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Kanawha County artist Charly Jupiter Hamilton creates vibrant, colorful, and energetic works of art in a variety of media, including, but not limited to, paintings on canvas, sculptures, and various applications of printmaking. Recently, he has even added a large-scale public art piece to his creative repertoire, the “West Side Wonder Mural,” which is located in Charleston, West Virginia. The enormous painting, which measures 30 x 60 feet, covers the side of an entire building on Charleston’s West Side. That piece, like many of Hamilton’s other exuberant works, explores unique visual perspectives and true-to-life narratives using lively and somewhat unexpected assortments of colors and shapes.

According to his biographical statement, Hamilton’s various influences include “growing up on a small dairy farm with a Hungarian mother, brother, and strong headed sisters; his travels and service as a Gunner’s Mate Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War; studying art history and painting at UNC-Chapel Hill; painting and traveling in Mexico, Central America, India and the United States; and his thirty plus years at home among the ‘wildlife’ of West ‘By God’ Virginia.”

This year, Charly’s unique vision and creative style earned top honors from Tamarack’s The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition, where his piece Bases Loaded: Summer Evening in Power Park, Charleston, WV (pictured above) was named the David L. Dickirson Best in Show winner by the 2016  jury team. In their statement, they felt Charly’s painting was “an energetic piece with a complex, well integrated design overlaid with a Folk Art charm.”

Please join us in congratulating Charly on earning this year’s David L. Dickirson Best in Show Award from Tamarack’s annual The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition.

City Life by Vernon F. Howell

Cabell County artist Vernon F. Howell has lived and worked in Huntington, West Virginia for most of his life and it was there that he attended public school before beginning his undergraduate college career. Vernon accrued credits from Marshall University and Syracuse College in New York and earned his A.B. Degree and Teaching Certificate in 1959. He received a Master’s Degree in Art Education from Marshall University in 1964 and went on to do post graduate work at the prestigious National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Vernon eventually returned to Huntington, where he chose to embark on his Art Education career, teaching in the same public school system he was a part of growing up. He taught for 30 years before taking an early retirement opportunity, allowing him to become a full-time artist creating paintings, relief wood sculptures and experimental mixed-media pieces.

It was during the 1960’s that Howell’s career in studio art truly began. While teaching art classes to high-school students, he entered his work into various juried competitions, earning his first award in 1963 from an Allied Artist exhibition held at the Sunrise Museum of Charleston, West Virginia. He has since acquired over 30 awards for his work and his accomplishments, including the prestigious Governor’s Art Award for Lifetime Achievement, which was presented to Howell by West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in 2012. Beyond winning numerous accolades, Vernon has had his work featured in several juried and invitational exhibitions across the country, including exhibits that took place in the National Gallery of American Art and the Smithsonian Institution. This year, Howell added to his extensive list of honors, earning the Second Place prize in Tamarack’s 2016 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition for his mixed-media collage City Life (pictured above).According to exhibition jurors, “this is an intricate, intimate piece. The density of the composition is quite skillful and inventive.”

Please join us in congratulating Vernon F. Howell for earning Second Place in Tamarack’s annual The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition.

Kanawha Co. artist William K. Lightner fondly recalls receiving an art set for Christmas when he was seven or eight years old. He best remembers a flip book that showed the evolution of simple drawn lines to a finished charcoal rendering of a bulldog, a progression that reminded him of watching a short animated cartoon. Though the book and the kit are now gone, the seed had already been planted for Lightner’s lifelong fascination with visual art.

Lightner spent his grade school years capturing hot rods, planes, and tanks in his sketches as well as super heroes from his extensive comic book collection. Over time, his notebook covers and sketchbooks filled with original comic storylines until one day, a “curmudgeonly” art instructor told him it was time to stop cartooning and learn how to draw. Not long after, he earned third place in a youth art contest with a pen and ink rendition of a baby possum.

Ligthner had planned to major in Art Education after graduation, but instead settled on Social Work and Psychology as an academic focus. He found it to be a good fit, though he continued to draw advertisements, comic strips, and editorial cartoons for a local news publication. While he enjoyed exercising his creative passions, art-based projects eventually took a backseat to his career as a counselor for the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation, a position he held for 26 years.

In the year 2000, the onset of a serious illness changed everything for Lightner. After numerable medical treatments, and support from his wife Libby, he emerged from his prolonged health crisis and finally determined he would commit to creating artwork. Since that time, Lightner has found a strong connection with oil painting, and began to participate in various art associations, juried shows, art walks, and festivals. Though he continues to deal with health issues, he has taken advantage of an early retirement, and now has little excuse not to paint every day.

This year, Lightner has earned recognition from Tamarack’s annual The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition for his diptych painting Duet,which took third place honors.  According to exhibition jurors, the piece “…captures an authentic moment in time, a snapshot in paint.”

Congratulations to William K. Lightner for earning 3^rd place in Tamarack’s 2016 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition.

John Wesley Williams is a studio furniture maker from Greenbrier County, West Virginia whose work is represented in private and corporate collections throughout the United States as well as galleries in the south and north east regions. His furniture has been featured in numerable publications and has earned many “best in show” honors from exhibits hosted throughout the country.

According to Williams, “this work is above all about reverence for the material, both for its stunning beauty and tactile nature. It’s furniture that has to be touched and used. Work this excellent demands an equally enduring design and technique. Traditional methods of joinery, and the age old methods of construction, combine to deliver a piece to be enjoyed for generations.”

Williams considers each piece an exploration that builds upon past works. “One can see the importance to the artist in each piece, from the hand selection of the woods to the incredible finishing process that does not detract from the material or hide it beneath layers of artificiality. The work demands of the builder the highest level of craftsmanship.”

Williams is a one person operation based out of his studio, which is located high atop Butler Mountain. “When I am not in my shop, I am usually out searching through mills for the wood that will inspire my next design.”

Congratulations to John Wesley Williams for earning an Award of Merit from Tamarack’s annual “Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition” for his work “Bubinga Sculpted Console Cabinet” (pictured above). 

To learn more about John Wesley Williams, please visit his website:

http://johnwesleywilliamsfurniture.com

Every year, TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia and the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts celebrate West Virginia artists and artisans by showcasing their creativity and talent in this special juried competition.  This show, which opens West Virginia Day weekend, is the only exhibition hosted by the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery that can be entered by any artist or artisan who is a West Virginia resident. Participants compete for five monetary awards, all of which are made possible through the generosity of the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts and their donors.

Trophy set created by Tamarack’s resident glass artisan John DesMeules

Front: “Gravity Drive Double Flying Pendulum Escapement Mechanism Rocketship” by Wood Co. artist Jonathan Walsh

Guests admiring “Hamsa” - stained glass panel by Chris Dutch, Kanawha Co.

Kanawha Co. artist Charly Jupiter Hamilton claiming his David L. Dickirson Best in Show award for the 2016 “Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition”

“Dump Truck on Cans with Flowers and Grow Lamp” by Mercer Co. artist Jamey Biggs

Left: “3D Architectural Composition” by Homaira Ahmed, Putnam Co.
Right: “Cyrus” by Lleona Chew, Jefferson Co.

“Red River” by Cabell Co. artist Leona Mackey

Left: “Concave Funkiness” by Randy Selbe, Kanawha Co.
Right: “Honoring Air & Space (#4 of Series) by Diana Pittis, Raleigh Co

“Jack of Hearts” by Kanawha Co. artist Byron Young

"Urban Dreamscape” by
Ohio Co. artist Robert Villamagna

“Bubinga Sculpted Console Cabinet” by John Wesley Williams of Greenbrier Co. This piece won the Award of Merit from this year’s exhibition.

William K. Lightner posing with his dyptich “Duet,” which was awarded 3rd place in this year’s “Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition”

Kanawha Co. artist Charly Jupiter Hamilton with his piece “Bases Loaded: Summer Evening in Power Park (Charleston, WV). which was awarded the 2016 David L. Dickirson Best in Show award for the 2016 "Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition”

Join us in the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery to view our newest exhibition “Narrations: Stories in Art.” In Narrations, juried Tamarack artists and artisans from across West Virginia share the stories that inspired them to create the works on view. From mixed-media collages and paintings to photographs and glassworks, Narrations is a mosaic of unique experiences told in visual art, the collection of which attests to the varied influences that inspire our region’s talented artist community

Ceramic pot by Randy Selbe of Kanawha Co.

Two ceramic works by Kanawha Co. potter Randy Selbe

Glass platter by Martha Reynolds

Left to right: “Nick, Legacy of the Lines” by Tiera Floyd, “October at Otter’s Creek” by Kevin Woodcock, “Dark at the Top of the Stairs” & “Pilot House” by Vernon Howell, and “Terpsichorean” by Amy Stout

“World Garden” by Homaira Ahmed

Clockwise: “Sparky” and “Making Tarts” by Barbara Marsh Wilson, “Rosie: Legacy of the Lines” by Tiera Floyd, “McKinley” & “Park Street” by Jamie Lester, and “On a Clear Day” by Ed Rehbein 

Clockwise: “Random Sharp #21″ by Tsukasa Kambara, “A Perfidy of Butterflies” by Jorn Mork, “Parvati’s Heart” by Meredith Gregg, “Chameleon” by Marianne Deaver, “Slabcamp Run” by Kevin Woodcock, “Some More Sayn’s” by Vernon Howell, and “Aqua Doors, Ceret” by Deborah Herndon

Above: “Troutman Farm” by Charly Jupiter Hamilton; Below: “The House with the Orange Roof” by Ann Grimes

Above: “Lost in the Weeds” and “Matador” by JP Owens
Below (Left to Right) “Bulldog Lady,” “The World’s Smallest Policeman,” and “Sword Swallower” by Robert Villamagna and “Building a Nest” by Barbara Marsh Wilson

Above: Mixed Media Works by Robby Moore; Below: Photographs by Daniele Piasecki

Join us as we celebrate the enduring connection between mentor and student in this special art education showcase. In “Continuum,” six collegiate professors who live and work in West Virginia present their art alongside that of a former student. Through their six unique sets of stories and works, we are offered a chance to explore the mutual exchange of knowledge, encouragement, and growth that flows between teacher and student and the strength that is present in West Virginia’s collegiate art departments.

“Continuum” features selected works by the following professor/former student pairs:

-Jamey Biggs and Mandy Lester, Concord University

-Sonya Evanisko and Sarah Loy, Shepherd University

-Mary Grassell and Brian Jarrell, Marshall University

-Mark Tobin Moore and Nicole Suptic, Concord University

-Jack Sheffler and Kylene Babski, Concord University

-Robert Villamagna and Jonathan Walsh, West Liberty University

Left: “The Nature Table Book” by Mary Grassell (Professor of Graphic Design, Marshall University)
Right: “High Alert” by Marshall University Alumni Brian Jarrell  

Far Left and Right: Acrylic Paintings on Panel by Sonya Evanisko (Professor of Art / Coordinator of Painting & Drawing at Shepherd University). In the center are mixed-media works by Sarah Loy, Shepherd University alumni and Sonya’s former student.

