January 2014

Arts Council of Wilson in Wilson, NC, Features Works by Nancy Ping-Robbins and Jerome De Perlinghi

The Arts Council of Wilson in Wilson, NC, will present two new exhibits at the Wilson Arts Center including: Wilson Active Artist Association Featured Artist, Nancy Ping-Robbins, on view in the Lowe Gallery, from Jan. 16 through Mar. 1, 2014, and The Wilson Project: Photographic Portraits by Jerome De Perlinghi, on view in the Annie D. Boykin Gallery, from Jan. 16 through Mar. 1, 2014

After initial efforts at oil painting at age eleven, under the instruction and guidance her dad, Charles Regan, Nancy Regan Ping, (as she was then known), did not paint again until her five-year residence in Europe. Seeing the great art works in European art museums and a pivotal Picasso exhibit enhanced her artistic development considerably.

Ping-Robbins exhibited her first adult works at a function on the Rhein-Main air base outside Frankfurt, Germany, and a year later at the US Armed Forces Special Services Center at the Army base in Kaiserslautern. In addition, she was selling pieces to local military as well as German friends and acquaintances.

Once back in the States, Ping-Robbins showed her current paintings at an outdoor art festival in Loveland, CO, and a few served as topics for discussion in a graduate-level course in aesthetics at the University of Colorado. In the 1990s she entered several paintings in county fairs and won a number of red ribbons as well as one blue ribbon (for Snow Day). Her music career prevented her from painting except for occasional efforts every few years.

In Jan., 2007, inspired by photos of fall scenes from 2006, she began to paint seriously. As a semi-retiree, finally there was plenty of time. During the summer of 2010, Ping-Robbins studied under Bob Rankin, well-known abstract painter in the Southeast and elsewhere.

Since 2008, Ping-Robbins has maintained a busy schedule with exhibit opportunities in NC from time to time at the Fine Arts League of Cary, Cary Gallery of Artists, Clayton Arts Center, Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, the Harnett County Arts Council, Nash County Arts Council, Seaside Arts Council, Wilson County Arts Council, the White Heron Galleria in Dunn, the Artist’s Guild in Fayetteville, Zynique Creations and Gallery, Williams of Wilson, Bistro on Third in Smithfield, and Bel Air Artisans in Rocky Mount.

Ping-Robbins has mounted solo shows at eight of the above sites with a locally televised interview at the Clayton Art Center as a result of her March, 2013, show there. A more recent exhibit of her abstracts took place at Royal Bean Coffee House on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, NC, from May 18-June 28, 2013. In March, 2014, she will be the featured artist at the Crystal Coast Country Club on the North Carolina coast, presenting primarily seascapes and marine-related pieces.

Ping-Robbins’ paintings can be found in private collections in Oregon, Colorado, and California, through the Midwest and along the east coast. Some of her recent pieces have appeared on the Facebook site of Zynique Creations, Seaside Arts Council, and other gallery sites, as well as a few older pieces on ArtsWe (as Nancy Ping).

On Jan. 16, 2014, The Arts Council of Wilson is proud to present an exhibit of photographs by Jerome De Perlinghi titled, The Wilson Project. We are delighted to have the opportunity to show these wonderful portraits in our community for the first time. Though originally from Belgium, De Perlinghi has embraced Wilson, and through his art form has promoted our most valuable asset – our people. With a portable backdrop, he set up shop at random locations in an effort to photograph people from every area of our community. You are sure to recognize many of the subjects of his portraits.

In conjunction with our MLK, Jr. celebration, the exhibit opens at the Arts Council on Jan. 16, with a reception from 5:30-7:30pm.

For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Council at 919/291-4329 or visit (http://www.wilsonarts.com/).

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