April 2013

Arts Council of Wilson in Wilson, NC, Offers Exhibits by New Bern Artists and Wilson Artists

The Arts Council of Wilson in Wilson, NC, is presenting two exhibits in April in the Annie D. Boykin Gallery of the Wilson Arts Center, including: Uncommon Ground: Seven New Bern Artists, featuring works by Jill Eberle, Gary Gowans, Robert Hennon, Ed Macomber, Andreé Richmond, Elizabeth Spencer, and Joyce Stratton, on view through Apr. 13, 2013, and WILSON: Inside and Out, featuring works by the artists of Studio One, on view from Apr. 25 through June 8, 2013.

The artists in the exhibit, Uncommon Ground: Seven New Bern Artists, chose a primary meeting point at a local artist’s materials store in New Bern, NC, owned by a member of the group, Ed Macomber. As they bonded, several of the “regulars” formed a group they called the “New Bern Realists”. They represented a serious group of artists who desired to share common interests and ideas. This unique exhibition is made up of some of this original group, with several others who were “juried” into the show by their peers. Each artist met the requisite of being professional, and local to the lovely eastern North Carolina town of New Bern.

Jill Eberle is an oil painter who is inspired by relationships with family and friends and their interactions. For her still-life paintings, she searches for objects with interesting shapes and colors that evoke a memory. She maintains a studio in New Bern while teaching art at East Carolina University.

Gary Gowens, an international award-winning artist, is also an oil painter. He is known for his landscapes and marine subjects, and has become a Signature member of the Marine Painter’s Association.

Robert Hennon has a fascination with light passing through glass, which is evident in his paintings. His work is a conscious effort at painterly-realism and is reminiscent of the pop art tradition. His still life paintings become portraits of commonplace, familiar objects.

Watercolors are a popular medium and Ed Macomber pushes them to the maximum. Brightness, color and full-value range make his paintings winners of many juried awards and the centerpiece of private collections. He teaches both privately and through Craven Community College.

Andreé Richmond has the ability to create human- like ceramic animals. Her whimsical creatures will delight art lovers of all ages. Her artist statement says “Technology and the current economic system move us at breakneck speed separating us from our natural rhythms, wooing us onto wheels to travel too fast to nourish our soul and sense of humor. My work is about my struggle for balance.”

Artist Elizabeth Spencer uses feelings and emotions from her life to create functional and non-functional wooden sculptures. She uses pieces from stories and experiences of people and places to form her sculptures, which have a contemporary take on the Baroque styles.

Joyce Stratton’s paintings begin with a word or phrase to give her a general idea of the direction she will follow. Her finished works are a combination of gesso, acrylic, collage elements, oil pastel, graphite and ink on wood panels.

In 2005, six artists joined forces and formed Studio One, Wilson’s first art co-operative. Since then their numbers have grown to seventeen resident artists and sixteen associate artists. This artistic endeavor has grown into a major force in Wilson’s art community, offering studio space for working artists, classrooms for art lessons and galleries for showcasing their work and other local art.

The Arts Council of Wilson is thrilled to host Studio One’s exhibit WILSON: Inside and Out. It is sure to be an outstanding show with images, impressions and interpretations of everyday life in Wilson. Viewers will be delighted by the artist’s artistic interpretations of familiar landmarks, people and places of interest that all play a role in making Wilson such a unique and wonderful place to live.

Studio One’s resident artists include: Lisa Branch, Sherrie Bridgers, Cathy Cleary, Elisabeth Cohen, Penny Davis, Susan Fecho, Susan Harris, Alison Hesmer, Susann Hood, Oona Lewis, Dwight Mitchell, Pat Montgomery, Deenie Purinai, Jo Rhodes, Pegi Sharp, Carol Wikfors and Jane Williford.

Studio One’s associate artists include: Kim Benton, Bobby Boykin, Sallie Brown, Agnes Cherry, Sharon Dildy, Mary Alice Dunn, Becky Gibbons, Janie Hinnant, Leona Hoover, Guilford Leggett , Kit Lewis, Harriett Page, Elaine Surtees, Pat Taylor, Brenda White and Dot Windham.

This group of talented and popular artists is sure to make this a memorable exhibit, showcasing everything from landscapes and landmarks to barbecue and hotdogs. We can’t wait to see how they interpret life in Wilson “inside and out” through many different mediums!

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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