Doug McCoy’s Exhibit “Myth of Man” for September
Doug McCoy will exhibit a collection of his new acrylic paintings and ink drawings, Myth of Man during September at In-Town Gallery as this month’s featured artist on the front wall. His dramatic detailed pieces invite the viewer to look closer and celebrate creativity and imagination. An opening reception will be held on the First Friday, September 2 from 5-8 pm at the In-Town Gallery.
“The Myth of Man exhibition is simply about my love of ink and creating interesting art. As a child my imagination was a constant companion and I have strived to maintain it through the years. The dramatic nature of the work is intended to provoke a smile or contemplation on the subject while inviting the viewer to look as close as possible,” says McCoy.
At the age of two when Doug first picked up a pencil he discovered his lifelong companion, art. His current exhibition celebrates that relationship with dramatic pieces that are whimsical or provocative depending on the interpretation of the viewer. Layering ink on thin acrylic glazes he creates a flat surface while giving the illusion of depth and texture. ” I strive to create original images that resonate with the viewer on a deeper level”, he explained. The structure and subtext of the paintings invite the viewer to ponder more than can be immediately seen.
After graduating from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Doug has exhibited award winning art in numerous shows and galleries. Since joining the In-Town in 2008 Doug’s work has sold to private collectors throughout the Southeast.
In-Town Gallery is located at 26A Frazier Avenue in the North Shore area of Chattanooga between the Market and Walnut Street bridges adjacent to Coolidge Park. It is one of the oldest cooperative galleries in the nation and offers a variety of services including gift certificates, bridal and gift registries, and layaway. The gallery is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday, from 1:00 to 5:00 on Sundays, and until 8:00 pm on most First Fridays. Call 423-267-9214 for more information, or visit the website, www.intowngallery.com or www.facebook.com/intowngallery .
Two themed exhibits by the realist painter Chuck Frye are featured at In-Town Gallery during the month of July. “Chasing The Light,” a series of luminous landscapes greets the visitor upon entering the gallery. The atmosphere changes as one moves deeper into the room where Raining Cats and Dogs, takes an affectionate look at some of our best friends. On First Friday, July 2, the artist invites the public to an opening reception from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the gallery.
Working from his home-based studio in Ringgold, Georgia, Chuck enjoys the challenge of artistically capturing a moment in time, the sidelong glance of a dog or a shaft of sunlight. Chasing the Light is a selection of paintings that shows us how light can dramatically impact natural scenes. The artist tells us that he “focused primarily on painting morning and evening light.” Raining Cats and Dogs is a collection of small paintings that are big on feeling. The artist will set aside a portion of the proceeds from sales for the Humane Society. When asked about his artistic goals the humble artist said simply, “To be satisfied with my work.”
A graduate of the University of Georgia where he studied drawing and painting under Lamar Dodd, Chuck Frye never stopped studying. The world is his classroom. He says that he is inspired by artwork “…from the Impressionists to the modern artists,” but when it comes to choosing a subject he is usually drawn either to nature or to historical subjects. with quite a few of his images focusing on water. He has been exhibiting with other regional studio professionals at the In-Town Gallery for the past 4 years an is a favorite among local collectors.
In-Town Gallery is located at 26A Frazier Avenue in the North Shore area of Chattanooga between the Market and Walnut Street bridges adjacent to Coolidge Park. It is one of the oldest cooperative galleries in the nation and offers a variety of services including gift certificates, bridal and gift registries, and layaway. The gallery is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday, from 1:00 to 5:00 on Sundays, and until 8:00 pm on most First Fridays. Call 423-267-9214 for more information, or visit the website: www.intowngallery.com
May Exhibit is “A Breath of Fresh Art”
In-Town Gallery’s Featured Exhibit for May is “A Breath of Fresh Art”
In Town Gallery is pleased to present “A Breath of Fresh Art,” The gallery is continually seeking the best visual art talent that the area has to offer, and they are pleased to introduce Helen Brooks, acrylic painting; Sheila Fulghum, pottery; Jennie Kirkpatrick, painting; and Linda Thomas, intaglio etching. These four local artists were recently accepted, through a stringent jurying process, into the gallery’s fold. The public is invited to celebrate our growing art community at a special open house and reception, held only twice a year, where the gallery is entirely refreshed with new work. A reception will be held as part of the North Shore First Friday events on May 7 from 5:00 pm to 8 pm in the gallery.
Vibrant colors and strong patterns make a bold and cohesive statement in the acrylic/mixed media pieces of Helen Brooks. The atmosphere may change from bright and sunny to a rich, deep moodiness. Like music, each piece has its own sense of rhythm.
