Pat Merriman
This has been a year of many twists and turns so my current art reflects colorful baby animals, even more colorful flowers; some valuing Georgia OKeefe, and 3 landscapes; two in N C.
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Pat Merriman
Grounded ushered in on my 80th birthday with my COURAGE series on American Women in History. The series began with a collage of women in the early 1900’s. As an academic, I passionately researched the history of women’s acts of courage from the early settlers to the 2016 edict that the American military can be gender neutral. As an artist, I then simplified these themes to create bold, colorful collages. “There are panels of the Suffrage movement, the Daughters of Liberty, The Trail of Tears, Latina women, African American women, and 1950’s women who read the “Feminine Mystique”– all leading toward the Equal Rights Movement.”
There is also a series of four profiles of North Carolina Barns, some reflecting the styles of Wolf Kahn and Milton Avery. Barns depict the sociology of America…styles reflect the culture of the immigrants, their life in America often began outside of the cities with the building of a barn.”
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Eric Saunders, Chris Graebner, and Mike Salemi are “Branching Out” with their new work.
Eric Saunders is a photographer who uses many techniques to digitally enhance his photographs. For Saunders [branching out] “can mean branches growing on a tree, or it can mean exploring new directions in technique and content.” He explains, “In the past few years, I have made photographic images that are literally of branches on a tree, and images that pursue new directions from outdoor landscapes using various digital enhancements, and images that feature man-made subjects.”
Saunders will have 15-20 new images in the show.
Appropriate for Branching Out, wood is Mike Salemi’s medium. The newest member of The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Salemi describes his love of wood and his process as a backdrop for the pieces he will present at the April show. Salemi says, “I have always liked working with wood. While a graduate student, I would escape to the campus woodcraft studio each day to find peace and a sense of satisfaction. After I retired, I decided to make a serious effort to develop as a wood turner. In my work, I attempt to strike a balance between classic design prescriptions and my belief that many blocks of wood have something to say. The former leads me to create pleasing proportions in my spindles and pleasing curves in my bowls. The latter leads me to look to the wood for suggestions of shape and texture. I am particularly attracted to blocks of wood that have started to decay. A partially decayed piece of wood can reward the turner with dramatic color and pattern but requires that the turner navigate voids. Handling the negative space in a funky block of wood is a challenge worth taking.”
Chris Graebner is a painter whose work is often inspired by nature. Graebner refects, “One of my earliest memories is watching in awe as my mother painted the oak tree in our front yard. Instead of a brown stick with a green blob on top, her tree had bark, branches, and individual leaves. I was so amazed; I wanted to do that too!”
Working primarily in oil, Graebner will introduce new paintings this April in Branching Out.
Opening Reception
April 29
6-9
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