April 2014

Tyler White O’Brien Gallery Offers Works by Jenny Fuller, Angela Nesbit and Frank Russell

Tyler White O’Brien Gallery in Greensboro, NC, will present Local Ties, featuring works by Jenny Fuller, Angela Nesbit and Frank Russell, on view from Apr. 26 through May 14, 2014. A reception will be held on Apr. 26, from 6-8pm.

Each of these artists has a special local connection to this home town we call Greensboro. Jenny Fuller grew up here and attended Grimsley High, then married her high school boyfriend before moving to Charlotte, NC. Angela Nesbit was born here. She attended Page High School, went to Chapel Hill for college and lived here for about 18 months after college before moving to Charlotte, NC in 1989. Nesbit comes back to Greensboro often to visit her mom who still lives here. Local artist, Frank Russell lives a stone’s throw away in Oak Ridge, NC. He has a growing reputation in Greensboro for unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Russell has conducted numerous workshops in local schools, introducing them to his fanciful sculptures and concept of re-using discarded materials in new ways. His ability to successfully relate to schoolchildren in a meaningful and inspiring way has led many schools to request his return year after year.

Jenny Fuller offers the following artist’s statement, “Painting is an attempt for me to understand the radiance, color, shadow and wonder that surrounds each of us in nature. Whether I am captivated by majestic trees, misty mountains or the vastness of the sea, it is the process of describing it in paint that truly fascinates me. Each time I try to interpret what I see onto a canvas, the process changes my basic understandings and I view the world differently.”

“There exists a feeling of expansiveness for me in the outdoor world. The expression of a horizon or a woodland path offers that same openness and sense of possibility for the viewer to move off the canvas and into their own world.”

“I began painting with Andy Braitman of Braitman Studios in 2003 because I was drawn to learn how to create beauty instead of observing it,” adds Fuller. “I have attended workshops with Cape Cod artists Cedric and Joanette Egeli, Durkin, Stephen Early and travelled and painted in Brantome, France, with Connie Winters.”

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Fuller lives in Charlotte with her husband Bill and their three sons.

Angela Nesbit effortlessly captures light, movement, and texture. Recognized for her portraits of children in motion and her unique style, she uses a palette knife to build energetic layers of paint on top of a heavily underpainted canvas. Her subjects often walk a fine line between abstraction and reality. Settled amid thick layers of paint, her simple subjects wander softly in and out of the background.

Chosen by the Charlotte Symphony for the 2008 Spirit of the Symphony Award, “Dancing Girls” showcases Nesbit’s unique ability to use light, texture and movement to capture a moment as if frozen in time. Angela’s captivating paintings are sought after throughout the Southeast and will no doubt continue to receive acclaim.

Although most of Nesbit’s time is devoted to painting, there has been an enthusiastic demand for her to teach workshops throughout the Southeast. Her passion for teaching shines brightly as she demonstrates her energetic style of painting with palette knife in hand.

Nesbit received a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and studied classical drawing and painting at Queens University and Spirit Square Center for the Arts in Charlotte, NC. She has studied intensively with Andy Braitman of Charlotte for 10 years. She has also studied with many nationally recognized artists such as Cedric and Joanette Egeli, William Schultz, Jove Wang, Camille Przewodek, Peggi Kroll-Roberts and Ken Auster. Nesbit is committed to further development and carefully selects artists she admires to study under each year.

Nesbit lives in Charlotte with her very supportive husband and their two forever-inspiring children.

Frank Russell is a well-rounded artist who has gained international attention, especially for his “found objects” pieces. Many of these pieces are related to sea life. He can take old violin parts, guitar tuning pegs, fruitcake tins, bicycle horns, you-name-it and turn them into sea turtles, lobsters, and sharks faster than you can get them in the recycling bin! We seem to remember Russell commenting that, frequently, people drive by his house and leave scraps on his porch for him to transform! And transform, he does. Hats off to Russell for his creativity!

What a wonder for us to see such creativity and learn about recycling, upcycling, repurposing and turning it into fine art.

Russell says, “I see all life as a collage of found objects: experiences, ideas, desires, acquired skills. Are not all relationships: significant, personal, casual or professional, whatever, simply ‘found’ or discovered as we move through this world? Are they not transformed by our decisions to collect or contemplate or care for them? I feel that nothing is wasted in awakened love’s economy.”

Tyler White O’Brien Gallery offers residential and corporate fine art consulting services. We will outline a personalized budget plan for your specific needs. We also offer art research, presentation and installation services. Whether you are an avid art collector or a first time purchaser, Tyler White O’Brien Art Gallery will guide you every step of the way. We will meet with clients at their office, home, or in our art gallery for a private art presentation. We encourage our clients to take pieces out for consideration to see how it fits into their environment. We want you to enjoy your surroundings and love the art you purchase!

The Gallery hosts eight gallery shows a year featuring our local, regional and national artists. We also offer Lunch & Learn Demos and workshops.

For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings, call Kathy O’Brien at 336/279-1124 or visit (www.tylerwhitegallery.com).

[ | April 2014 | Feature Articles | Download Carolina Arts' Current Issue | Carolina Arts Unleashed | Home | ]