July Issue 2001
Summer House Gallery in Highlands, NC, Features 3rd Installment in Summer Series
July 14 marks the opening of the third exhibition
in the A Painter and a Craftsman Series at The Summer House
Gallery in Highlands, NC. The featured painter for this exhibition
is Carl Blair of Greenville SC. The craftsmen being featured are
Tom Lockart and Mark Woodham of One Eared Cow Glass, in Columbia,
SC. The exhibit will continue through Aug. 8.
Carl Blair moved to SC after graduating from the University of
Kansas and the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design
to become a faculty member of Bob Jones University and the Greenville
County Museum of Art School in 1956-57. Since then he has exhibited
at the SC State Museum, the Columbia Museum of Art, the High Museum,
the McKissick Museum, Clemson University, the Greenville County
Museum of Art, the Ringling Museum of Art, Mint Museum of Art,
La Revue Modern (Paris, France), Montgomery Museum of Art, Asheville
Art Museum, Palazzo Venesia Museum (Rome, Italy), Las Vegas Art
Museum, Bob Jones University, and the Morris Museum of Art. His
works are included in over 2,500 permanent collections of many
of these museums, private, corporate, and public collections.
Blair has also exhibited with Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte,
NC; Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC; and other galleries and museums
across the country including, New Mexico, New York, Virginia,
Alabama, and South Carolina. Blair was appointed to the South
Carolina Arts Commission in 1987 and served for 11 years. In Sept.,
2001, Blair will have a one-man exhibition at the Columbia Museum
of Art, Columbia, SC, featuring monotypes, paintings, and works
on paper; as well as landscapes based on the grid.
It has been said of Blair that he is a lyrical poet among present day artists. And that he is a most sensitive draftsman and colorist and always manages to express a range of feeling and a depth of thought. "His paintings embody a personal expression which acceptably uses nature as its point of departure. In a sense, it is an individual romantic and poetic statement" said the late John Richard Craft, Columbia Museum of Art.
It's hard to understand how Blair is able to create such a dynamic visual statement with subtle nuances given his unusual handicap. He is color blind. He does explain that he is able to sense the warmth or coolness of a given color, and how light or dark that color might be. Colors aren't names, they're warm or cool; light is warm, dark is cool, he says.
Blair will be bringing his fabulous landscapes to The Summer House Gallery for his first exhibition in this part of North Carolina. Most of his recent works are alla prima (painted in one setting). They are based on his years of observation of the vitality of the forces found in nature. He considers his work "visual poetry", it is his statement about nature, both romantic and classic, showing the aura which surrounds it and emphasizing the formal principles of art -balance, rhythm, repetition, contrast, harmony, unity, variety, order, discipline, and freedom.
The craftsmen being featured during this exhibition are Tom Lockart and Mark Woodham of One Eared Cow Glass in Columbia, SC. The two artists are returning to The Summer House Gallery after a very successful first exhibition last year. Lockart and Woodham work together in a choreographic manner to create blown glass "objets d'art". Their current work, "The Emtripitus Series" is one of continual growth for these artists. Emtripitus is more of a feeling from the two than a definitive word; it is the result of two earlier series, the Mod and Trod series.
Working as "one brain" they have been able to transform their ideas into a body of work that is as challenging as it is satisfying for them to create. Developing and mastering techniques that can initially be frustrating is the basis of much of their work. "As in our everyday work we strive to create unique and refreshing glass that often has very little glass-like qualities." says Woodham. Continuing he says, "In a sense "The Emtripitus Series" has grown and matured just as we have as artists. The main drive behind the continued development of this series is the challenge it offers."
One Eared Cow Glass is collected across the country, with 50% of their work being commissioned. When time allows, these artists enjoy stretching their imaginations by creating light fixtures and sculptures. In this process they are able to combine their interest in metal work with their glass to create unique works of art.
For further information check our NC Commercial
Gallery listings or call the gallery at 828/526-0028, or e-mail
to (shgallery@smnet.net).
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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