiration can occur in a flash - almost a transitory subconscious experience. A glance at an interesting object on a tabletop, patterns of light on intricate ironwork or a rapidly descending sun compels the painter's spirit in me to develop a visual record. That fleeting, momentary sensation of light, color or design that cannot be ignored but seems to be glimpsed just out of the corner of the eye."
"Out of the Corner of the Eye, is the concept of seeing the world peripherally," adds Smith. "There are many dramatic views in the world that draws the artist's attention but the little detailed scenes around one, such as a shadow of a palm tree on an old wall on Legare Street or a lotus blossom floating in a Charleston garden pool are fascinating. These small scenes outside the direct line of vision are what intrigue us as artists. The view of the world that many people don't notice is the subject matter of the exhibition opening at the Waterfront Gallery."
Smith earned her art degree at Coker College and is a founding member of Waterfront Gallery. She has studied with numerous acclaimed artists including Ovanes Berberian, Zoltan Zabo, Alex Powers and Kim English.
Karen A. Vournakis works in the 19th Century tradition of hand tinted photography. The artist says, "As a photographer, my approach to the subject is based on simple images. Natural light is a strong design element used to organize pictorial elements within the black and white photograph. The interpretative aspect of color is applied directly to the photograph print later in the studio. Color is applied in a painterly manner to build texture on the surfaces of the gelatin silver photograph print. Through the laying process of applying oil paint, over crayons and pencils directly on the surface of the photograph, I build a complex color image. Because I studied printmaking and painting prior to becoming involved with photography, my work is a blend of all three medias. This approach transforms the black/white photograph into a full color image, a unique blend of painting and photography."
Vournakis' extensive education in the arts began at Albion College in Albion, MI, where she received a BA in fine Arts and continued her studies at Syracuse University's Visual & Performing Arts where she holds and MFA in Photography, Magna Cum Laude. She taught photography at Syracuse University, Colgate University and Dartmouth College. Vournakis' work has been included in many collections including the Bibliotheque National, (Paris), the Everson Museum (Syracuse, NY), the Erie Museum (Erie, PA), and Kidder Peabody & Co. Inc. (New York City).
For further info check our SC Commercial
Gallery listings, call the gallery at 843/722-1155 or visit (www.waterfrontartgallery.com).
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