By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Despite the warm weather, the community turned out for the July Final Friday show at the Grayson Gallery & Art Center last week.
The show, which featured entertainment from acoustic blues musician Allen Tablott, featured art in a variety of mediums, from painting to textiles and curled paper sculptures.
The artists taking home awards were just as varied.
Carly Kirk took home the Brandon Click Memorial Award, and $50, for her watercolor portrait, “Ezra.” Watercolors can be a difficult medium to work with, however Kirk – who is still a student – beautifully captures the character of her young subject, the missing tooth smile adding as much to the personality as Kirk’s technique and shading.
Speaking of shading, Mike Spear’s untitled piece in acrylic, a study in black and white which took the Board Choice Award, serves as a striking example of how capturing shadow, light, and their interplay can be just as important as color pallet, if not more so.
People’s Choice award winner Synde Salley’s piece “Southern Summer Nights,” also in acrylic, shows a lot of personality as well, particularly in the large, bright eyes of the baby owl, illuminated by the glow of a Mason jar full of lightning bugs. Add in the mushrooms and wildflowers and the whimsical piece lives up to the magic of its title.
The Gallery hosts Final Friday art events each month, and they have issued their call for submissions for their August show. Anyone interested in submitting a piece of original artwork for consideration can obtain a registration form from the gallery by visiting their Facebook page or emailing them at graysongallery@gmail.com. Artwork for exhibit may be dropped off for the August show on two dates; Saturday, August 19 and Monday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
