April 2014

Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC, Offers Works by Kyle Keeler and John Nelson

Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC, will present Keeler + Nelson, featuring works in glass by Kyle Keeler and paintings by John Nelson, on view in the FW Front Gallery, from Apr. 1 - 29, 2014. A reception will be held on Apr. 4, from 5-7pm.

Kyle Keeler has been working with glass since 2001. He moved from Colorado to the Appalachian Mountains in 2007 and became further inspired by Asheville’s unique, artistic community. As he continues to deepen his understanding of the complexity of glass, he has begun to explore the relationship glass can have with other materials.

Each piece is individually hand blown using a torch that burns in excess of 2500 degrees Fahrenheit, using a gas mixture of propane and oxygen. Upon completion the piece is placed into a kiln to anneal at 1050 degrees overnight. All glass color is made from metals and minerals from the earth so there are no paints, dyes, or glazes. These elements combined with silica sand create each color. Every color reacts differently to the slightest variance in temperature, so working with color is a delicate process. Borosilicate glass is the same glass formula as Pyrex glass, so it is a very strong material and made to last.

Cleveland-born, Sarasota-raised, professional guitarist and custom framer, John Nelson also moved to Asheville in 2007, trading hot days in the Florida sun and late nights with the band for cool, creative nights in his mountain home studio. Besides earning him a living for his family, framing design gave Nelson an outlet for his right-brain tendencies. But his fascination with textures, color relationships, the use of positive and negative space and the use of art as a catalyst for emotional response drove him to create his own art as well.

“My paintings employ design to generate tension, and I use color for a release of that tension. I enjoy watching the art reveal itself layer after layer using newly discovered techniques while eliminating subject matter. Having no formal training, I can create in a manner that knows no bounds.”

For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 828/254-9234 or visit (www.woolworthwalk.com).

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