October 2011

West Main Artists Co-op in Spartanburg, SC, Offers Works by Nancy Williamson & Nancy O’Dell-Keim

The West Main Artists Co-op in Spartanburg, SC, will present the exhibit, Spirit & Earth, featuring recent works by

Nancy Williamson and Nancy O’Dell-Keim, on view from Oct. 20 through Nov. 12, 2011. A reception will be held on Oct. 20, from 5-9pm.

Nancy Williamson’s robust stoneware ceramic pieces are created with an emphasis on both form and function. An integral part of her work includes surface decoration to enhance the forms using additive methods, such as slip trailing and subtractive methods such as carving. The imagery on Williamson’s pots illustrates her connection with the earth and nature.

A Master Gardener, some of her imagery is inspired by plant forms while other imagery is inspired by the forms of the near-by Blue Ridge Mountains.

Williamson exhibits and sells her work at West Main Artists Co-op and through an annual pottery show/sale with a group of pottery friends. She is a founding member and current chairman of Carolina Clay Artists.

Nancy O’Dell-Keim’s paintings are a series of expressive, abstracted landscapes. A majority of the works focus on tree imagery conveying moods through the use of expressive lines (created by oil bars), bold colors, and implied light. Variations of light reinforce the mood, causing the “light” to be the focus. The use of light, as subject matter, symbolizes a spiritual connection to a place or space. This connection, termed “Spirit of Place”, speaks of the spiritual connection to specific spaces referring to the unique, distinctive and cherished aspects. It also can reference the intangible energy and/or Spirit of place (or soul). The series of oil paintings uses landscape imagery, both traditionally in a “contemporary vein”, to speak of connections and landscape memory.

O’Dell-Keim lives in Spartanburg; her work can be seen at WMAC and at Carolina Gallery, also located in Spartanburg.

This exhibition shows a dynamic connection between pottery and painting, and between artists that are both part of the West Main Artists Co-op.

For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the Co-op at 864/804-6501 or visit (www.westmainartists.org).

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