August 2011

Rail Walk Studios & Gallery in Salisbury, NC, Features Family of Three Generations of Artist

The Rail Walk Studios & Gallery in Salisbury, NC, will present the exhibit, Art is Relative, Art by Three Generations of the Foster Family, on view from Aug. 6 - 27, 2011. A reception will be held on Aug, 13, from 2-4pm in conjunction with the Salisbury Spencer Second Saturday Gallery Walk.

When sisters Jane Foster Johnson and Marietta Foster Smith were preparing to meet with other Rail Walk artists to discuss the 2011 schedule of exhibits, they knew they didn’t have to look far to find a group of talented artists for an invitational show. Their own immediate family includes 12 artists spanning three generations. According to Smith they have been discussing the idea of a family exhibit for years and this seemed to be the perfect time and place.

“People have often asked if our parents were artists but we don’t remember either of them doing any visual art. I remember as a child watching my older brothers paint and draw and my sister and I entertaining ourselves by creating our own paper dolls and doing pencil drawings. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when many of our children and now grandchildren have turned to visual art as careers or serious hobbies. It just seems to be something that’s always been important in our lives,” says Marietta Foster Smith.

Artists in the exhibit include first generation siblings: Will Foster who will show examples of his wrought iron art and woodworking. He lives near Sauratown Mountain and is the blacksmith interpreter at Mabry Mill National Park. Peyton A Foster, architectural designer, will be showing acrylic paintings on canvas which are inspired by the natural beauty of the area surrounding his mountain home in Marion, NC. His wife, Carolyn Foster will be displaying hand-built pottery.

Jane Foster Johnson, who now works in her studio in Clemmons, NC, will be showing watercolors, and pastels inspired by nature. Marietta Foster Smith continues to work in her studio at Rail Walk Studios & Gallery and will be showing work from her series of oil paintings entitled “dreams and other childhood memories.” The exhibit will also include handmade knives by Steven Foster who works in metal. He lives by the Dan River in Westfield, NC.

Second generation artists include Alisa Burnette, full-time metal artist from the Asheville, NC, area whose metal creations are finely detailed steel accentuated with copper patinas and colorful papers suspended in resin to achieve a glass-like appearance. Her business is called Asheville Horizon. Forrest Foster, also full-time professional, works primarily in oil on canvas and will exhibit a series of paintings featuring trees and poetic skies. He works in his studio overlooking the mountains of Westfield, NC. Kelli Johnson of Spencer, NC, will feature lovely handmade quilting and baskets. Abbey Foster of Asheville will have samples of her 3-dimensional decorative collage. And, David Foster of Davie County, NC, will display his delicate and detailed miniature barns constructed with charm and precision using found objects.

Third generation artists include Jade Burnette, age 14, who has been creating metal art with his mother, Alisa, since he was eight. He will show samples of nature-inspired wall pieces and some weaponry. Ellie Smith, age 12, of Hood River, OR, will show her photographs which exhibit an unusual sense of perspective and an abstract sensibility.

Rail Walk Studios & Gallery is located in the historic Rail Walk Arts District in downtown Salisbury, NC. It is home to seven professional art studios and the Rowan Arts Council.

For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings, call Marietta Foster Smith at 704/431-8964 or visit (www.railwalkgallery.com).

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