Art Gets Squared At The Hillsborough Gallery Of Arts

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - Jan. 17, 2014 - PRLog -- The first two shows each year are "group shows" at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts. And every year the 22 members of the Gallery come up with new themes. "TWENTY TWO SQUARED" is the first show of 2014. Their work ranges from paintings in oil, watercolor and acrylic, to photography, mixed media, fabric, glass, clay, metal, wood and jewelry. Every artist had to create something square. For some artists, like painters and photographers, creating square pieces is quite normal. For others, not so much. The assignment created quite a challenge for glass blower Pringle Teetor.

"When blowing glass, it's a bit like blowing bubble gum. It tends to want to be somewhat round. With the subject matter as ‘square,’ I had to manipulate the glass to be a square. Instead of using my wet newspaper pad to round out the shape of a piece, I used it to flatten the sides as I blew the glass into a square. The neck of the piece would also be round but instead I squared it up, offsetting it from the squared body. I left a pointed bottom so the piece would sit at an angle and not flat on it's bottom."

Squared was also a challenge for metal artist, Lynn Wartski. "I began with thinking about what a square is from a 3D perspective... It's a box or a cube if you're going to make all sides square. So, I decided to first create a box. Next, I considered all the things we use boxes for: to store, safeguard, ship, carry, hide, etc. I decided that my box would be the type that protects, and maybe hides just a bit as well, so I made an art glass front that appears locked, and only gives an obscured glimpse within. At first I was going to put one of my dolls inside the box, and played with the ideas of fairytale clichés, but didn't quite like how cramped she appeared. Instead, I went with the ‘Steampunk’ feel I had worked into the glass front, and played with the idea of clockworks, our biological pacemaker, and the now obsolete vocation of the Clock Keeper, which is also the title of the piece."

The results of the Gallery members work will be on display from January 27^th to February 23^rd, in this first group show of the new year. The opening reception for the show will be held on Friday, January 31^st  from 6-9pm during Hillsborough’s Last Friday Art Walk.

         About The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts

Founded in 2006, the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (HGA) is owned and operated by 22 local artists. HGA represents established artists, accomplished in their fields, exhibiting modern and contemporary fine art and fine craft. Represented media include painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, fiber, jewelry, glass, metal, mosaics, enamel and wood.