“High Alert” - ballpoint pen drawing by Marshall Alumni Brian Jarrell. Brian is exhibiting in “Continuum” alongside former professor Mary Grassell

“Opus Prime” - Earthenware sculpture by West Liberty Alumni Jonathan Walsh. Jonathan is exhibiting in “Continuum” with his former professor Robert Villamagna.

Detail of “Bull Dozer with Shard Pile” - Collaborative sculpture by Jamey Biggs of Concord University and his former student Mandy Lester

“Terra Cotta Drumblebee” by West Liberty Alumni Jonathan Walsh is enjoying his view of Robert Villamagna’s mixed media works. Robert, Jonathan’s former instructor, teaches Art at West Liberty University and is the director of the Nutting Gallery.

Left - “Stitch” Right - “Buddha” Marker/Colored Pencil drawings by Concord Graduate Kylene Babski. Kylene is exhibiting in “Continuum” with former professor Jack Sheffler (Chair of the Division of Fine Arts / Associate Professor at Concord University).

Far left and right: Marker/Colored Pencil drawings by Kylene Babski (Concord Alum). Center: “Self Portrait” by former professor Jack Sheffler (Chair of the Division of Fine Arts / Associate Professor at Concord University).

“Thumb Head” - Woodfired Porcelain Sculpture by Concord Alumni Mandy Lester. Mandy is exhibiting in “Continuum” with former instructor Jamey Biggs

“Dumptruck with Jalapenos, Cilantro, and Onions” after a few days in the sun by Jamey Biggs (Associate Professor of Art / Gallery Director, Concord University). Jamey is exhibiting in “Continuum” with his former student Mandy Lester.

“Bull Dozer with Shard Pile” by Jamey Biggs (Associate Professor of Art / Gallery Director, Concord University) and Mandy Lester (Graduate, Concord University)

“Dimetrodon” - Earthenware sculpture by West Liberty Alumni Jonathan Walsh. Jonathan is exhibiting in “Continuum” with his former professor Robert Villamagna.

Mixed-media works by Mark Tobin Moore (Instructor of Art for Concord University). Mark is exhibiting in “Continuum” alongside Concord grad Nicole Suptic.

“Nature Table Book” - a handmade book/wood block print by Mary Grassell (Professor of Graphic Design at Marshall University). Mary is exhibiting in “Continuum” with her former student Brian Jarrell.

Sketchbook drawings in ballpoint pen by Brian Jarrell (Marshall Alumni) flank prints created by his former professor Mary Grassell (Professor of Graphic Design, Marshall University).

Left - “Mischievous (Chance)” Right - “Brain Freeze (Self)” - Acrylic portraits by Concord graduate Nicole Suptic. Nicole is exhibiting in “Continuum” with former professor Mark Tobin Moore (Instructor of Art for Concord University).

“Bad Air Delivery” - Mixed Media work by Robert Villamagna (Assistant Professor of Art
Director, Nutting Gallery, West Liberty University). Robert is exhibiting in “Continuum” with former student Jonathan Walsh (West Liberty Alumni).

Far Left and Right: Acrylic Paintings on Panel by Sonya Evanisko (Professor of Art / Coordinator of Painting & Drawing at Shepherd University). In the center are mixed-media works by Sarah Loy, Shepherd University alumni and Sonya’s former student.

Left & Right - Woodfired Porcelain Sculptures by Concord Graduate Mandy Lester. Center: Mixed-Media work “Danger Man” by Robert Villamagna (Assistant Professor of Art Director, Nutting Gallery, West Liberty University).

Every year, TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia and the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts celebrate the creative diversity of West Virginia artists and artisans by hosting this special juried competition. 

While exhibitions at Tamarack usually feature work by juried Tamarack artists, this juried exhibit is open to be entered by any artist currently residing in the state of West Virginia. Participating artists are eligible to win up to five monetary prizes, including the David L. Dickirson Best in Show Award of $2,000. Prize money forThe Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition is generously provided by the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts and its donors.

If you or someone you know is interested in entering this year’s Open Juried Exhibition, please take a moment to view the prospectus by clicking the link at the bottom of this post. It contains important deadline information, application instructions, and eligibility guidelines to have work considered by the jury for the show. Please note, all entries must be received by April 18, 2016.

Please feel free to share this post with those you think would like to learn more about our annual Juried Exhibit. And, as always, thank you for your supporting the art and artists of West Virginia.

Click here to view the 2016 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition Prospectus

Vandalia Vantage Point by Marry Grassell


When Mary Grassell was growing up in a small Western Pennsylvania town, she, like the rest of her family, spent her free time drawing and painting. “I grew up thinking that drawing was what people did for fun, [so] I guess I had a lot of practice early,” Mary tells us. It didn’t take long for that early practice to pay off. When she was just ten years old, Mary was selected to attend the free Tam O’Shanter classes at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. She was one of two children selected from her school district, and the opportunity proved to be something that would change her life. “I was a little girl from a blue collar family that was given a great gift,” she explains. “What a world of opportunity it opened!”

Every Saturday morning from fifth grade through high school, Mary took a bus and a trolley to Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Institute and, later, to Carnegie Mellon University. She attended classes in drawing, design, and painting and soon knew that she wanted to attend college at Carnegie Mellon as well. “In my family, this was like asking for a million dollars,” she tells us. “Girls did not need to attend college according to my parents. I worked hard in high school so that I could apply for scholarships, which I received, and continued to receive all through my undergraduate years. I appreciate the persons who made these scholarships available.”

With the doors of collegiate study now open to her, Mary decided to pursue the study of graphic design because of her love for type, layout, and illustration, but continued to take painting and printmaking courses as well. After graduation, she became a working graphic designer and was successful in finding jobs while she raised her children and traveled the country for her husband’s career. At one point, Mary was asked to fill an open Typography instructor position at a local community college. Teaching wasn’t something she had planned to explore in her graphic design career, but Mary decided to take the job anyway. To her surprise, she learned that she enjoyed the fusion of practicing and instructing. She liked it so well, in fact, that she decided to pursue teaching at a collegiate level long term. She continued teaching art and design courses at the community college for many years and returned to school herself, earning an MFA from Syracuse University. Eventually, Mary’s husband was transferred to Charleston, West Virginia, but she was able to obtain an adjunct teaching position in Typography at Marshall University. She soon became a full time professor and has remained a faculty member there since 1992. Although Mary continues to teach graphic design, she began to seriously focus her energies on relief printmaking as well and now frequently exhibits her autonomous works. “The two things I had avoided when I graduated from Carnegie Mellon (teaching and exhibiting) are the very things that keep me going now,” she tells us.

When I look back at my life, I think that without the foresight of an art teacher who chose me to attend those classes at Carnegie Institute, and how my knowledge of Typography has gotten me into teaching in two institutions, I was destined to be doing this. I love the classroom and the way teaching keeps the principles of drawing and design at the forefront of my brain. I can’t imagine my life any other way. I always remember that someone informed me that I had talent so many years ago, so I try to give the same encouragement to my students. Maybe they just need someone to tell them: “Hey, you are good at this, and should do this for a living! 

While Mary continues to encourage her students and helps to cultivate their talents, she’s spent significant time and energy for her own body of work over the years. She specializes in printmaking, a discipline that has captivated her since her days at Carnegie Mellon, where she was exposed to diverse historical examples of the medium.  She takes particular inspiration from two distinct traditions – one being pre-Incunabula printed books and the other Japanese woodblock prints. “While these appear to be two entirely different artforms, they share a few common traits,” she tells us. “Both depicted life as it was at the moment of the creation of the print – the landscape, the dress, the furnishings of the time. Both told stories, making the works important, thereby validating their creation. Both reflected the social climate of the times portrayed. I realized that this is what I wanted to do. I, too, wanted to depict, in my own art forms, what life is like in my time. I wanted the narrative and meaningfulness to be present in my work.”

Mary continues to keep the heart of those historical traditions in mind when she develops her own prints, but an additional layer of inspiration comes from the spontaneity of the process itself.  “Every print I make is an experiment,” she explains, “screen printing, mono printing, and etching – and sometimes I use them all together with relief printing. It is all an experiment. There is the creative part, which the artist pursues in good faith, picturing the end product, and then there is the print part, where whatever the artist envisioned is altered by the process itself.” In appreciation of the balance between intentionality and surprise, Mary is particularly drawn to making prints with woodblocks, where the incorporation of an organic component like wood encourages an even deeper relationship between artist and their tools.

I have come to know different woods and their resistances. Some are impossible to cut and some are compliant. The uncooperative woods are a challenge, and I almost like them best…When I print what I have cut, it is always a surprise. I consider the cutting of the block drawing with a knife, and I am so focused at this point, trying to figure out how to approach the wood to get what I want. The wood, at the same time, is saying “do not cut that direction; I don’t like that.” Or “No matter what you do, I am going to leave some residue here that is sure to print. Or, “I am going to cause you to slip here, and cut what you don’t want to cut.” It may sound crazy, but this is the dialogue that the wood has with me.  But, the more difficult the wood, the more amazing it prints. It leaves some of its grain in the print as a gift and it produces a quality of line that cannot be drawn or painted, only cut. In the end, both of us working together produces some fine results.

An especially fine result of Mary’s effective balance between her artistic intentions and the natural properties of her tools exists in her print Vandalia Vantage Point, which recently won an Award of Merit from the 2016 West Virginia Juried Exhibition. The enormous print was cut over the course of five months because of the unruly threadlike grain of the wood. According to Mary, she almost had to “trick” the wood so that it wouldn’t unravel like it wanted to. But, in the end, she produced a profoundly detailed 20x30” print. In addition to investing a significant amount of heart and soul in the complex technical process, the subject of the print is representative of an emotional bond, too.  The piece depicts a group of string band players circled at the trunk of a massive magnolia tree. Hidden among the branches are two young children, who are watching and listening as the musicians play their songs. “The music I have portrayed in Vandalia Vantage Point is the music of the mountains,” Mary tells us. “I have no special gift for performing, so in my work, I am portraying music with the gifts I have been given. My family, my husband and children, are all very musical, so there is always music in my life.”

