Tags
acrylics, Art & Artists, artists discuss their work at Sontes, David Allen, dining in the art gallery, doodles, Fall/Winter Gallery Exhibition, fulcrum, gouache, inspiration, Jody Brown, Kathy Braud, local fare, Margy Balwierz, Sontes, tile-making, watercolor
Söntés is pleased to be a fulcrum for our region’s talented artists. The Söntés Fall/Winter Gallery Exhibition showcases an attractive mix of colors, styles, and mediums from eleven hand-chosen artists. This newest exhibition will run through April 1, 2015, and the art will move around as it is sold and the artists bring in new pieces, creating a fluidity of art and ambiance.
In their own words, artists David Allen, Margy Balwierz, and Kathy Braud discuss their work and what inspires them:
I have been a doodler all my life. I doodle while waiting for an appointment in class or in meetings. I constantly sketch the basic shapes we were instructed to draw as art students. Over the years these shapes have taken on a life of their own. They bend, melt, break apart, fracture and interject themselves into landscapes and rooms.
Several years ago I decided to use these doodles in my paintings and have been pleased with the results. They offer unlimited possibilities and are enjoyable to paint because they seem alive and organic to me.
I am inspired by the magic of reality, the endeavor of creativity acknowledges the magnificent vibrancy, beauty and complexity of existence… Each effort at tile-making is a gift of absorbed concentration and timelessness.
The unique quality of making one tile at a time feels right to me. Coarse red clay is rolled out and cut. I etch and compose a design to fit within the framework of a nearly dry cut tile shape after one day of drying. The cut may be freeform, shaped or with a randomly lopped off corner. Glazed, each layer of color is laid three coats thick between etch lines with very small paintbrushes. After the clay becomes bone dry, it is high fired to stoneware in an electric kiln. Another glazing and firing to a low temperature adds intensity to colors. The process stretches over three to six weeks.
For me, Art has been a lifelong journey of creativity… When I realized this medium could capture the essence of a mood, a memory or describe a pleasure, I fell in love with watercolor.
I like to create drama and boldness in my paintings by playing with light and shadows. I enjoy the serendipity of mixing paint on paper, rapid spreading of color, and the use of layering and texture. I am currently exploring a path of light theme with mostly representational art, and I enjoy experimenting with acrylics, watercolor and gouache (watermedia) to capture the advantages of each medium.
For more art and local fare inspiration, stop in to Söntés for lunch or dinner, and feel free to move about the restaurant and take in all of the exceptional artwork. Our dining room is truly never the same twice!
~ Söntés Guest Blogger Jody Brown is a writer, author, poet, and traveler.