Sheila Fulghum devotes her energy on complex hand-built ceramic techniques and mixing just the right glaze to match the right pot. She describes her work as ‘experimental’ and says “I love not knowing, until the last fire, what I will get from my labors.”
Jeannie Kirkpatrick’s figurative watercolors showcase only a portion of her varied talents. Jeannie is a skilled mural artist, teacher, and businesswoman whose work has been exhibited throughout the South. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in drawing and printmaking, but he current work focuses on water media.
Intaglio etchings by Linda Thomas round out the featured art for May. Intaglio is an original printmaking form where the art is cut into the surface of a metal “plate” with the help of chemicals. After creating the image in metal, the artist rubs ink into the lines and uses a press to print onto paper. Each piece in the edition is an original. Linda’s work shows a mastery of technique as well as a sophisticated approach to her subject matter. She studied at UT Knoxville and holds a degree in Art Education and Fine Art.
In-Town Gallery is located on the “Hip to Historical” North Shore, at 26A Frazier Avenue, between the Market Street and Walnut Street bridges, adjacent to Coolidge Park. It is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday, from 1:00 to 5:00 on Sundays, and until 8:00 pm on most First Fridays. Call 423-267-9214 for more information, or visit the website: www.intowngallery.com.
In-Town Presents Steel Sculpture Artist Julie Clark
The Steel Sculpture of Julie Clark is The Featured Exhibit
At In-Town Galery For March 2010
In-Town Gallery is pleased to present “Explorations in Steel” an exhibition featuring Asian-influenced sculptural wall hangings by member-artist Julie Clark. There will be a First Friday Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. on March 5, and the exhibit will be featured for the entire month of March. The gallery is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 11 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
Julie credits a creatively nurturing upbringing for her non-traditional career and artistic pursuits. Reared on a farm with three older brothers, she had the freedom to learn and explore the use of tools that many young girls are never exposed to. Equally at home in the studio with a mig welder or in the kitchen with a cast iron skillet, Julie developed a unique perspective for beauty and function that includes a refreshing sense of visual humor. One wouldn’t expect any less from a gal whose blacksmithing career started out with shoeing horses. Her garden blooms with the whimsy of sculptured flowers, metal roosters, and the delicate fluidity of steel tables, but it is this new work that shows the sophistication of design this lady of limitless talents is capable of.
In addition to a degree in Welding and Joining Technology from Northwestern Technical College (Rock Springs, Georgia) Ms. Clark has amassed a list of mentors that reads like the Who’s Who of Contemporary Metal Smiths. Julie now feels that it’s her turn share that knowledge. She says “I teach at the (John C. Campbell) folk school and out of my shop. When I am around someone who is new to metal working, it inspires me because seeing the joy in their learning makes me love what I do. There are tons of techniques, tons of methods, and lots of fun equipment to learn to use. I love heat. I love sparks, and I love sharing it with others who may be interested in getting started.”
There is no shortage of inspiration around Julie. Even her studio on Lookout Mountain is a work of art. The post and beam/timber frame structure was designed by friend and architect, Taylor Bowers, and built by Julie and her husband, Bruz. “We did all the work. It is a fabulous space. A metal working shop needs to be laid out in a way that makes working easy and movement fluid. My shop is perfectly laid out. One thing I work on, however, is not accumulating equipment that I don’t use. I cannot function in clutter, and a shop has a tendency to get filled to the brim. I am really skilled in keeping my shop organized and clean.”
For more information about Julie Clark and the work of other regional artists, call 423-267-9214 or visit the website: www.intowngallery.com. There you will find links to Julie’s and other member-artists’ web pages. In Town Gallery is one of the oldest cooperative galleries in the nation. Located at 26A Frazier Avenue, between the Market Street and Walnut Street bridges, adjacent to Coolidge Park., the gallery is open seven days a week.
All Around the Block Food Drive, In-Town Gallery
“All Around the Block” A Themed Exhibit
SHOWERS by Chuck Frye
“All Around the Block” is a community-inspired exhibit of small works created by In-Town Gallery’s regional artists. The artists’ personal interpretations of the theme bring to life a kaleidoscope of 6 x 6 inch arrangements that greet the visitor at the front wall of the gallery. It has been said that learning how to create art is really learning how to see. The artists expanded on the show’s theme by seeing a need and designating the artists’ reception in January as a food drive for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. The reception will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday January 8, and art patrons are encouraged to bring cans of food to the gallery or make a cash/check contribution to the donation box. Each dollar donated will provide at least one pound of food for those in need.