Each May, Mary’s family ventures to the Capitol grounds to celebrate the Vandalia Gathering, a special festival that brings together the most acclaimed Appalachian musicians and lovers of string band music. “Groups of musicians gather under huge Magnolia trees on the grounds and play and play,” Mary tells us. “My family pulls up camp chairs and listens for hours…This situation is so unusual, musicians playing outdoors, under the trees, tune after tune with no written music to perform to… It is a musical experience like no other.” Mary routinely sketches and photographs scenes from the Gathering so that she can later incorporate their music into her visual art. On one such occasion was when the inspiration for Vandalia Vantage Point struck:

While watching the musicians, two little girls climbed one of the Magnolia trees to get a better view. No parents scolded them, so I quickly clicked a few photos and sketched some fast sketches because I marveled at their nerve. The musicians in the print are a composite of the musicians we have seen repeatedly over the years. I put them together in one ensemble. In this print, I wanted to show the story of this fine day, the broad leaves of the Magnolia and the bravery of the girls who had the best seat in the house. It is a tribute to the natural talent of the musicians and the historical quality of their music, all in the natural setting of the Vandalia Gathering.

Mary pays homage to her love of Appalachia and its rich history beautifully in Vandalia, and her love of the region contributes a special essence to her larger body of prints as well. “I find that I am compelled to demonstrate the good life of Appalachia,” Mary explains. “I grew up in the northern part of Appalachia in a pocket of immigrant coal miners…I realize that my childhood was unique. This uniqueness which I have hidden all of these years is finally starting to show itself, by itself. This is how I remember it. It was a good life for me…I finally feel richer for this life.” Mary’s deep appreciation for her adopted West Virginia home offers endless inspiration, too. “Every time I drive through West Virginia, I am blown away by the landscape. In all seasons, the landscape shows beauty and steadfastness. This steadfastness of landscape, wildlife, and plants plays a part in my artwork. But the people play an important part as well. They are steadfast and hearty within that landscape. I would like the viewer to get this sense of place, confidence, and beauty as I tell the tales of Appalachian experiences. I would like to share the good life I have experienced.”

Please join us in congratulating Mary on earning an award for her piece Vandalia Vantage Point, which symbolizes her love of printmaking, people, and the region she calls home. It will remain on display in the David L. Dickirson Fine arts Gallery until February 21, and will also be displayed at the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

Charleston resident Newman Jackson navigated a long and winding path before realizing his goal of becoming a working visual artist. His career in the chemical industry had come to an unexpected halt after the company he worked for moved their operations overseas. He returned to school, earning an Associates Degree in Computer Technology, but soon discovered that job placement in the field wasn’t as accessible as he initially thought. “Years of past job experience, schooling, mailing out resumes, and sitting in interviews was not opening opportunities for me,” he explains. However, with encouragement from his life partner Brenda, Newman decided it was time to embark on a search for new possibilities. “I was told to pursue the thing that I do best,” he tells us, “and that was art.”

Soon after shifting focus, Newman was offered an exciting opportunity by local artist who, knowing nothing of Newman’s background or experience, offered him a solo exhibition at the University of Charleston’s Frankenberger Gallery. “I did not have many pieces,” he tells us, “but what I did have was a few large oil paintings and some photographs that had never been seen beyond the nooks and corners of my house…The sight of my work on public walls was exhilarating. It was a feeling that I rarely felt.” It turned out that aside from providing a splendid introduction to the Charleston arts community, Newman’s first solo exhibit would open more doors than he could have anticipated. After reading about the show, an old friend reached out to catch up and, upon learning Newman was in pursuit of a studio space, offered him one on the spot. “Things just seemed to be falling into place,” Newman tells us, “as though opportunity had been waiting for me to take ownership of my fate.” Over the following years, Newman aggressively promoted himself and his work, proactively seeking opportunities to engage with the creative community to learn how to succeed as a working artist. He joined the Allied Artists of West Virginia and was eventually voted in as President. During his three year tenure, he sought audiences with other artists and organizations, which reinforced his appreciation and understanding of success through shared experience.

Meanwhile, Newman made strides to fold that positive communal energy into his working environment as well. With the help and support of his old friend, the two expanded his studio, offering a total of 22 local artists a place to work and grow their reputation together. They adopted the name Chimera Studio and through word of mouth, became a growing attraction. But, after three years of progress, unforeseen circumstances required the studio to dismantle. “We were forced to move out [and] many did not have a place to be,” Newman explains. “Some, who were encouraged by their new working recognition sought out and found new spaces to work…landlords, who had heard of our plight, were encouraging in offering up new spaces.” Unfortunately, despite the accommodating efforts, many lacked the funds to start over in a new place. Eventually, Newman was put in touch with a building manager who had an opening within his means. He was finally able to work again after losing a year and a half of production time.

Although he had to leave the close-knit environment of the Chimera Studio, Newman has carried the experience with him and applies the lessons he learned there to his painting. “I confess that I was a little closed minded about certain types of art,” he explains, “but my exposure to all of the different styles of artisans at the first building opened my eyes to many possibilities. I began to read about artists who inspired these friends to find out what inspired them to paint the style they had chosen.” As for Newman’s style, his personal idols are Norman Rockwell and Salvador Dali, a combination that at first seems strange, but for his creative process, both Rockwell and Dali’s work possess qualities that offer endless inspiration:

For me, Norman Rockwell is the best storyteller to have ever lived. To look at a Rockwell congers up emotions [and] in one frame, an entire story is told. This is the job of an artist, [to] inspire emotions either through word, song, or painting. As for Dali, I have a tendency to speak in metaphors…Through Dali, I have learned that phrasing does not have to be literal to be understood. His wording, through his paintings, just adds more majesty to the moment than any representation of the same event that I have ever seen.

Newman’s appreciation for representational storytelling, coupled with his love of metaphor, comes through in his paintings, which often blend figurative elements and abstraction. The combination offers just enough visual information to suggest a sense of a story, while the expressive abstract styles add a compelling emotional layer. Going back to Newman’s appreciation of Rockwell and Dali, it makes one consider the complexities of depicting human feeling. So often, true emotions are disguised and clouded by the conditions that create them. Using his method, Newman encourages those who view his work to decode a deeper message. A stellar example of this principle exists in Newman’s piece Sorrow Revealed, which recently earned an Award of Merit from the 2016 West Virginia Juried Exhibition.

According to Newman, his award winning painting was inspired by a famous scene from the 1967 film In Cold Blood in which Robert Blake’s character shares a painful story from his youth. As he spoke, light passed through a rainy window pane, making it appear as though tears were streaming down his face. “I saw this as a sorrow revealed through what I considered to be a metaphor for his dysfunctional childhood,” Newman explains. “There were no tears shed, just the illusion. The pain of experiences is often disguised by false smiles, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, or a walk in the rain.” In Sorrow Revealed, heavy rain is suggested rather than depicted through vertical drags of paint. A woman crouches with her umbrella beneath the torrent, but her reaction is clouded by the flow. The painting does an excellent job of connoting the complexities of sadness or regret through the depiction of both posture and atmosphere. With the combination, we are offered an opportunity to experience emotion in Newman’s metaphorical sense, but are afforded just enough freedom to extract personal interpretations, too. The effect is moving and proves to be a lovely balance between figurative storytelling and abstract expression.

Sorrow Revealed will remain on display in the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery until February 21, 2016 along with his other piece Sunday Distractions.

Sacred and Profane by Chris Dutch

Sacred and Profane(Details) by Chris Dutch

For as long as he can remember, artist and craftsman Chris Dutch has been a “maker.” “Growing up,” he explains, “I drew and cut up paper and built things with wood and dug holes in the yard. Looking back, I think it was all part of the same thing to me. I wanted to study architecture, but for various reasons ended up in Civil Engineering, which, at its most basic [level] is the study of how to make things stand up and hold together when gravity and time want to make them fall down.” Chris enrolled at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, NY, but discovered after graduating that entry level positions in his field were not always positioned on the most creative end of the spectrum.  He worked as a construction inspector for a few years, but when his wife accepted in a job in West Virginia, he was able to turn his attention to making art again. “I learned how to be a professional artist from the people that I got involved with in Charleston when I relocated here,” Chris explains. “There was and still is a very supportive community of artists [and] I found the medium I love here…”

The medium Chris is referring to is stained glass, a discipline that for him offers several appealing qualities, many of which have connections to the region. Because of West Virginia’s historically strong association with glass manufacturing, materials are abundant. And, according to Chris, that enduring industrial relationship cultivates local interest and support for glass-based works. “I also think that because of the history and promotion of traditional craft in Appalachia, art media and craft media are more integrated,” he explains. “It is acceptable to have fine art aspirations when working with a medium that was considered “craft.”  This widely appreciated fluidity between “art” and “craft” in West Virginia offers Chris the opportunity to fuse the visual design aspects of decorative arts with the functionality of historical glass crafts, a combination that works beautifully for both commercial pieces and his independent creations.

Chris’s approach to making stained glass is a blend of problem solving and organic progression, a process that informs his commission projects as well as his autonomous work.  “It is hard to do stained glass without getting involved with commissioned work,” he tells us. “It is traditional to the medium and provides somewhere for larger work to be seen. But, often you are asked to create something because you work in a particular media, not because the client likes or has ever seen your work. I’ve enjoyed, been challenged, and been very frustrated in totally switching styles for different projects… When you are working from your own ideas, one piece grows out of the one before, and the one before that. Or, if it isn’t working, you are free to explore other avenues and other subjects.”

In Chris’ autonomous compositions, he embraces the use of bold, leaded contour lines and points to the colorful properties of his glass materials as a secondary interest. For him, the appeal of the medium is the act of taking a drawing (which often starts in black and white) and translating it into graphic lead lines. Color choices are then added “coloring book style” to finish out the idea. His choice of subject material stems from his enjoyment of the creative process and he rarely depicts things in his pieces that promote a specific message. “The most important thing to me is the visual image and what kind of emotion it provokes,” he tells us. “…the subject is often just a frame to hang a style on; to see what happens if you take a bit from this period and tweak it with a bit of that style, or to add something of your own to it.”

This principle is illustrated beautifully in Chris’ piece Sacred and Profane, which recently won an Award of Merit from the 2015 West Virginia Juried Exhibition, a biennial show sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Culture & History. In Sacred, Chris built upon the idea of a traditional church window, incorporating numerous symbols throughout the design that reference historical imagery as well as modern forms. Presented in the top half of the window is a face that, according to Chris, could be a saint or angel wearing what he envisions to be a somewhat confused expression coupled with some (angelic) feather forms. The figure of Death, whose image was inspired by a medieval window design, occupies the bottom half of the panel. Surrounded by snakes, Chris imagines this scene to be significant (or generally “creepy”) for many people who place meaning in the mainstream interpretation of these motifs. The two opposing scenes are unified by geometric patterns that were inspired by both medieval and modern stained glass works, a combination that points to Chris’ appreciation of the discipline’s history and aesthetic development. That same appreciation comes through in his selection of glass material as well. The bold yellow and blue segments were formed using glass from Blenko, a company that has been based in West Virginia since 1921 and continues to produce their signature line of colorful glass works. Also incorporated in Sacred is a broken shard Chris kept from a restoration job, another nod to the medium’s legacy.

