Anderson Artists Guild Exhibit Opens at Airport

Works by some members of the Anderson Artists Guild are currently on display at the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport. The exhibit opened in April and will run through late June.

The exhibit is part of the Connections Gallery, which opened about a year ago with the purpose of featuring artwork by artists from across the region. It consists of glass cases against opposing walls and is located near Concourse B. Every three months, a new exhibit opens.

After the airport invited the AAG to participate, invitations went out to members at random until there was enough artwork for the space.

For more information about the Connections Gallery, visit https://gspairport.com/community/connections-gallery/. You can also see a video of the AAG display at https://www.facebook.com/reel/103540356045432.

Here are some brief thoughts from each member about his or her piece in the exhibit:

Shea Abramo’s Specious (acrylic): “This piece capped my favorite collection inspired by relationships gained with other artists during the pandemic and how we lifted each other up and pushed each other to be our most creative selves.”

Kathy Moore’s The Change Maker (found objects, encaustic, wire, and linocut prints): “This is inspired by Apple Computer's 1997 Think Different campaign: ‘Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.’”

Alan Smith’s Top of the Hill (transparent watercolor): “I wanted a fresh, fast, first impression of an autumn scene with an emphasis of the value of the painting. Working with shapes to convey info and feeling continues to be an area I want to improve on.”

John Urban’s Autumn Reflections (oil): “Inspiration for the painting is obviously the peak fall foliage from my favorite time of year. For the focal point I used a dark shape and painted the lightest and brightest foliage next it. Diagonal lines of the surrounding foliage and the movement of the water help to lead the viewer into this area. Using a variety of textures makes it interesting as well. I used thick paint for the foliage and rocks and thin smooth paint for the water.”

Lori Solymosi’s A Winning Wrangler (mixed media): “This piece is one of my series, Women in Hats, which are all done on 20-inch round canvases. I explore the meanings associated with women’s head coverings ranging from tiaras to feather headdresses. The cowboy hat symbolizes the spirit of independence and self-reliance. No longer reserved for men, the history of the cowboy hat has evolved since John B. Stetson manufactured the first ‘Boss of the Plains’ hat in 1865. The cowboy hat has become quite a fashion item.”

Carolyn Gibson’s Lake Hartwell at Dawn (photography): “Lake Hartwell is one of the great attractions of our area. I have photographed parts of the lake many times, but I keep coming back to the photo of the marina. It has given me endless possibilities for my art and design.”

Debbie Bzdyl’s Early Morning Mist (acrylic): “My inspiration for this piece came from watching swirls of mist and fog rising up over the trees in the early morning.”

Diane DeMont’s Hiking in the Fall (photography): “This particular waterfall was very easy to get to and of course the fall colors speak for themselves. The creative process was to introduce Mother Nature’s box of crayons. Waterfalls offer different angles to shoot, but I enjoyed this one, hoping it gives the viewer an invitation to hike and explore the mountains of South Carolina.”

Julie Lamp’s Appalachian Egg Basket (basketry:) “Known as a ‘gizzard’ or ‘fanny’ basket, it has a unique design which allows it to be placed on the hip while carrying. The interior is ribbed to keep the eggs from rolling. A ‘God's Eye’ design attaches the handle and rim. My design features grapevine, dyed wool and sea grass.”

Chet Lawson’s View of Capri (oil): “Having not painted in oils for over forty years, I wanted to start anew with a concentration on portraiture and figure studies. My inspiration was the work of John Singer Sargent, perhaps one of the most renowned American portraitists. This piece, painted in 2022, is the fourth painting in a series of six that are European themed.”

Teresa Anderson’s Road to Sassafras Mountain (watercolor): “Crisp fall air and sassafras trees in full autumn color are part of memories of family trips in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Appalachian Trail. Sassafras Mountain is the highest peak in South Carolina and borders North Carolina. Last fall the colors were perfect. My challenge was to keep the foreground road in shadow and highlight the distant trees while keeping my painting loose.”

Brenda McLean’s Cherry Tree (pastel): “I love the play of light and shadow in this piece. I enjoy painting old buildings that retain character and evoke memories. If walls could tell tales, what would they reveal? I painted a series of houses that are saved from being mundane by their abundance of spring flowers. This one is my favorite.”

Sue West’s Souvenir Cup from Paris (mixed media): “Inspiration came from tissue paper depicting a Parisian theme. Colorful florals sit next to a little cup that might have been purchased in 1912 at a souvenir shop in Paris.”

Evelyn Beck’s Dubai (fiber): “I have a fondness for skylines and how they can capture a city even with the kind of simplification necessary for translation with fabric. The excesses of Dubai intrigue me; this is the first of two Dubai skylines I’ve done.”

Leslie Wentzell’s Once More into Sunny Fields Let Me Stray (ceramic): “This piece explores feelings of remembrance, of passing time and looking back on the springtime of our lives. The piece was built of solid clay and then hollowed out before firing—a way of working that was new to me. With my figures, I try to give a glimpse at the inner emotions we all share but so often hide. I allude to what lies beneath the surface, ironically, by the surface decoration that I use. The figure becomes a canvas on which to tell a story.”

Diann Simms’ Hot July and Vertical Parking (both watercolor and ink): “Hot July is an interpretation from a photograph made on an extremely hot July day in New Orleans. Vertical Parking is an interpretation from a photograph of bicycles loaded on a vertical stand on race day.”