4 Members Part of “Magnificent Women” Show

Four Anderson Artists Guild members are part of a show called “Magnificent Women of the Upstate,” which opens on Friday, March 10, with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Gateway Arts Center in Westminster. The four members participating are Debbie Bzdyl, Carolyn Gibson, Lori Solymosi, and Diana Walter. They are part of a group of 10 local female artists in the exhibit, which runs through May 20.

Here are reflections by each artist on one of their pieces in the show:

Debbie Bzdyl

“Crescendo 2 is 24 x 48, mixed media on canvas. A feeling of motion like rough waves crashing against a rocky shore was my inspiration. Since the texture is done before any color is applied, the challenge is visualizing how the texture will look once the many layers of paint and glazes are added. This type of piece is very time consuming and process oriented. The texture has to be completely dry before it gets a light sanding and a coat of gesso. Then the gesso has to dry before a mid-tone color is applied. After that, many washes, glazes, and hand-rubbed layers of paint are added for depth and visual interest. The finished piece has the look of a relief carving.”

Carolyn Gibson

“I chose this photograph of an iris. The original photo I have used many times in various compositions. There is something about an iris that I find beautiful and so varied in color. As I began exploring with color, I eventually began to piece together different versions of the iris to compose what became the finished work.”

Lori Solymosi

“Romeo and Juliet is mixed media on 140-pound cold press watercolor paper, 26 x 34. This is the second year that I have been inspired to create a ‘Valentine’ painting. I came across a black and white movie still and had to paint it. My process is to first tape the paper on all sides to a board; next I begin my drawing with graphite and charcoal. I then add transparent inks, watercolor and acrylics. The surface is strong and can take a heavy hand. I paint with brushes, rollers and spatulas, often squirting water for drips. I use a clear spray to seal in between dry layers. This piece was completed in several sessions over a three-week period.”

Diana Walter

“Anticipation is a mixed media collage featuring several pieces of vintage ephemera. The focal point is a series of lunaria seed pods with images printed on silk organza. Parts of the images were then highlighted with acrylic paint. The inspiration for this piece came from the seed pods. They offered a stunning combination of delicate, shimmery color and a certain translucence, somewhat reminiscent of silk. That basic inspiration led to a new artistic wonderment–and a journey. I wondered if I could apply a photographic image to silk organza and then apply that to a seed pod. After several failed attempts and numerous adjustments, a workable version emerged. From there, the collage evolved as they usually do: one layer, one color, one texture at a time.”