Sacred and Profane is currently on view in Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, which is hosting the 2015 West Virginia Juried Exhibition until February 21, 2016. Gallery visitors have enjoyed interpreting the window’s images in an attempt to discern whether a particular narrative is embedded in the design. While varied theories and have been culled, Chris is tight lipped about making specific suggestions on the topic. He wants viewers to draw their own conclusions:

I love to hear the interpretations that viewers have for my pieces. They are often much more interesting than whatever idea I had that inspired the work. It is interesting to hear how a work of art came about, but eventually it has to stand on its own without the knowledge of what the artist was thinking. An emotional connection is between the object and the viewer.

Please join us in congratulating Chris on earning an award for his enigmatic piece Sacred and Profane. And, don’t forget, the window will be on view in Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery until February 21.

Have you heard about West Virginia Craft Week ? From October 2-11, 2015, catch a rare glimpse into the creative processes of artists and artisans who live and work in West Virginia.

Artists throughout state will open their studio spaces just for you during this special celebration, so be sure to “like” the West Virginia Craft Week Facebook page (linked above) to find out what exciting events are happening in your area. 

Join us in supporting the work of those who preserve and transform the tradition of American craft.

For additional information, visit wvcraftweek.com 

In this special exhibit, juried Tamarack artists and artisans push the boundaries of traditional forms, techniques, and disciplines into new and exciting territories. From mixed-media collages and painted glass to technological designs and fiber arts, expect the unexpected from this eclectic display. Open now.

1. Left: Fiber works by Ann Grimes (Wayne Co.) Right: “Bomaki Butterfly Dress” by Nellie Rose Davis (Randolph Co.)

2. “Bomaki Butterfly Dress” by Nellie Rose Davis (Randolph Co.)

3.  “Crimson Castle” oil painting by Linda Stonestreet (Putnam Co.)

4.  Assorted ceramic works by Norma Acord (Mercer Co.)

5.  Center: A Distillation of Antiquated Mores (or the times Our Changing)” mixed media work by Robby Moore (Raleigh Co.)

Top Left: “Squash Blossom Tango” watercolor by Rita Montrosse (Mercer Co.)
Bottom Left: “Damsel’s Quilt II” digital illustration by Linda Gribko (Monongalia Co.)

Top Right: “Inside Out Clock with Three Telescopic Pictures” by Deborah Herndon (Kanawha County.
Bottom Right: “Looking Back” by Vernon F. Howell and “He Brings His Pattern Home” by Robby Moore (Raleigh Co.)

6.  “Fish Wave” painted glass by Martha Reynolds (Doddridge Co.)

7.  Left: “Turbulence” acrylic painting by Kathy Welch (Wayne Co.)
Right: Photographic illustrations mounted on acrylic by Angie Lambert (Mason Co.)

8.  Center: Mixed media boxing works by Mark Cline (Monroe Co.)
Lower Left and Right: Mixed Media collages by Vernon F. Howell (Cabell Co.)

9.  “Fish of Many Colors” painted glass by Martha Reynolds (Doddridge Co.)

10. Top Left: “Beacon” mixed media by Amy Stout and two Mixed Media works by Akemi Matsumoto (Wood Co.)

Center: Three wood sculptures from the “Implement Series” by Joshua Miller (Hardy Co.)

Top Right: “Folded Seascape” acrylic painting by Vernon F. Howell (Cabell Co.)
Below: “Fall in a Valley” by Akemi Matsumoto (Wood Co.) and oil painting “Tattered but Not Torn” by Connie Mae Moeller (Nicholas Co.)

11.  “Kung Pao Dragon” ceramic piece by Michael Garnes (Kanawha Co.)

12. Left: “Color is Rhythm” mixed media by Jacob Bucy, “Festival of Lights” oil painting by Kathleen Hollett (Cabell Co.), “Open Window” mixed media by Cheryl Ryan Harshman (Ohio Co.)

Center: “Childhood” mixed media by Ann Grimes (Wayne Co.)
Below: Assorted drawings by Brenda Pinnell (Kanawha Co.)

Right: Assorted abstract paintings by Nancy-Louise (Kanawha Co.)
Below: “Spirit of the Hunt” mixed media by Sandra King (Clay Co.)

13.  “Rusted Penny” wood turned bowl by Tom Schottle (Putnam Co.)

14.  “I Canned It” mixed media by Ann Grimes (Wayne Co.)

It was six years ago when West Virginia artist and designer Tiera Floyd discovered she had a hidden gift for painting. After earning a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design from West Virginia Wesleyan, she is now committed to exploring and cultivating her talent as a painter. She decided to enroll in West Virginia University’s Master’s Program with a concentration in Fine Art, where she will continue to study and paint for the next three years.

Since the time of her initial discovery, Tiera has employed her skills and created a beautiful and personal body of work, selections from which have already made appearances at esteemed venues and competitions in West Virginia and beyond. Her paintings have earned three awards from the Division of Culture and History’s “West Virginia Juried Exhibition,” including the prestigious D. Gene Jordan Memorial Award in 2013. She will also be participating in ArtPrize7 in Grand Rapids, Michigan this September and her work will be featured in WVU’s upcoming MFA exhibition at the Southeastern College Art Conference in Pittsburgh this fall.

Working in series, Tiera’s paintings celebrate the essence of human experience by honoring her subjects’ most expressive and emotional features. Her tightly cropped portraits of watchful eyes, smiling mouths, and calloused hands invite viewers to consider the personal histories of the people Tiera depicts in a way that’s both intellectual and mysterious. Her intentionality in composition also carries over to her technical process, through which she often makes deliberate connections between her subjects and her materials. Using tools like sandpaper, she modifies the surfaces of her paintings to create conversations between her layers of paint and what lies beneath, emphasizing the physicality of her work.

This unique concept is particularly evident in her “Engrained” series, which is a tribute to her family and heritage. “I come from a creative family,” she explains in her artist statement. “The house I grew up in was built entirely by my parents and grandfather, Pap. Pap is a carpenter, wood-worker, and creative genius. His brothers and sisters, my great aunts and uncles, also quilt, craft, construct, and create. This list of relative talent continues on and on, but the point is – I’m not alone, creativity is in my heritage.” In the series, which is made up of three paintings, Tiera depicted an image of her grandfather’s, father’s, and her own hand on wooden board, but on each piece, left a segment of the panel completely exposed. “By allowing the wood grain to break through the painting – interweaving and flowing with the painted surface – previously ignored aspects of the painting are discovered,” she explains. “…The wood grain further expresses character through the lines created by an aged tree, similar to the wrinkles and fine lines that define that subject’s personality.”

Aside from the visual interest revealing this wood grain presents Tiera also wants to express the symbolism embodied in this creative choice. “The wood grain juxtaposes the oil paintings not only to play on the lines of the painted hands, but for natural significance. Painting the hands of myself, my father, and Pap for an “Engrained” study express heritage. I focus on hands in this series because they serve as the tools we use to convey our creativity. As “Engrained” pay(s) homage to heritage, they also inspire future endeavors in my painting process on wood, as well as other artistic outlets.”

This summer, one of the works from this series, “Engrained Study: Pap” was selected for inclusion in Tamarack’s annual “The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition” by jurors Tim Glotzbach (Berea, KY) and Jennifer D. Anderson (Roanoke, VA).   The piece’s impressive technical merits as well as its touching story made quite the impression on Tamarack visitors, whose collective votes earned Tiera and her painting this year’s “People’s Choice Award.” Please join us in congratulating Tiera on this achievement as well as her numerous others. To learn more about her, and to stay informed on her upcoming events, please visit her website , follow her on Instagram, and “like” her Facebook page.  

“Everyone has a story. What’s yours?”

This is the slogan for “Silently Speaking Gratitude,” a line of handmade accessories designed and crafted by South Charleston native Morgan Rhea Richards. The collection, which features hand-stitched, hand-patinated works in leather, represents more than excellent examples of fine craftsmanship. It serves as a vehicle through which Morgan can share appreciation for those who have influenced her most, and an opportunity for the wearer to tell a story of their own.  

While studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Morgan had the idea to release a collection that honored the trials and triumphs of those who impacted her life along the way. Using their personal journeys as creative fodder, she made her leatherworks a platform for sharing these formative stories, inscribing their surfaces with passages in script. An excellent example can be found in Morgan’s “Ronald Briefcase” design, which features an inscription on the sides and tassel adornments. The language reflects upon memories of her uncle Ronald Dean and his experience with the struggles of addiction. For Morgan, artfully sharing her uncle’s story, as well as the others that populate her “Silently Speaking Gratitude” line, is a way of saying “thank you” in a way that will endure for generations.

The superb quality of Morgan’s pieces, combined with the sincerity of her personal mission, has garnered an overwhelmingly positive response from some very influential members of the fashion community. While a student in Savannah, her “Ronald Briefcase” was named the “Best Student Made Handbag” in the Independent Handbag Designer Awards and was given a feature in the September issue of InStyleMagazine. She was also awarded an apprenticeship at Coach, enabling her to live and work in the heart of the New York fashion scene for three months, putting her in touch with famous designer icons like Alexander Wang and Zac Posen.

Now, Morgan has relocated back to her home state and is looking forward to growing her business in Southern West Virginia. She continues to feature works that celebrate the life journeys of her loved ones, but has now folded in an opportunity for her clients to tell a story of their own. Each piece in her collection can be engraved with words of the customer’s choosing, ranging from personal reflections to wedding dates. In fact, singer-songwriter John Legend has taken advantage of this unique custom experience, commissioning a pair of bespoke shoes that feature lyrics from one of his songs. Folk/pop musician Brett Dennen also took interest in Morgan’s concept and acquired a messenger bag from her collection. However, one does not need to be a famous performer or fashion mogul to have a one-of-a-kind Morgan Rhea piece. A visit to her website will show that every item can be customized, and she works with each customer to ensure the piece will be perfect for each experience.    

West Virginia locals can keep an eye out for Morgan’s work, which is making appearances in many events and locations. Currently, an example of her “Ronald Briefcase” is on view in Tamarack’s annual “The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition,” which will run until August 9. Morgan will also be featured in Charleston’s “Fashion’s Night Out” event on August 20, where she will preview her 2015 Fall Collection. To stay connected with Morgan and to get the scoop on upcoming events, visit her website and follow her on Twitter,Facebook, and Instagram. You can also watch a video interview with Morgan, which was produced by the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Growing up in rural West Virginia, Lavana Lemley never found herself far from the forest. She developed an enduring love for plants and animals and remains fascinated by the strange beauty that lies hidden in the woods. “I really enjoy the natural world,“ she tells us. "I find it to be dark and beautiful and really surprising. I love watching documentaries or reading about new creatures being discovered and new insights into animals and plants.” Lavana’s love of nature, coupled with a persistent interest in visual art and character design, set her on a path that would allow her to combine these passions creatively. She worked hard to develop technical skills in painting and sculpting and also obtained a B.S. degree in Computer Animation from Full Sail University.

