A Visual Taste of the Fruits of Summer Opens July 26th at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts

June 30, 2011 - PRLog -- The rich and colourful flora of Costa Rica and the backyard gardens of home inspired the theme of a new show – Fruits of Summer - at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, featuring work by Marcy Lansman, Katherine Nelson and Lynn Wartski.  The three artists each work in different media – fiber arts, painting and copper sculpture – and each has a different take on the show’s theme.

Painter and watercolorist Marcy Lansman travelled to Costa Rica in January to photograph the flowers and foliage of the tropical landscape so that she could paint from the images she brought back. “Lately I've been working more in acrylics,” says Lansman, “and acrylics seem appropriate for the wildly colorful Costa Rican flowers and foliage I saw.  I'm an enthusiastic gardener, so it’s natural to paint what I know.  I've also painted animals, birds, portraits, and a few landscapes, but I keep going back to flowers. What particularly grab me are the lights and shadows that are created by sunlight on flowers,” Lansman adds. “As I've learned to paint, I've observed that my paintings feature vivid color. They express exuberance, which is interesting because I'm a reserved person. It's as though there's an exuberance in me that can only express itself through my art.”

Katherine Nelson says she grew up among “needle women,” and that’s why she quilts. “Observing nature in all its seasons inspires me to play with color and form,” Nelson says. She notes that Lansman’s trip to Costa Rica gave her the urge to quilt an iguana. “But the animal looks quite fruity,” Nelson quips.  “The way I use color is outrageous; I bathe in it,” Nelson says. “And there will be plenty of fruits in my quilting and needlepoint for this show.”

Lynn Wartski describes her metalwork as “steampunk botanicals.”  “I've been playing with a mix of materials and techniques to create pieces that meld the natural and the mechanical in interesting and surprising ways,” Wartski explains.  “Most often my inspiration comes from my own garden. I take reference photos and enjoy sketching.  My pieces first come to life in my sketchbook and I think through much of the construction process while I’m drawing. I think it’s appropriate that my main medium is copper,” Wartski adds. “Coppersmiths are traditionally referred to as "tinkers."  I love to experiment and play with materials and challenge myself in creating my sculptures.”

An opening reception for “Fruits of Summer” will be held at the Hillsborough Gallery on Friday, July 29th from 6-9 p.m.

The Hillsborough Gallery of Art is located in the Mercantile Building at 121 North Churton Street, in Hillsborough, NC.  For more information, visit the gallery website at www.hillsboroughgallery.com.

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Artist owned and operated. Featuring fine arts and crafts, including paintings, sculpture, photography, pottery, turned wood, glass art, fiber arts, jewelry and handcrafted furniture. The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is located at 121 N. Churton Street, Hillsborough. Open 11-6 M-S, 1-4 Sun