March 2014

Upstairs Artspace in Tryon, NC, Offers Several New & Continuing Exhibitions

The Upstairs Artspace in Tryon, NC, is offering several exhibits including: Andrew Blanchard: Prints, on view through Mar. 14; Mark Flowers: Paintings, on view through Mar. 14; Carolina Camera Club: Photography; on view through Mar. 14; Mar. 21 - May 3 - 18 Ways To See: Selected Bold Life Artists, curated by Rimas Zailskas and Mary DiOrio, publishers of Bold Life magazine, with a reception on Mar. 22, from 5-8pm; and Mar. 21 - May 3 - Richard Russell: Collage, with a reception on Mar. 22, from 5-8pm.

Andrew Blanchard’s current body of work reinterprets, in his words, “various places on the periphery of Southern towns and cities on the fringe of society.” His work represents an honest social commentary on the Southern landscape and way of life. He writes, “With an overarching theme of fun, thematic interests are incorporated into the visuals, including socio-economics, race relations, literary references and environmental planning.”

Blanchard earned an MFA from The University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS, and is currently Associate Professor of Printmaking and Photography at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC.

Mark Flowers uses images combined with sculptural shapes to clarify his relationship with the world. Repeated symbols form a visual vocabulary to create a narrative composed of insights and reflections of his experiences. He states, “In seeking meaning in the world, I am sharing my story in hopes of making connections with the viewer. Currently I am exploring the use of faces, figures and objects to create a more visual story.”

Flowers received an MFA from Western Michigan University and currently works from his studio, Mountain Tea Studios, in Alexander, NC.

Downstairs at the Upstairs, twelve members of the Carolina Camera Club offer their work in a wide variety of subject matter and themes. Many of these artists came to photography at a very young age and developed an increasing passion for the medium into adulthood. Whether exploring the natural environment, finding art and beauty in the often overlooked scenes from everyday life, or attempting to blur the line between painting and photography, these works present a focused exploration into the very nature of light itself.

Opening on Mar. 21 and continuing through May 3, is the exhibit, 18 Ways To See: Selected Bold Life Artists. The exhibit is curated by Bold Life publishers Rimas Zailskas and Mary DiOrio, who selected 18 artists from more than 100 featured in Bold Life in past 10 years of its publication, with an eye for the off-beat and the semi-surreal, curated by the magazine’s publishers. The exhibition includes painting, photography, mixed media.

A panel discussion will take place at the gallery Tuesday, Apr. 8, at 7pm, by Rimas Zailskas and a select number of artists featured in the exhibition.

Also from Mar. 21 through May 3, Upstairs Artspace will present Richard Russell: Collage. Russell draws on a specific litany of imagery - anatomical and medical illustrations, flora and fauna, art history, landscapes, furniture and drapery, decorative endpapers, vintage porn and beefcake magazines, antique engravings and Victorian scrapbooks - to compose new bodies, new species, creations that being to life new relationships and meanings.

For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings, call the gallery at 828/859-2828 or visit (www.upstairsartspace.org).

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