Although Lavana became well-versed using various media, it wasn’t until she began to garden that she discovered her true artistic style. While cleaning out her vegetable patch at the end of the season, she found that what remained of her plants was uniquely beautiful and could serve as a wonderful medium for ornamenting sculptures in the round. “It was tomato plants in particular that dried naturally when just left on the ground on their own and those where what really started my need to test out other plants for sculptures,” she explains. “I experimented with methods of preserving them and once successful I began incorporating them in my art and designing creatures based around each twisted root, stalk, or branch.” Having discovered the perfect material, Lavana now uses dried plants to bring life to her art. In her current body of work, she focuses on sculpting woodland animals, mythic creatures, or something in between using a mixture of paper mache and the natural media, a combination she feels harmonizes aesthetically.

Beyond the tactile benefits, Lavana enjoys what incorporating natural material into her sculptures represents. When building roots and vines into the bodies of her creatures, she is able to visually explore nature’s cyclical patterns, particularly the enduring relationship between decay and rebirth. “The growth and decay in my sculptures is the connection animals and plants have to each other,” she tells us. “…The way an animal’s body becomes part of the earth and replenishes the soil is beautiful. The contrast to this would be how hard humans fight to preserve our bodies and fight off nature, even after death.” Lavana also uses her creative process as way to reconcile her personal relationship with the natural world. “I feel a real disconnect to nature with daily life to the point that when I go walking in the woods, I feel like a stranger – as if the woods are a totally different world coexisting with human world. I [also] try to bring this feeling of unfamiliarity to my sculptures.”

A beautiful example of Lavana’s artful examination of life, death, and preservation exists in her piece "Tranquil Hare,” which was accepted into Tamarack’s annual “The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition.” The sculpture is of a rabbit in repose, calmly watching as vines grow up from within its side. The same growth sprouts from the animal’s forehead, suggesting a set of jackalope’s antlers, carrying the foliage motif throughout the length of the body. The hare’s gentle posture and tender gaze convey not only a sense of defeat, but also acceptance. Slowly returning to where it came from, it transforms into something new. In “Tranquil Hare,” Lavana elegantly captures a poetic transition between life and death and shows us that, even during that inevitable conversion, there can exist a certain grace and dignity.

Lavana’s sculpture “Tranquil Hare” has found a happy home, but more examples from her current body of work can be found on her website, which includes examples of full figure animal sculptures, creature busts, and acrylic paintings. Her work will also be on view in Berkeley Springs, WV from September 28 - Nov 8 in the Ice House Gallery’s upcoming show “Freedom of Expression.” 

Visual artist Pamela (Sam) Adams has roots in New Hampshire but spent her youth as an Air Force brat moving from one place to another. Despite the changes in location, Sam’s passion for art and music persevered from grade school onward, leading her to a career in graphic arts and sign painting. After thirty plus years in the field, and with the decreased demand for hand painted signs, Sam decided to shift her media focus and now specializes glass works, feeling that the sky is the limit when it comes to the design capabilities glass has to offer. Sam also utilizes other disciplines, and creates works in acrylics, pastels, mixed-media, and clay.

After many years of moving about, Sam is now decidedly a permanent resident of West Virginia. “West Virginia keeps calling me back,” she explains.  “…I’ve often heard people say these green hills have an energy, a pull.  I believe they do…It’s very easy to burrow into our little holler and literally drink in the green all around. I am inspired every day by so many things just walking out my door and looking around.”

Sam finds that the natural beauty of the Mountain State provides endless inspiration for her work, and her affection for her adopted homeplace is especially palpable in her stained glass composition “Where the Wild Fiddles Grow.” This piece, which is currently on view in Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery as a part of their annual “Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition,” is filled with many beloved West Virginia symbols, and pays special homage to the diverse array of flora indigenous to the region. Sam explains:

I wanted this piece to represent my love for West Virginia.  All of the plants are indigenous to West Virginia:  the poplar tree leaves and flower in the upper left, under them, the dogwood flowers, the little purple violets that cover our lawn, and ginseng with its red berries. There are also the mittened sassafras leaves that turn a beautiful red in the fall, multi flora roses, and green hills that go on forever. The house is the house we built here many years ago, and the fiddle growing up in among the fiddle head ferns represents the old music of West Virginia.

Aside from the beautiful representations of traditional Appalachian motifs, one may notice a whimsical little fiddle player enjoying the idyllic scene. “That little fiddler is my muse,” Sam tells us. “I learned how to play fiddle here, West Virginia old time music, and it’s that old ancient music that sings the heartbeat of this state.”

“Progress in the Mountains” Full Piece (84 x 27″)
Hand Dyed Wool Strips Hooked through Linen Foundation
Susan Feller, 2014

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

“Progress in the Mountains,” Detail, Susan Feller, 2014  

Working from her farm-based studio tucked away in the hills of Hampshire County, fiber artist Susan Feller bridges traditional craft techniques and modern experience. She specializes in rughooking, a historical craft that originated from a need to cover wooden floors with fabric that was available. Now, the time honored technique lends itself to modern design, enabling Susan to “paint” compositions using strips of hand-dyed wool, looping one piece at a time through a backing that is spread taught across a frame. Her subjects range from abstract nature studies to methodically planned patterns, but at the root of them all is a love of handiwork and an enjoyment that stems from the tactile differences in her materials.  Also important to Susan is embracing the relationship between the functionality of traditional crafts and the pleasing aesthetics achievable through the medium, offering an opportunity for individuals to both see and physically experience her work. Her rugs and runners in particular are made with the intention of being used for generations on the floor, table, or wall, and her visual design choices often proffer a concept that is best experienced through physical use. She invites viewers to walk down a path of her making, or enjoy the translation of nature’s beauty into unique fiber compositions.

More recently, Susan has begun to push her modern craft concept into new territories, imbuing her pleasing aesthetic designs with important messages that are relevant to contemporary society. Such is the case with her piece “Progress in the Mountains,” which is currently on view as a part of Tamarack’s annual “The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition.” The seven foot long handhooked runner at first offers a beautiful representation of the West Virginia landscape, characterized by a dramatic vertical stacking of mountains, valleys, and roadways. However, the composition is steeped in symbolism, and is a way in which Susan can shed light on the numerable environmental issues that West Virginia residents are faced with every day. The result is a visual study focused on the duality of modern progress – the inevitable give-and-take relationship between the advancement of human industry and natural resource consumption. It is a dynamic that has been present in Appalachia for generations and a reality that forces residents to consider the costs of industrial conquest. On her blog and in her artist statement, Susan delves into the motifs she incorporated into her utilitarian design, giving us a step by step tour of progress’s sliding scale:

The runner was composed to be used on the floor in a hallway, inviting a walk along the road up to the mountain top and turning back down. Or if hung on a wall, the viewer is invited to step onto the road exploring the scenes along the way up to the bright active skyline. It is framed formally emphasizing the artwork within…

1. Envision the impact on geography, environment, culture and community the human drive for progress has had on the natural resources of West Virginia (a micro example of the globe). Major interstate highways create jobs for the construction industry, allow quicker access to towns and destinations for tourism and commerce, but disturb migration paths, feeding and lodging habitat for fauna and flora.

2. Corporate farming in the form of one breed of cattle, poultry buildings for thousands, and processing plants for each creates excess of waste which needs to be distributed by vehicles to wider destinations or processed into a stable by-product.

3. Lumbering of the forests, many of which were contract planted for the pulp or board feet affects the terrain.  The undergrowth is necessary to keep erosion from happening, contributing to pollutants in the rivers.  Slow traffic from lumber trucks is alleviated with the new highway system.

4. Coal mining strips the tops of mountains to find the veins, moving the waste often into headwaters of small streams which will run into the major river systems.  But the coal is used to create electricity for the metropolitan population’s requirements to communicate, work, entertain.  The power lines to distribute the energy create wide cuts in direct paths economical for the corporations taking years of negotiating with landowners, environmentalists, historians and politicians but eventually “for the good of the majority” being implemented.

5. Wind turbines line the highest ridge lines feeding the energy generated into those power lines again going out of our state to the metropolitan region.  Although a regenerable resource (wind) the effect on birds’ migratory paths is being studied.

In “Progress,” Susan expertly fuses function, beauty, and education, creating a versatile experience for those who see her work. The concept is also a way in which Susan can share her thoughts and feelings in a manner that suits her best, planting seeds for her viewers, hopefully provoking thought and curiosity.  “My personality tends toward positive, inclusive, and supportive of our natural resources,” Susan explains. “[While] others use bold statements, visually and verbally, I am more comfortable creating subliminal messages in my artwork and verbalizing my passions…I have heard responses to my work ranging from an immediate smile, to beginning a conversation on environmental issues. If my work raises questions, it has accomplished my goal.”

Susan’s piece will be on view in the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery until August 9. To learn more about her and her other works, visit her website at http://artwools.com/

Visual artist Pamela (Sam) Adams has roots in New  Hampshire but spent her youth as an Air Force brat moving from one place to another. Despite the changes in location, Sam’s passion for art and music persevered from grade school onward, leading her to a career in graphic arts and sign painting. After thirty plus years in the field, and with the decreased demand for hand painted signs, Sam decided to shift her media focus and now specializes in glass works, but also creates using acrylics, pastels, mixed-media, and clay.

But after many years of traveling, Sam has put roots down in West Virginia. She finds that the natural beauty of the state, as well as Appalachia’s rich, traditional culture, prominently influences her creative process. Her designs draw beautiful parallels between visual art and a way of life, inviting her viewers to see West Virginia living through her unique creative lens. Currently, Sam is experimenting with a new series of miniature sculptures that explore the archetypal West Virginia homestead, three of which are currently on display in the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery. Despite being only a few inches tall, these structures possess all the fine details of the life-sized versions that lay tucked away in hills and hollers. Sam also uses these works as a way to celebrate  a nuance of traditional Appalachian identity. Embracing the use of recycled materials, she translates the time honored concept of Appalachian resourcefulness into physical form:

West Virginians have ‘made do,’ and these houses were made with what was available. Using everyday items is a reflection on how resourceful West Virginians are, and it seemed a perfect correlation. Not only that, it was intriguing to think about what could be used for what purpose. [For example], on the old farmhouse, I made the clapboards out of a Dial hand soap box…the backdoor screen is a little piece of lace, [and] the window glass is made of cellophane from a candy bar… A beer can is also a practical material source. It is very flexible, cuts easily with scissors, and the inside looks like old metal, especially when you use it for a roof, crimp it, and paint it a rusty color. I also used it to make the little mail box and the little red mailbox flag.

