Feature Articles


June Issue 2001

Summer House Gallery in Highlands, NC, Offers Next Exhibit in Painter & Craftsman Series

The Summer House Gallery, Highlands NC, will continue the A Painter and A Craftsman Series with an exhibition featuring Betty Foy Sanders, Betty Foy Botts and Lynn Jenkins. The exhibition opens June 16 and continues through July 11.

All three artists are profoundly influenced by nature and the energy of the earth. Betty Foy Sanders uses elements of the earth in her paintings - minerals, stones, rocks and geodes, adding depth and texture. When viewing the paintings, one can't help but feel connected to the earth and the history that lies within. Her paintings reflect her deep devotion to Georgia and the mountains of Western North Carolina and to its rich history and remarkable beauty. Not only an artist, but an art advocate as well, Sanders established (1967) the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artist Collection at Georgia Southern University; served seven years on "The Georgia Council of the Arts and Humanities Board"; was awarded the "Artist Certificate of Excellence" by Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris. In 1997, Georgia Southern University awarded her the first Honorary Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts; and in 1999, The Fine Arts Department at Georgia Southern University was renamed the "Betty Foy Sanders Art Department".

Betty Foy Botts, daughter of Betty Foy Sanders and former Georgia Governor Carl E. Sanders, was influenced by her mother's achievements in painting and her participation in the Georgia art's community. Botts expresses her love of color and texture with bold brush strokes, often describing her paintings "like an onion waiting to be peeled: layer away from layer until the eye sees the underlying image". Her favorite subject matter is taken from nature, especially deer and horses; like the onion, one must look at the layers to find the subject matter. She feels "divine inspiration" leads her to transpose her faith onto the canvas to reflect her spirituality. Her canvases are as big as her spirit, many ranging in sizes 48x60 to 72x60. Betty Foy has recently been a featured artist at the Southern Living Dream House in Newnan, GA.

The craftsman part of the series this month features works by Lynn Jenkins. Jenkins specializes in Raku pottery. Raku means "enjoyment of freedom or peace" and dates back to the 16th century Orient. Jenkin's inspiration also comes from the earth and what it gives us. Two years ago she began placing gem stones, geodes, and shells into her vessels. Feeling that these items have incredible vibrational energies that radiate out from the pot, she says, "It's as if they are coming from within the earth and by looking into the geode you are drawn into the pot and this is your journey into the earth ... enjoy the space and energies they offer." Jenkins has studied with Cynthia Bringle, Warren McKenzie, Michael Simon, and Libby Platus, and is a member of the American Craft Council and the Southern Highlands Craft Guild; has taught on the college level and at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Her work is represented in over 50 galleries across the country.

For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings or call the gallery at 828/526-0028 or on the web at (shgallery@smnet.net).

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