May 2013

Hillsborough Gallery of Arts in Hillsborough, NC, Features Works by Nell Chandler, Ali Givens, Eric Saunders, and Lynn Wartski

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts in Hillsborough, NC, will present Whimsical Nature, an exhibit which speaks to the playfulness and natural themes that can be encountered in the work of Hillsborough Gallery artists Nell Chandler, Ali Givens, Eric Saunders, and Lynn Wartski, on view from May 31 through June 23, 2013. A reception will be held on May 31, from 6-9pm.

Each of these artist introduces a sense of play through innovation and experimentation within four very different art forms - jewelry, fiber art, photography and sculpture.

Nell Chandler creates the pictorial elements of her silver jewelry in several novel ways. Some are etched, sawed out and filled with colored resin. Other works are miniature acrylic paintings sealed in clear resin, or drawings on shrink film set in a sterling bezel. For this show Chandler is using black and white to explore her curiosity about the opposites in our lives. Words and pictures - or hints of them, are etched on a brass plate, the impression captured in polymer clay, and highlighted with the contrasting color.

When Ali Givens travels, she is constantly looking for ways to convey what she sees within her fabric art. Viewers may discover her interpretation of mountains in China, or the intensity of Costa Rica’s foliage. Inspiration can come by the way other artists have broken things down into lines and shapes. Givens likes to further simplify things into brightly colored shapes, and create fun new compositions. Working with batiks, the patterns in these fabrics created by other hands, feel alive and vibrant to Givens. The energy in these patterns often emerges as new forms in her quilts. She creates art quilts that celebrate color. Layering fabrics and threads, the end result is sometimes a surprise for both artist and viewer.

Eric Saunders’ subject matter is outdoor landscapes - both natural and urban. He utilizes both color and black and white photography. Sometimes he experiments with other subjects like architecture and artifacts, and the digital manipulation of his images. There is no particular story line to his work. Saunders tries to communicate the beauty of abstract art, and the whimsy or intrigue of transient moments in nature and life.

Lynn Wartski’s sculpture incorporates unexpected and wildly varied materials in representational forms that possess a playful steampunk style. Recent concentration on figure pieces and a themed group show based on the wonders of childhood, lead her to a truly whimsical combination - figure sculpture turned art doll. Intrigued by the vast array of possibilities, Wartski’s sketchbook soon was populated with fantastical inhabitants. These sketches have now been rendered three dimensionally in surprising combinations of materials. Torch-fired enamel-clad copper nails form eyes that peer from hammered copper faces. Dolls dressed in rich textiles, hardware, leather, and metal sit quietly lacing a shoe, swing from a trapeze, or atop an antique bicycle.

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (HGA) is an art gallery owned and operated by 22 local artists. HGA represents established artists accomplished in their fields exhibiting modern and contemporary fine art and fine craft. Represented media include painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, fiber, jewelry, glass, metal, enamel, watercolor, and wood.

For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 919/732-5001 or visit (www.hillsboroughgallery.com).

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