Sam also appreciates the unique character the real-life homesteads possess and enjoys their unusual beauty. “Being from New England, where the houses are large, white clapboard and austere, houses here are much more interesting to me,” she tells us. “They really reflect West Virginia’s true heart… When I think about trying to make the same, reflecting New Hampshire houses, it would only end up a white square structure on a pile of dirt. Something is definitely lost in the translation!”

Above all, Sam hopes that what comes across most in her miniature homes is her love of West Virginia’s people and her appreciation for the culture. “I’ve always been drawn to the simple, hardworking humbleness of people and this is what I feel in West Virginia,” she explains. “I hope that in the [sculptures’] tininess, their sweetness is reflected. Making these little houses just seemed meant to be…the humble houses are iconic to this state.”

Sam’s sculptures will be on view in Tamarack’s annual “The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition” until August 9.

Byron Young’s first introduction to woodturning came during the 1960’s from a lathe his father kept in the basement. However, it wasn’t until many years later when he saw a video of a professional woodturner at work that he thought to himself, “I can probably do that as well as he can.” Ever since, Byron has been honing his skills and now demonstrates his turning abilities for others at events like the Mountain State Arts and Crafts Fair and Charleston’s yearly FestivALL celebration. He is also an active member of the American Association of Woodturners and serves as Vice President for his local chapter, the Mountaineer Wood Turners, which is based in Ripley.

 For the second year in a row, Byron’s work earned a spot in The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition, which is hosted annually by Tamarack and the Tamarack Artisan Foundation. This is also the second consecutive year he has taken an award from the exhibition, this time, a Third Place prize for his piece “Purple Mountain Majesty.” Turned from purpleheart and holly, Byron used “Purple Mountain Majesty” as an opportunity to create a piece of woodwork that would “jump out” at viewers with unique design elements and unexpected hues. “I decided to use those two woods because of their contrasting color,” he explains. “I also spent a considerable amount of time obtaining smooth and pleasing curves, making sure the base and the top finial complimented each other.”

Aside from the general complexities associated with turning a piece with lots of curves and points, Byron challenged himself further by designating purpleheart for the piece’s intricate body. “Purpleheart is a unique wood,” he tells us. “[It] is ranked as one of the hardest and stiffest in the world, which makes the turning process a little slower. Care must be taken when making delicate points so not to chip. The lid was also a challenge to get that perfect fit and dome shape.”  

 Byron’s hard work made an impression on this year’s exhibition judges Tim Glotzbach (Berea, KY) and Jennifer D. Anderson (Roanoke, VA). They were impressed with the overall design of “Purple Mountain Majesty,” stating it “displayed a mastery of technique that was evident in each individual part as well as the totality of the work.” They were also appreciative of the work’s intentional visual balance, noting that “a very conscious effort was made to juxtapose weight, scale, and color to create tension, and therefore, a dynamic and fluid viewing experience.”

Although awards were just presented, Byron is already thinking about his entry into next year’s Best of show. “I’m always experimenting with new ideas,” he tells us. “More often than not, they don’t pan out well, but I always learn something to take with me to the next project… Right now, I’m working with color and texture in a new realm.  I find the mixture of woodturning, the addition of color and different textures to be artistically challenging. Finding the right combination can be quite a challenge, but a challenge I find very fulfilling.”

Join us in congratulating Byron on his second award winning year. And be sure to stop in and see “Purple Mountain Majesty” soon – the exhibit will close on August 9.

It was 30 years ago at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art that Alex Brand was introduced to the art of glass-blowing. “My degree is actually in jewelry making and metal-smithing, as one could not major in glass-blowing at the time,” he explains. “[However], I liked the scale, activity, and immediacy of the glass and knew pretty quickly that I had a gift for it and wanted to do it professionally.” Ever since, Alex has dedicated himself to the art, earning numerous awards and working and teaching in many esteemed venues such as the studio at the Corning Museum of Glass. Alex has also participated in several respectable shows and exhibitions, including the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show. His glasswork can also be found in many permanent collections including that of the Mobile Museum, of Mobile, AL, the Fuller Craft Museum of Brocton, MA, and Harvard University. Alex now lives in Lewisburg, West  Virginia, where he enjoys the supportive and inspiring art community the town has to offer. He and his wife Susan also co-own the Virtu Gallery and Glass Blowing Studio, which is part of the Greenbrier Resort’s Artist Colony.

For Alex, aesthetic and artistic inspiration comes most from seeing the art of others. His time at Corning was especially influential, as he was exposed to other glass artists as well as numerous pieces of exemplary historical and contemporary glass. From blown-glass pagodas to celestially inspired bowls, Alex’s impressively diverse array of works certainly speaks to a vast breadth of experience and influence, leaving those who view his work eager to see more.

 This year, Alex’s piece Bubble Encalmo Bowl earned an Award of Merit in the eighth annual The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition, which is sponsored by Tamarack and the Tamarack Artisan Foundation. Exhibition judges Tim Glotzbach (Berea, KY) and Jennifer D. Anderson (Roanoke, VA.) were especially captivated by the way in which Alex’s piece gracefully explores the relationship between physical form and environmental light. “The simple and straight forward utilitarian shape of this glass bowl was the perfect vehicle for an amazing display of color and reflection,” they stated in their juror’s statement. “[This] bowl was one of the best examples of an artist exploiting light to create a sensory experience that transcended the expectations of a simple, elegant form. The secondary ‘art work,’” they added, “exists in the reflection of light and color on the pedestal.”

Please join us in congratulating Alex for earning the Award of Merit for in the 2015 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition. Also on view in the gallery is his Black and Gold Saturn Bowl. Be sure to stop in and see them soon – the show will run until August 9.

Each year, TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia and The Tamarack Artisan Foundation celebrate the diverse talents of West Virginia’s artists and artisans by hosting The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition. 

This show is the only exhibition held in Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery that can be entered by any artist or artisan residing in the state of West Virginia. Entrants compete for the following awards, which are made possible by the generosity of the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and its donors:

• The David L. Dickirson Best in Show Award: $2,000
  
• Second Place Award: $1,000
  
• Third Place Award: $500
  
• Merit Award: $250
  
• People’s Choice Award: $250 (announced at the exhibition’s end)
  

This year’s judges and jurors, Jennifer D. Anderson, Associate Professor of Art, Hollins University (Roanoke, VA) and Tim Glotzbach, Director of the Berea College Student Craft Program (Berea, KY)  employed their respective sets of expertise to determine what would be on view in the gallery and who would take home this year’s awards. A “People’s Choice” award is also given to the work that accrues the most votes from the public between opening and closing day.

On Sunday, June 21, we celebrated the opening of our 8th Juried Exhibition, which showcases an extraordinary amount of skill and variety, paying homage to the breadth of talent and discipline that exists within the Mountain State’s unique artistic community. The following artists were presented with awards for their work:

David L. Dickirson Best in Show:
Sandra Wright, Grant County
Title: “Shh…”
Medium: Oil

Second Place: 
Shir Wooton Raleigh County
Title: Yonder
Medium: Pastel

Third Place: 
Byron Young, Kanawha County
Title: Purple Mountain Majesty
Medium: Turned Wood

Merit Award:
Alex Brand, Greenbrier County
Title: Bubble Encalmo Bowl
Medium: Blown Glass 

Stay tuned for more about each winner and their pieces, as well as posts about the other participating artists whose work is featured in this year’s The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition. 

Images:

1. “Dump Truck With Bulldozer, Parts, Shards, and Wheel Segment” by Jamey Biggs, Mercer County
2.  “Six Nesting Bowls” by Keith Lahti, Clay County
   
3. “Where the Wild Fiddles Grow” by Pamela (Sam) Adams, Upshur County
   
4. Detail from “Mountain Spirit” by Andrew Thorne, Upshur County
5. “Spanish Cabinet” by John Wesley Williams, Greenbrier County
   
6. Left to Right: “Engrained Study, Pap” by Tiera Floyd, metal mounted photographs by Kevin King, “Progress in the Mountains” by Susan Feller, “Planting a Forest” by Jorn Mork, and “What About Fracking?” by Joyce Waltz Daniels
7. “Tranquil Hare” by Lavana Lemley, Wood County
   
8. A view of the right side of our gallery space
9. Top: “Double Rainbow” by Dena Jane Gilchrist, Cabell County, “Beauty at Sunset” by John Crede, Kanawha County “Ronald Briefcase” by Morgan Richards, Kanawha County. Bottom: “The Rise of Inti” by Randy Selbe, Kanawha County
   
10. A view of the left side of our gallery space
11. Left, “Living the Dream” by Jamie Lester, Monongalia County, Right: Miniature house sculptures by Pamela (Sam) Adams, Upshur County
12. Top: “Sweet” by Nicole Suptic, Raleigh County, “Shh…” by Sandra Wright, Grant County, “Lichen” by Jessica Sutphin, Raleigh County. Bottom: “Lower Mercer Street” by John Coffey, Mercer County.

From her earliest childhood memories, West Virginia native Ann Grimes has always had a fascination with paintings and drawings. Through the encouragement of her parents, she chose to study art and art education at Marshall University, first earning a BA in Art Education and later an MA in Printmaking. Ann went on to serve as an art instructor for over 33 years in many West Virginia counties, teaching a variety of disciplines such as calligraphy, drawing, painting, and fiber arts.

Now, having retired from the public school system, Ann focuses much of her energy into creating and exhibiting her own artistic creations. She specializes in fiber arts, utilizing numerous weaving, felting, and stitching techniques to create a gamut of whimsical works, from woolen portraits to freestanding felted sculptures. She also embraces the use of recycled materials in her pieces, a trait that pays homage to her parents and the lessons in resourcefulness they taught her growing up:

 …My mother was 45 and my father was 54 when I was born. This age difference and their way of thinking had a great impact on me. I had no idea that they were creative, innovative and “green” individuals. We recycled everything we could.  Bread bags were crocheted into outdoor rugs. Old clothes became quilt pieces, garden(s) grown and food canned. Bath water used to water the plants. All my dresses began as patterns drawn on newspaper and made by mom.  My father was a carpenter and cabinet maker that worked at a glass factory. So when I begin to create my art work I often use recycled and vintage materials. I love to experiment. I sketch out ideas in my journal to refer to but often the artwork will take a different turn and sometimes it just doesn’t work. I never throw it away. It will be used later. Some of the artwork(s) are remnants of childhood memories. 

