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ARTS DEPOT SHOWCASING FOUR REGIONAL ARTISTS IN THE MEMBERS GALLERY |
The Arts Depot in Abingdon is featuring four regional artists in the Members Showcase Gallery. This exhibit opens on April 1, 2010 and continues through May 22, 2010. There will be a Meet-the-Artists reception from 2 – 4 PM on Sunday, April 18th. This is free and open to the public.
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"Late Autumn", an oil painting by Bebe DeBord |
Bebe DeBord has lived in Harrogate, Tennessee for the last twenty years. She grew up in Osceola and Wilson, Arkansas, and Columbus, MS. She previously lived in Chicago, Oxford, MS, Tuscaloosa, AL, and Pippa Passes, KY. Bebe first became interested in art through her artist mother and always had plenty of art supplies around her as a child. A watercolor painting excursion with her mother while she was an adolescent sealed her interest and led her to pursue art in a formal setting. Bebe received her B.A. in Art Studio from Randolph College, Lynchburg, VA and her M.F.A. in Painting, with a Minor in Pottery, from the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS. She also has done additional graduate work in Art History. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Art and Art Program Director at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN. She has exhibited in the SU Downtown Juried Exhibition in Winchester, VA; Virginia Highlands Festival Juried Fine Arts Show in Abingdon, VA; Community Exhibition at Charles Harris Gallery in Wise, Virginia; and the Faculty Exhibition at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN. Bebe works primarily in oils on canvas and also works in clay and emphasizes the beauty of nature in her work. The oil paintings in her exhibit are part of a planned series of thirty-six views of the Cumberland Gap area, inspired in part by Hokusai’s wood block prints of thirty-six views of Mount Fuji . While many of these paintings feature the Gap itself, all are of the nearby Cumberland Mountains. Bebe’s aim in these paintings is not so much to reproduce a photographically real scene as it is to capture the meditative mood or feeling of a particular moment in time. She simplifies the subject by eliminating details from the original scene and relying on the emotional qualities of color to communicate the mood. It is a paradox that a transitory moment in nature can feel timeless and eternal. It is this sense of time suspended that she hopes to convey in this series of landscapes. |
| Pat Jessee of Bristol, Virginia grew up in Dayton, Ohio spending summers in Virginia and Florida. After having lived in New Orleans for over 23 years, she has spent the last 17 years in Virginia. Her environment was very inspiring as a child. She lived across the street from an Art museum in Dayton so she spent many early years exploring. Pat received her degree from the Dayton Art Institute and later her MFA from Tulane University of New Orleans. New Orleans was a major influence as creative life flourished in the streets and in the studio. That is why she uses “dancing brush arts improv” as her business name! Art is inclusive of all the arts for Pat-dancing, painting, music, and poetry. If it all can be put into play, she is at her highest energy, especially if it is with participation of others. When asked to expound on her philosophy toward art. Pat relates: “Life and Art for me are a reflection of improvisation. I find art inspiration where ever I am and jump at the opportunity to see where it goes. I love to share the journey inspiring anyone at any age to find that Joy in exploration into themselves thru the arts. Recently I have been able to focus more on my own work and have made myself delve into rudimentary creative possibilities on the computer – not as an end product but as a quick way to develop many ideas. It is fascinating and fruitful leading me to consider doing several books with creative, fun themes”. Her passion for the arts is fueled by “nature, music, people, cracks in my driveway, rocks, art of many cultures…and HATS!!!” Pat’s art exhibit at the Arts Depot is a delightful foray into Alien Life. It appeared on the first pull off of the paper form the gelatin plate – and continued. It happened with the help of one bamboo chopstick, one plastic whiffle ball and one small comb. Adding the hand color combinations and sometimes collage was an ongoing exploration! Pat credits fellow artist Kathy Gibian with introducing her to Gelatin monotype printmaking and has passed many an inspiring day with this art form. Pat has produced enough art to cover Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. She has painted over 40 murals, had exhibits in Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, New York, South Carolina, Italy, and New Orleans. In addition, her work is held in numerous private and corporate collections. |
"Alien Life", a gelatin hand colored monotype |
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"Seascape", a watercolor by Glenda Kolesar |
Glenda Kolesar was born and raised in Buchanan County and graduated from Grundy Senior High School. After graduation, she lived and worked in Cleveland, Ohio, moving to Abingdon in 1968. She has been interested in art since she was a child, preferring to get library books on art and looking at the pictures rather than getting books to read. Glenda has no formal education except for one year of art in high school. She has taken classes in watercolor, acrylic, and pastel. Her favorite medium is watercolor but also paints in acrylics and pastels and is now trying oil painting. Her favorite subjects are still life, landscapes and seacapes. Glenda is a member of the Depot Artists Association and enjoys painting with the Wednesday Morning Painters who have given her continuing motivation and encouragement. She has previously displayed her art at the Arts Depot and the Virginia Highlands Festival Arts and Crafts Festival in Abingdon. |
| Adrian Stoots of Wytheville, VA has been photographing since the 1980's all the time enjoying exploring and learning new photographic techniques. Since his retirement in 2002, he has pursued this venture more fully finding that his love of travel provides a wide spectrum of photographic choices and keeps his retirement days filled with what he enjoys most. Adrian is a self-taught photographer whose scenic pictures capture the essence and intrinsic beauty of the image focused in his camera. His love of nature, historical landmarks, rural landscapes, and urban skylines is evident in his work. Adrian works both in the film and digital mediums. His exhibit is entitled “Scenes of The New River Trail”, and includes a tour of this beautiful walking and riding trail that extends from Pulaski, VA, following the path of the New River, to Fries, VA, then branching off to Galax, VA. He has previously exhibited at Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theater, Wytheville, Virginia, Art-Rageous Inc., Wytheville, Virginia, Chautauqua Festival, Wytheville, Virginia (First Place in color photography-2002), Surry Arts Council, Mount Airy, North Carolina (First and second place in color photography-2006), Art Depot Members Gallery, Abingdon, Virginia, and received an Award of Distinction in color photography at the Virginia Highlands Festival Juried Photography Exhibition 2006. |
"New River at Fries, VA", a photograph by Adrian Stoots |
The Depot Artists Association is a non-profit volunteer organization that operates the Arts Depot and is dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and features the region’s artists. The Arts Depot is located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The gallery and artists studios are open for your viewing pleasure Thursday thru Saturday, 11-3 pm, or by appointment. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628-9091, or e-mail at abingdonartsdepot@abingdon.com, or visit their web site at www.abingdonartsdepot.org. The Association is supported in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.