“In the spirit of community, we want to give back to the community that has been our support for over 35 years,” stated gallery president Gay Arthur. The current economic times have put pressure on our local food banks and donations tend to slow down after the holidays. In addition to non-perishable goods, several of the gallery artists have designated a portion of their sales for the “All Around the Block” food drive. The Chattanooga Area Food Bank will have donation barrels at the gallery for anyone wanting to make a non-perishable food donation or monetary contribution.
In-Town Gallery’s artists are a collective of painters, potters, printmakers, glass, metal, jewelry, and woodworking artists, all from the greater Chattanooga region. They have successfully worked together to create one of the oldest cooperative galleries in the United States. In addition to featuring one of their own artist/members on the front wall of the gallery each month, the artists occasionally do themed shows, and twice a year they completely transform the space, removing all work and bringing in a fresh collection of art.
Each artist works for the gallery and brings other talents besides their obvious creative ones into play. Stop by any time and you will be welcomed by two of the members. A stringent jurying process assures that the gallery attracts quality award-winning talent. Working together at the gallery to master the business of art as well as the creation of it, cements the alliance of its members. From sweeping the floors to maintaining a web page and everything in between, these studio artists are truly owners and business professionals. They are justifiably proud of their position in the vibrant North Shore Community of businesses that line Frazier Avenue. It is that sense of community that inspired the “All Around the Block” theme.
This special event will be on display through January at In-Town Gallery. Located between the Market Street and Walnut Street bridges at 26A Frazier Avenue, adjacent to Coolidge Park, it is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday and until 8:00 pm on most First Fridays. Call 423-267-9214 for information, or visit the website: www.intowngallery.com
Janis Wilkey is In-Town’s February 2010′s Featured Artist
In-Town Gallery is pleased to present “Watershed: Prime Elements” an exhibition of oil paintings focusing on one of our region’s ecological treasures, the South Cumberland Plateau. Janice Wilkey’s traditional, representative work sparkles with light, and brings nature indoors with scenes of water, boulders, rock formations and plant life. A meet-the-artist reception will be held at the gallery February 5, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm as part of The North Shore Neighborhood’s First Friday events. The artist will be donating a portion of the proceeds from sales at this exhibit to the Friends of the South Cumberland State Recreation Area.
In addition to oil painting, Wilkey is known locally for her murals and decorative painting, having studied trompe l’oeil and decorative painting at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. She also studied drawing and painting at Chattanooga State. In 2003 she set her sights on the serious study of fine art with the goal of creating museum-quality work in oils. She sought out master artist Daud Akhriev to help her hone her skills, studying with him both locally and in Italy. The work on exhibit at In-Town Gallery is representative of the culmination of that journey. “I love working with beautiful colors and harmonious patterns, with concentrating my mind and energy on the underlying architecture of nature.
Wilkey continues to enjoy the challenge of working with individuals to create decorative work, portraits, and murals. While her quiet and secluded studio offers refuge and a modest space to work on contemplative pieces, she finds working on location pleasantly interesting “because of the reaction of onlookers to whatever I am doing.”
Janice Wilkey’s exhibit will continue through the month of February at In-Town Gallery. Founded in 1974, the 35-year-old In-Town Gallery is considered one of the oldest cooperative art galleries in the nation. Located on the “Hip to Historical” North Shore, at 26A Frazier Avenue, between the Market Street and Walnut Street bridges, adjacent to Coolidge Park, it is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and until 8:00 pm on most First Fridays. Call 423-267-9214 for information, or visit the website: www.intowngallery.com.
Fall events
Hello friends!
This is the president of In-Town Gallery letting you know about what is coming up the next few months!!
Our wonderful Holiday show will be opening on Friday, November 6th. There will be a cocktail party reception from 5-8 PM. This show is one of the two a year that we have that features all new work by our 30 plus artists. You can come in and see wonderful woodwork by two of our newest artists, Doug Barker and Lowell Axley. Doug creates gorgeous contemporary mirrors, jewelry cases and tables of all shapes and sizes. Lowell does wood turning with wonderful texture and flow. Another one of our new artists is Lori Ryan. She does work in oil that magnifies the ordinary, making it extra-ordinary, much like Georgia O’Keefe. Other genres include acrylics, watermedia, fiber art, collage, oils, printmaking, jewelry, ceramics, ironwork, stained glass and fused glass. Come on by and see what we have created for you to deck your walls and tables with this holiday season! We are even including a section really affordable items in our Holiday Art Bazaar.