As a part of our Imparting Art exhibition at Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Ann is exhibiting five felted vessel sculptures, a playful collection that blurs the line between decorative art and functional container. Their soft, fuzzy structures makes touching irresistible, but thoughtful surface decoration makes the viewing experience equally pleasurable. To create these works, Ann used an additive method of building felted wool around a circular piece of cut plastic she fashioned into a resist. She first puts a thin layer of fiber horizontally and a second layer vertically on the plastic, placing tulle on top. Wetting the fibers with very warm water and Dawn detergent, she removes the netting and flips the piece over “like a pancake,” repeating the process four times on each side until she has a “plump” form.

Next, Ann sandwiches the form in bubble wrap and, using a pool noodle, rolls each side a total of 200 times. Once satisfied, she pinches up a small layer of fiber and cuts a small hole, through which she extracts the plastic resist. Then, using wooden spoons or other tools, she forms the vessel into the desired shape by pulling, stretching, and rolling, dipping it into warm soapy water as she goes. After rinsing it in cold water, she submerges it in a vinegar water bath to stabilize the ph levels in the fibers. Finally, Ann begins the drying process. Utilizing materials like blown up balloons or plastic bags, she stuffs the vessel so that it maintains its form while drying naturally in a warm area. She then adds finishing touches like stitched designs or needle felted patterns.

When Ann has completed her process and has a freestanding vessel, she hopes those that see it come away with a feeling of joy, and are intrigued by the patterns, textures, and colors. “I hope viewers find unordinary art in ordinary objects,” she explains, “[and] to understand that fibers and textiles can be used to create fine works of art that are enjoyable, whimsical, and fun.”

Ann’s felted vessels will be on view throughout our Imparting Art exhibition, which draws to a close on June 12, 2015.

tamarackgallerywv:

Every year, the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia celebrate the creative diversity of West Virginia artists and artisans by hosting this special competition. 

While exhibitions at Tamarack usually feature work by juried Tamarack artists, this exhibit is open to any artist currently residing in the state of West Virginia. Participating artists are eligible to win up to five monetary prizes, including the David L. Dickirson Best in Show Award of $2,000. Prize money for The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition is generously provided by the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and its donors.

If you or someone you know is interested in entering this year’s Open Juried Exhibition, please take a moment to view the prospectus here. It contains important deadline information, application instructions, and eligibility guidelines. Please note, all entries must be received by April 28, 2015.

 Please feel free to share this post with those you think would like to learn more about our annual Juried Exhibit. And, as always, thank you for your supporting the art and artists of West Virginia.

Click here to download the 2015 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition Prospectus

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Brooks Adams

In this special exhibit, the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery proudly celebrates the influence of educators who cultivate the practice and appreciation of art in West Virginia. Whether a college professor, a workshop host, or private instructor, the Tamarack artists featured in this show have played an important role in nurturing West Virginia’s artistic culture while encouraging aspiring artists of all ages.

In conjunction with  Imparting Art, the gallery also has the privilege of displaying the top five winners of the New River Gorge National Parks Service’s Youth Arts in the Parks Appalachian Spring Wildflower Contest, a program that celebrates the intersection of art education and environmental appreciation.

Join us in the gallery on April 12 from 3 - 4:30 p.m for hors d'oeuvres, live music, and of course, wonderful works of art. This event is free and open to the public.

Opening Reception: Sunday, April 12, 2015 3:00-4:30 pm

Exhibition Dates: April 12 - June 12

Featuring:

Norma Acord, Homaira Ahmed, Richard Blevins, Mike Bowen, Mark Cline, John Coffey, Joe Ann Crawford, Pat Cross, Ginger Danz, Barbara Deligatt, iHarold Edwards, Mary Grassell, Ann Grimes, George Harper, Frank Hedgecock, Deborah Herndon, Vernon Howell, Ken Gilbert, Sandra King, Debbie Lester, Marietta Lyall, Leona Mackey,Bill McWhorter, Connie Mae Moeller, Rita Montrosse, Judy Reed, Ron Refsland, Ed Rehbein, Randall Sanger, Ben Schneider, Debbie Sisson, Carol Slovikovsky, Linda Charles Stone, Linda Stonestreet, Larry Sumpter, Ken Valko

For Greenbrier County artist Alex Brand, aesthetic and artistic inspiration comes most from seeing the art of others. He derived considerable influence during his time as an instructor at the CorningMuseum of Glass in New York, where he was exposed to other glass artists as well as numerous examples of historical and contemporary glass. 

Another, perhaps more unexpected influence came from the partnership the Corning Museum held with Celebrity Cruise Lines. The pair put glass-blowing studios on three ships, affording artists like Alex the opportunity to integrate globally influenced characteristics into their work as they traveled the cruise circuit. “I got the chance to go on several cruise contracts and [was able] to see a good part of the world while blowing glass on the 14th deck of a cruise ship,” he explains. “While I was touring the Mediterranean, I saw marble everywhere and was inspired to make blown glass look like marble. While on the ship, I had the time to research and develop this idea and the technique has now become a very popular aesthetic in my work.”  

Alex’s signature marble pieces are a unique, contemporary twist on a classic motif. He uses marble patterns in a variety of ways, from striking surface decoration on modern forms to literal representations of Classical symbols. Such is the case with a small marbleized vase that is balanced atop a blown glass ionic column, which is one of five marble-influenced glass works currently on display in the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery. More of Alex’s work can also be found in the Greenbrier Artist Colony, where he owns and operates the Virtu Gallery and Glass Blowing Studio with his wife, Susan.  

From the time he was in fourth grade, West Virginia native Jamie Lester knew he wanted to be an artist. He credits his mother, Debbie, with igniting his interest in the arts at such an early age. A painter herself, she kept Jamie furnished with pencils, papers, paints, charcoals, and other art supplies during his formative years. To this day, Jamie is still inspired by her artistic creations. He also attributes a drawing class he took as an eight year old from Seay Earehart to his early artistic development, as well as his elementary school art teacher Harlan Brown.

Jamie continued to refine his skills and went on to earn a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from West Virginia University in 1997. He began the program with a concentration in painting, but decided to pursue Ceramics and Sculpture after taking an introductory pottery class. Upon graduation, Jamie formed Lester Sculpture and later, Vandalia Bronze LLC., both of which specialize in Bronze Monument and Memorial pieces. His work can be found throughout the United States, including Florida Atlantic University, West Virginia University, Yankee Stadium, and The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, which commemorates the firefighters who lost their lives on September 11^th. In 2003, Jamie created what is perhaps his most well known design – the obverse side of West Virginia’s Commemorative State Quarter, which depicts the famed New River Gorge Bridge. Today, Jamie works in Morgantown, West Virginia where he lives with his three children Hannah, Everett, and Sophia.

While he has established a distinguished career as a commercial sculptor, Jamie creates work in a variety of mediums, including sculptural ceramics and watercolor paintings. Despite working across media categories, figurative studies maintain central focus in Jamie’s work. “I have always been fascinated with the human figure, particularly the portrait,” he explains. “The human spirit, in all its imperfect beauty, shines through in the subtle and varying expressions and the intricate bone structures of the body. We are so delicate and fragile, yet so strong and resilient. The notion of beauty, and the exploration of it, compels me. I am an extrovert, and a people person. I love people.”

Jamie currently has five watercolor paintings and one ceramic sculpture on display in Tamarack’s Urban Flow exhibition, which runs until April 6, 2015. While he expresses urban themes central to West Virginia in both mediums, the materials with which he created the works serve as a vehicle to tell two different stories. In his watercolor works, Jamie is able to revisit his roots as an artist, and he is capable of expressing things on paper that he can’t in a sculpture, particularly in reference to the viewer’s point of view. “In a painting, I can depict a scene from one point of view [and] there can be elements that are hidden by virtue of perspective. In a sculpture, all sides can be viewed as [one] moves around the dimensional piece, so there is less left up to the imagination.”

The paintings depict a surreal relationship between human figures and architectural structures, all of which are local Morgantown scenes. The larger-than-life figures interact freely with their structural surroundings, peeking in windows or nestling behind houses. “The idea for changing the scale of the figure(s) comes from a condition called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, which I have mild experiences with from time to time,” he explains. “It is marked by a feeling that [parts of the body] are changing in size. [In this series] I am changing the scale of the human body, and depicting them interacting with this environment…With the change in scale, a mundane act becomes a more powerful act. We become the figure, and become the aliens in our own world…too big to truly fit, outsiders… I’m [also] inspired by older, run down urban neighborhoods. I am drawn to the weathered elements, the graffiti, the overgrown weeds and vines. I like the contrast of natural beauty and crumbling structures.”

In his sculptural ceramic piece, Jamie still embraces a compositional relationship between figures and architectural structures, but in this case, the work speaks on a subject all too familiar to many West Virginia residents. Aptly titled In the Blood, Jamie’s utilizes three dimensional space to show the upper body of a coal miner enclosed by tipple posts and beams. The figure reaches behind his back in an effort to grasp and break the tipple supports, but the coal and fodder continue to flow. This evocative piece was inspired by Jamie’s personal relationship with the coal industry and the implications fossil fuel dependency has presented to the population of West Virginia. He explains:

My father was a coal miner, and died from lung cancer in 2008 at the age of 60. Many of my family members have suffered injury or death in the coal mines. Coal is part of West Virginia. Coal is part of the people of West Virginia. We are made of coal. I have great respect for coal miners. I do believe that coal is a double edged sword for the people of our state. There are effects of coal mining on our state that I find troubling, and I look forward to a time when, generations from now, we can admire a post-coal West Virginia, with a healthy economy not so heavily reliant on fossil fuel extraction. It is a scary thing for the people of West Virginia, because it is all we have ever known. But I am optimistic that the hard working, entrepreneurial spirit of our people will prevail.

While Jamie has concerns about this facet of West Virginia’s industrial culture, he still draws much positive influence from the Mountain State, and attributes much of his professional success to the opportunities living in West Virginia have provided.  “Having grown up in West Virginia, attending WVU, and living in Morgantown has defined my life, and rewarded me with opportunities that I may not have found in other states…I love the beauty of my home state and the endearing and warm people who live here…”

To learn more about Jamie and to see additional examples of his work, visit his  website at www.lestersculpture.com

Every year, the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia celebrate the creative diversity of West Virginia artists and artisans by hosting this special competition. 

While exhibitions at Tamarack usually feature work by juried Tamarack artists, this exhibit is open to any artist currently residing in the state of West Virginia. Participating artists are eligible to win up to five monetary prizes, including the David L. Dickirson Best in Show Award of $2,000. Prize money for The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition is generously provided by the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and its donors.

If you or someone you know is interested in entering this year’s Open Juried Exhibition, please take a moment to view the prospectus here. It contains important deadline information, application instructions, and eligibility guidelines. Please note, all entries must be received by April 28, 2015.

