Artists in Metal, Glass and Paint Think Out-of-the-Box in Hillsborough Gallery of Arts’ Poss

Aug. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Hillsborough, NC – Fused glass artist Susan Hope, metal sculptor Renee Leverty, and painter Michele Yellin share a love of nature and a belief that creative work often takes a different path in the making than what they might have envisioned in the beginning. Their show opens August 27th at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts.

Susan Hope, who works and paints with fused glass says, “Possibilities became the name of our show when we all realized we had no idea what direction our inspiration would take us, individually or collectively, and that the creative possibilities are endless.”  Hope works primarily with glass, though she says her greatest joy is illustrating and capturing moments in time in a drawing or painting. “So I have combined the two,” Hope says. “Glass, though it seems static, is a fluid medium to work with. Producing deep cast glass pieces by layering in drawings creates a multidimensional illusion. Watching the mood and aura of the glass landscape change as the light changes throughout the day is like watching a movie. It’s just magical.”  Hope says her work always gravitates toward landscape, no matter where she begins. “A sunset, a stream, the moon: Sometimes I feel almost desperate to capture the moment,” she says. “It will change and never be the same, or I will forget. I don’t want to forget, and I don’t want my children to forget that the world is full of beauty.”

In thinking about the show’s title, painter Michele Yellin says she realized that the way she paints is truly about possibilities. “First, I texture the canvas and then add color in a random way, or I will paint some text that I find interesting or inspirational,” Yellin explains.  “After that layer is dry, I stand back and look at the canvas for anything that wants to be defined.  This is a lot like cloud watching.  I don’t try to solve the whole painting at once.  I add elements one at a time, one leading to the next.  Sometimes the whole painting comes together easily.  Other times, elements are painted over, allowing for something else to come forward.  The result is a textured colorful painting that tells a story.”

Metal sculptor Renee Leverty says the show’s theme, for her, has to do with being open, not knowing, and trusting the process. “I like telling stories through the sculptural form,” Leverty says. “My over-arching theme is one of connections. In my work, I like to show how we are connected to each other, to nature, to a greater community, and ultimately, to ourselves.” Leverty works mostly from steel or brass.  “I use welding, or cast mold-making to create my sculptures,” she says. “For the welded pieces, I think of my work as quilting the metal together to create something whole.”  Leverty says she also enjoys the technical aspects of creating the work. “I am constantly solving a puzzle of, for example, how to create lightness with a heavy metal, or how to connect the sculpture to its base so it flows together. I’m happy when my work resonates with someone, motives them or makes them curious.  I want my art to help people see the possibilities in front of them.”

An opening reception for Possibilities will be held at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts on Friday, August 31st from 6-9 p.m. The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts 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.  

About The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts:
An art gallery owned and operated by 22 local artists, the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts represents established artists exhibiting contemporary fine art and fine craft. The gallery’s offerings include painting, sculpture, ceramics, mosaics, photography, fiber, jewelry, glass, metal, encaustic, enamel, watercolor, and wood.