Greensboro Daily Photo

Kelly L Taylor, Artist of Dramatic Still Life Paintings

This past weekend, Kelly L. Taylor had her art on display at Parisian Promenade at the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. The sock monkey paintings, above, give you an idea of her aesthetic. Kelly loves painting dramatic still life paintings of vintage toys and "things inherited, found, and compulsively collected. You can buy work that she has already painted, or you can contact her for commissions. Originally from upstate New York, Kelly moved to Greensboro with her kids when her dad relocated here. Kelly has a BFA from Guilford College. If you missed her last Sunday at Bicentennial Garden, sometimes she sets up at the Saturday morning Corner Market in the St. Andrews parking lot on West Market Street. You may find here there.

Also, Kelly's website is paintingpoppy.com. You can also contact here there. Kelly especially loves to paint toys that she has personally collected. Another favorite of hers are the plastic trolls with the long, wild hair and beady eyes. If you have a teddy bear from childhood or something nostalgic, Kelly can render it in paint! Additionally, she is just such a great person to talk to. That is one of the beautiful things about Greensboro; even when people are busy, they seem to find time to talk. As you know, we love Greensboro and one of the reasons it is so special is because of people like Kelly.

One of our favorite paintings by Kelly is "Lucky Doll". Check it out!

Barnhill's Art at the H20 Exhibit at Green Hill

Yesterday, we featured Jim Barnhill, artist, on Greensboro Daily Photo. Today's we're featuring a glimpse of his three pieces currently on display at Green Hill in the Cultural Arts Center at 200 North Davie Street. Barnhill's two paintings are gigantic and when you stand in front of them, it is as if you are in the ocean yourself viewing the scene. The placement of the three pieces is masterful.  The paintings are both close to 8' by 12' (yes feet!). The Exxon Valdez painting is from 2012 and the BP Deep Water Horizon painting from 2013. The Cachalot Whale, carved from crabapple wood, was painted in 1993, early in Barnhill's career. The three pieces, spanning 20 years, hint at Barnhill's great love of water, the ocean, and the environmental impact of man's harvesting of fossil fuels. How appropriate that Barnhill is featured in Green Hill's  H20 exhibit! The cachalot whale is the largest toothed predator. As we were walking past the paintings, we began to wonder... who is the real predator, the whale or the oil companies? What you can't see in our photo is that the whale is swimming above a pool of tar.

If you attend First Friday tonight from 6:00 - 8:30 pm, you can see these pieces, and many others, for yourself. Barnhill's paintings, and Holsenbeck's "Where is Our Water Falling" (made from 10,000 water bottles and lots of plastic rope) are so large, you must see them in context. Regardless of what you have planned , have a great weekend!

James Barnhill: Artist Extraordinaire

Greensboro artist James Barnhill is known for his larger-than-life sculptures: The February One monument at NC A&T, the Nathanael Greene monument downtown at Holliday Circle, and the Minerva statue behind the student union at UNCG. Jim Barnhill taught art at NC A&T University for 25 years and has garnered an international following over the forty plus years he has been a professional artist. He came to Greensboro in the early 1980s to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree at UNCG. He tells the story of being in a drawing and painting class and seeing others sculpting and telling his professor that he wanted to sculpt. That was the start of his career in sculpting. Part of what makes Jim's pieces so special is his talent for sculpting in a way that tells a visual narrative. If you stand in front of Jim's sculptures, it is as if you are experiencing the lives of the subjects themselves.

However, as evidenced by the above painting from 2017, Jim is also a fine painter. This painting features Jim's longtime partner, Edie Carpenter. When we were interviewing Jim at his house and asked what piece of art he wanted to be photographed with, he thought about it for a minute, and then pointed to this painting. This large canvas was painted from a photo of Edie when she was in Queens, New York. We had just finished talking about the balance between selling artwork and having pieces you want to keep in your personal collection. It is a pretty sure bet this realistic likeness of Edie will stay put on Jim's wall for a very long time.