 Please feel free to share this post with those you think would like to learn more about our annual Juried Exhibit. And, as always, thank you for your supporting the art and artists of West Virginia.

Click here to download the 2015 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition Prospectus

Award winning painter Seth Hill has always had an affinity for the outdoors. His love of nature and desire to portray a sense of time and place drives him to paint primarily on location,enabling him to capture an essence impossible to reproduce in the studio. “Paintings done on location look spontaneous and fresh,” he explains. “I can put one or  two brush strokes down and make an object. I’m not able to do this inside.” He is also inspired by the natural properties of light, which he believes are best experienced first hand.

Seth is a graduate of Fairmont State University,where he earned a degree Graphics. He has also studied under renowned artists Lynn Bogess, John C. Clovis, and Diana Bland and is inspired by the work of Tom Hughes, Edward Hopper, and Charlie Reid. He joined TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia as a juried artisan in 2002, and has since been featured in numerous gallery shows. Currently, he has six paintings on display (some of which are pictured above) in our Urban Flow exhibition. The show will run until April 6, 2015.

Although Seth’s characteristic impasto style lends a liberated and inviting feel to his work, his primary goal is to give his viewers a different way to experience their surroundings:

“[In my work], I am trying to give the viewer a new way of looking at an ordinary subject. I do this through the use of design, color, and value… I am constantly reminding myself to paint a powerful image, not a pretty picture… I hope [viewers] get some enjoyment out of my paintings”

Check out this lovely article from the Register-Herald about our newest exhibition Urban Flow. Stay tuned – more highlights from this special show coming soon. 

Brad Davis/The Register-Herald Otter Tail, Minn., residents Coleen and Tom Behm browse a variety of work from West Virginia artists inside Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery during their latest juried exhibition called “Urban Flow” Sunday afternoon. The Behms stopped in to Tamarack to check out the exhibit on their way to Williamsburg, Va.

While West Virginia is well known for its abundant wildlife and luscious landscapes, there is no shortage of urban-esque environments, ranging from intimate townships to bustling cities. Join us in the gallery to see this other side of West Virginia living through an array of exemplary artistic works, all by juried Tamarack artists and artisans. Stay tuned for multimedia posts about the wonderful pieces currently on display.

Exhibition Run - January 25 - February 25, 2015

A potter, sculptor, and art educator, Jamey Biggs has always loved “to make stuff.” His urge to create comes from the people in his life who watched out for him and taught him to do things, as well as his perceptions of his past experiences and the area in which he grew up. Much of his work makes reference to specific stories, which are abstractly told through creative problem solving. “My work is a way of saying “thank you” to the people who influenced who I am and the ways I think,” he explains. “…My family has esteem for problem solving, story telling, resourcefulness, chance, and heirlooms belonging to ancestors. I try to encode all these values into the work I make.”

Jamey specializes in creating functional, wood-fired vessels as well as sculptural pieces, which have assumed numerous forms over the years. Recently, he has been experimenting with earthenware vehicular forms, namely bulldozers and Tonka-esque trucks with fillable beds. These playful pieces have been making appearances in numerous gallery exhibits since 2012, when Jamey first approached the idea of making truck sculptures as a creative solution to an artistic problem:

 I began to make these sculptures in 2012 for an exhibition curated by Christine Humphrey and Robby Moore. I had made sculptures previously that required me to decode and explain what I was attempting before any communication could take place through the work. That routinely prompted discussions where I was awkwardly trying to place the work in context to myself. The whole dynamic was unsatisfactory because there wasn’t room for other people to relate with the work on their own terms. I viewed Robby and Christine’s invitation as a chance to explore a new direction through a sculptural output. I settled on the image of the Tonka trunk because it is largely positive. A wide variety of folks have an existing relation to it…I also wanted to make work that was truly non-verbal in nature.

 Beyond utilizing the familiar, lighthearted Tonka truck motif, Jamey pushes his sculptures into new and intriguing territories by exploring the role of trucks as vessels. From cans and nails to potatoes and grass seed, he uses these “unexpected pairings” to add another dimension to the viewing and interpreting experience:

The material I place in the trucks provides me with another possible layer of meaning and context and I typically try to use that extra layer as an opportunity for play and humor. Anything I put in them instantly becomes, by definition, a “truckload.” That transformation is semantic (and silly), but I want the works to have monumental qualities while being as small as possible

 As a part of our Tea in Wonderland exhibition (November 23, 2014 - January 18, 2015), Jamey has created three vehicular sculptures, each of which makes its own playful reference to tea party staples. Trucks Pretending to be a Cream & Sugar Set, for example, is a pair of two Tonka trucks whose beds are overflowing with non-dairy creamer and granulated sugar – a clever interpretation that has delighted numerous Tamarack visitors. Another Tonka’s bed is filled with a “truckload” of earthenware teapots made from a vintage mold (Dump Truck with Teapots). Finally, in Bull Dozer Pretending to be a Teapot, Jamey created a dozer that is doing its best teapot impersonation, complete with fancy spout. These three pieces exemplify Jamey’s ability to balance humor and art in a way that is enjoyable to viewers, but accessible, too:

I want the viewer to rely on their own associations to make sense of the materials, objects, and commodities I use. I think the playfulness and general mischief will come through the work… I hope that adults who are well versed in art theory, art history, and criticism can find interest in the sculptures. At the same time, I want the work to appeal to three-year-old children…I want to instantly draw a viewer in and hold their attention.

 In his endeavor to give his sculptural work an easily communicated personal context, Jamey expertly created a series that gives viewers the chance to craft their own connection with his pieces. And, while his vehicle sculptures are technically immobile, they are wonderful symbols of a concept in motion; changing form from viewer to viewer, whose personal experiences cause them to see these playful trucks through different sets of lenses. 

For the past twenty years, artist, environmentalist, and educator Jessica Levine has strived to foster a relationship between nature and art. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts and winner of numerous awards, she uses her design skills and knowledge of local ecosystems to create a wide gamut of work, ranging from site-specific, large scale community art projects to smaller mixed-media assemblages that she constructs in her studio. Whether the piece is a large pollinator garden or a small concrete sculpture, her artistic mission is the same: to inspire her viewers to a richer awareness of how deeply interconnected all members of the life-stream are.

To achieve this goal, Jessica shows us in a digestible format the intricacies of nature’s boundless visual information. This is especially true of her studio pieces, which in many ways serve as microcosmic studies for her broader mission. “Working at different scales feed back and forth from one another,” she explains. “I learn things from smaller pieces that can apply to large scale, longer term work. I [also] like working with a lot of different materials and textures. Some textures are detailed and small scale, which gets lost in a big piece that’s outdoors. They need a light room to really be impactful.”

Much of Jessica’s studio work might best described as thoughtful amalgamations. Utilizing various resources such as concrete casts, found objects, and organic matter, she explores the themes in nature she finds the most interesting and for her, the inspiration is endless.

 I continue to be bowled over by nature as an artist. The textures and variety and imagination of form that you can witness is just overwhelming. [For example,] the way a leaf curls up and dries out can be just magnificent, and it is the most common object. How many leaves are out there lying on the ground? They’re everywhere, and yet they were living and they’re always changing… That’s something about the life force… something about being alive around other living forms that is very fascinating and intriguing. [There] is a pretty endless source of ideas brimming from that simple thing, and that’s what is interesting to me.

Currently, the gallery is featuring two of Jessica’s mixed media sculptures, each of which serves as an excellent representation of her ability to translate environmental properties into cohesive compositions. The thoughtful blend of living plants, found objects, and concrete casts in Rock Flower Plant for example, affords viewers the opportunity to see everyday objects and naturally occurring textures through a Fine Art lens. By putting these elements on a pedestal, she also brings attention to the relationship between naturally occurring objects and those made by man, a parallel that generally brings up feelings of discontent, but to Jessica, can also represent a certain harmony: 

I’m intrigued by the relationship in nature to the objects we make. I’m interested in how humans make objects, and how machine made objects are like nature and yet not like nature. [For example,] things in nature tend not to be perfectly symmetrical, or not on the right angle, but not far off it either. I’m really interested in taking the factory made object and then distorting it so it looks more natural. [In Rock Flower Plant,] the bull’s-eye [motif] is a glass plate that I cast. I repeated the pattern in multiples and distorted the form each time so it looks like something in nature… It’s like bringing it back home.

Jessica’s other featured sculpture West Virginia Writ Small (David Hockney Led the Way) possesses similar aesthetic qualities as Rock Flower Plant, but tells a more personal story. Tall and twisting, West Virginia Writ Small is a tangle of wires, copper mesh, downturned teapots, and live plants. Her characteristic concrete casts also make an appearance, as well as a rolled up image of David Hockney’s painting LaurelCanyon, which is housed inside a glass lantern chimney.  The sculpture, she tells us, is commemorative of a commute she used to make that made a big impact on her. She shared her story:

For many years, my studio was seven minutes from my house by car on a very windy West Virginia country road. Two cars could barely fit. I adore this road, Teaberry Road. It is really beautiful and has lots of hairpin turns, lots of elevation changes. When I would drive to my studio I would be in a reverie on my way. I would think of what I was working on when I was driving and I thought of the road as West Virginia “writ small” because it is a microcosm of our very mountainous beautiful state. It is like a ribbon and it would make me very happy to drive that road. I always wanted to incorporate it into a work of art.”

 One day, I looked at the picture of David Hockney’s LaurelCanyon, which was hanging on my studio wall… and said, ‘aha, I’m working on [creating] Teaberry Road and this piece is inspiring me.’ I find that I’ve been studying art my whole life in a way…I look at [David Hockney’s] work and have taken ideas that have been in the field and have reworked them and explored them again and again.

Taking the time to decode the messages and motifs in Jessica’s work is a wonderful experience, as she encourages us through her art to explore the smaller parts of the larger picture. Each design and every object serves as a reminder of our enduring connection to our surroundings, which are always deserving of deeper exploration.  

One of the few remaining expert glass blowers working in West Virginia, John DesMeules creates in a style that is uniquely his own. His career in glass started 25 years ago when he learned the art of sandblasting, and later he added glass blowing and hot glass sculpting to his artistic repertoire. Now, he is the owner and operator of his business Glass Dimensions, and he serves as the resident glass artisan at Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia, where visitors can see him hard at work making glass creations in his studio. 

John put his skills to good use when he created this whimsical piece for our Tea in Wonderland exhibition. Aptly named Cascading Eterni-Tea, John has captured the essence of teacup in motion, trying its best to capture the tea forever pouring from its pot. 

Don’t forget – stop in and see this fantastic piece in person before the show closes on January 18. Until then, thanks for tuning in to our 12 Days of Teapots celebration, and we hope you had a safe and fabulous holiday.