December promises to be a wonderful show as well. Bradley Wilson’s extraordinary drawings and acrylics will be featured on the front wall and Eleanor Goodson’s exquisite jewelry will be displayed for her annual show. Her customers clamor for it every year! That show is Friday, December 4th from 5-8 PM.
Then, to start the new year we will have a themed exhibit for the front wall titled “All Around the Block”. The wall will hold 50 6 inch squares created by our artists….different styles and interpretations of what the theme means to them. They will all be at an affordable $30 each. Where else can you get such a good price for original art by our talented membership? Start your collection now! Since the first Friday is on New Year’s Day the opening will be on Friday, January 8th, 2010, from 5-8 PM.
Hope to see you soon!
Gay M. Arthur
President, In-Town Gallery
Helen Burton’s “Lion’s of Lucerne”
Lion at Lucerne Cave
Calling all Leos to a special exhibit of their astrological sign for August. In-Town Gallery
artist Helen Burton presents her collection of lion images that she has photographed during her travels in Europe. From door-knockers to ancient stone figures, each one is a unique interpretation of the royal beast. Gallery visitors of every sign can meet the artist and discuss these symbols at a reception on the First Friday, August 7, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
The central focus of the exhibit is the “Lion of Lucerne”, a memorial to the bravery of Swiss soldiers who fell in battle on August 10, 1792. The dying lion is carved out of a natural rock wall, with the inscription “HELVETIORUM FEDEI AC VIRTUTI” overhead. It translates “To the Loyalty and Courage of the Swiss”. The artist has chosen this emotional scene as the subject of her watercolor painting.
The fifth sign of the zodiac ( July 23 to August 22 ) is known as the royal sign and symbolizes exuberance, leadership, courage, personal honesty, authority and responsibility. It is a traditional element in heraldry – the coat of arms of royalty and world leaders. The lion is most frequently shown in pairs, with the “rampant” position – standing on hind legs, facing right and left toward the center of a shield.
“Collecting lions has become a fascinating hobby that developed during my travels. Capturing them with my camera has been like a treasure hunt for me. Spotting them in unusual places like a sewer cover on a cobbled street, or expected places like the entrance to a grand palace, or gracing a fountain in the park, has made my visit to each country more fun. Each image represents the skills and personal interpretation of the artist. Many are bronze castings of a lion’s head, fitted with a large ring to serve as a door knocker. Ornately carved wood doors are the framework for intricately detailed lion faces that express almost human emotions, from haughty pride to fierce anger. “
John McLean’s Wetland’s in Watercolor April 3, 2009
In-Town Gallery presents “Wetlands in Watercolor”, a collection of paintings by the April Featured Artist, John McLean. His specialty is water and skies, which are both masterfully portrayed in this series. He is hosting an opening reception on the First Friday, April 3, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Come and meet the artist and see his fresh new work. Introduced to watercolor painting in his native Ireland by a caring high-school teacher, John dabbled with it for the next 40 years or so, while pursuing a career in consulting engineering. After retiring, painting took over, and now he strives to paint watercolors that will involve the viewer. His objective is to convey the message with as few brushstrokes as possible, saying more with less, and inviting the viewer to fill in the gaps from the wealth of their own experiences. Landscapes are McLean’s favorite subjects, particularly if they contain a water feature in the scene. “For many years I lived on salt water and sailed on it, so the shoreline, marshes, docks and associated watercraft have a special appeal for me.” His new series of wetlands illustrates this interest. “I love the process of laying washes of color onto beautiful watercolor paper … the uncertainty of just how those washes are going to interact,” McLean explained. “I’m inspired by today’s watercolor impressionists such as Trevor Chamberlain, John Yardley, Tony Couch, Judi Wagner, Bob Wade, David Taylor and Greg Allen. In 1999 I took my first watercolor workshop, taught by Australian Bob Wade. It was such a rewarding experience that I have tried to take at least one workshop each year since then.” McLean’s art education has come primarily from publications by Watson-Guptill and North Light Books, and he considers himself mostly a self-taught artist. Wishing to meet and interact with other artists who enjoy watercolor, McLean joined the Georgia and Tennessee Watercolor Societies. He participates in their group activities and enters his work in their juried exhibitions. He regularly attends the Mountain Art Guild weekly painting sessions on Signal Mountain.
Wetlands in Watercolor
Friday April 3rd John McLean will be at In-Town Gallery from 5 to 8pm to talk about his new series Wetlands in Watercolor. John’s original watercolors will be featured through the month of April. He would enjoy seeing you Friday evening. Please stop by and enjoy some refreshments.
