August 2013

West Main Artists Co-op in Spartanburg, SC, Offers 2nd Annual Artist Invitational

The West Main Artist Cooperative in Spartanburg, SC, is hosting their second annual Artist Invitational, on view from Aug. 15 through Sept. 14, 2013. A reception will be held on Aug. 15, from 5-9pm, in conjunction with the Spartanburg monthly Art Walk.

Artists participating in the invitational are Allio, Bailie, Jessica Barnes, Lane Brown, Linda Caprocotta, Claire Farrell, Isabel Forbes, Parson Fox, Ann Gleason, Amy Goldstein-Rice, Amy Holbein, Tish Lowe, Kat McIver, Kathleen Moore, Rene Muhl, Gloria Ross, Christa Roberts, Taylor Robinson, Bill Sayer, and Lalage Warrington. A broad spectrum of media will be displayed including paintings, ceramics, mixed media, printmaking, and sculpture.

This year’s invitational has a figurative theme and artists were selected based on their expertise of using the human figure. West Main Artist Co-op members submitted names of artists who they felt were most creative in their exploration of the human form. Several of the artists exhibiting are participants in the figure drawing session which is held monthly at the Co-op and many of their exhibited works are painting and drawing studies of the model.

Isabel Forbes, Lane Brown, and Jessica Barnes, will be exhibiting work from the Co-op’s model sessions. Amy Goldstein Rice, Ann Gleason, and Kat McIver will exhibit their narrative ceramic sculptures along with sculptors Lalage Warrington and Gloria Ross.

Though most of the exhibiting artists live in the Spartanburg area, Rene Muhl, a figurative sculptor, resides in Fort Worth, TX. Muhl is a native Texan who served in the United States Air Force after graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in Drawing and Painting She retired as an Air Force Colonel and then returned to school to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture. Muhl’s work, addresses imagery that connects us as human beings to each other and the environment.

“Rene creates contemporary figurative work that is outstanding and thought provoking. I felt her work would add more variety in the show,” says Howard Solomon who selected Muhl for the exhibition and served with her in the Air Force.

Part of the Co-op’s mission is to provide exhibition opportunities to emerging artists along with professionals. Lane Brown, a recent USC Upstate graduate, and Christa Roberts, a Converse College studio art major, will be exhibiting their works along with artists with long established careers. This enables the invitational to be unique and offer a variety of styles and media.

WMAC is funded in part by the Art Partnership and the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings or call the Co-op at 864/804-6501.

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