Jim, who is recovering from a stroke he suffered exactly a year ago, will be at First Friday tomorrow night at Green Hill in the Cultural Arts Center. While Jim struggles with speaking, his mind is as sharp as ever. First Friday is from 6:00- 8:30 and is free and open to the public. Put a trip to Green Hill on your calendar for tomorrow night, and head to 200 N. Davie Street to see not only Jim and Edie, but also three of his works which are part of a  multi-artist exhibit entitled H20.

H20 Exhibit at Cultural Arts Center

An H2O exhibit is currently being shown at Green Hill in the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street and will continue until June 25th. It is well worth a visit. The above photo features a tiny part of an art assemblage by North Carolina environmental artist Bryant Holsenbeck. This ambitious exhibit features environmental stewardship that extends almost the width of the building. Holsenbeck's piece is entitled "Where is Our Water Falling".  The cascading waterfall is made of 10,000 plastic water bottles, plastic rope and fishing line. We were really struck by Holsenbek's piece, it leaves quite an impact seeing all of those water bottles extending from the ceiling, down the wall, to the floor. But, the piece hits home about how wasteful we are and the impact plastic has on bodies of water. Holsenbeck lives in Durham and her contributions to the world of environmental art is far-reaching. As an example, she was one of the founders of the Scrap Exchange, a creative reuse store in Durham. Greensboro's Paige Cox completed an internship at the Scrap Exchange in preparation for opening Reconsidered Goods in Greensboro. 

The Green Hill show features a total of seven artists and the exhibit featuring photography, pieces made of coal ash, and three works by James Barnhill- professor of visual arts at NC A&T State University. Other artists include Caroline Rutledge Armco, Carolyn Henne, Kevin Palme, Barbara Tyroler, and Will Warasila.

Stop by and have a look! Happy Saturday!

LeBauer at Night

LeBauer Park is so lovely any time of day, but night can be especially beautiful with the lighting and the "When We Met" net sculpture by Janet Echeleman. The piece, by the way, was replaced this spring. It has more blue in it than the first one, which is a nod to the denim industry that was once so big in Greensboro.* We were at LeBauer Park on Tuesday, after seeing Rita Moreno at Tanger Center. She was fabulous and the audience was full. It isn't every day you get to see an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), proof positive that Rita Moreno is a performer who can do it all.

If you walk out of the Tanger Center on the east or south side, this is the view of the park that you see. On Tuesday night, the park was very busy. The water sprinkler/fountain for children to play in is back open and many adults sit around the perimeter while their children play joyfully. Even after the performance, at 9:00 pm, several people were in the park. LeBauer is such a wonderful community resource. It is hard to imagine what we did until it opened in 2016. This Saturday, the 36th annual Carolina Blues Festival will be held downtown in LeBauer Park. We hope to see you there!

The park turns six on August 8th. Let's hope they serve cake! 

 

*see the original net sculpture, here.

BC Clay Art, Available at Ambleside Gallery!

This sculpture was created by Brad and Bryan Caviness of BC Clay Art. It is currently for sale through Ambleside Gallery on South Elm Street. The piece is called, Babri Mosque Demolition. The Caviness brothers are known for their pieces inspired by the architecture and artifacts of great places in civilization throughout the centuries. The Babri Mosque piece is no exception. Babri Mosque was located in Ayodhya, India, built in the 1500s and destroyed in 1992 by a group of activists. Ambleside Gallery carries many pieces by the Caviness brothers.  It is our understanding the idea came about for these vignette pieces came about as a result of what Bob Ross would call "a happy accident". A piece of pottery broke and they started experimenting with what they could do to salvage the piece and the architectural sculptures began to take on a life of their own. The designs take you from room to room, with each room unique and detailed. The right lighting really enhances the pieces. These pieces are especially relevant today when it seems like the world can be so complacent about destruction of places that really belong to the world.

The talent the goes into these intricate pieces is better understood when you know that Bryan graduated from NC State with a BFA in architecture and environmental design. Brad has a BFA from UNC Greensboro where he studied painting, printmaking, ceramic and bronze casting. These artists are well worth following and Ambleside Gallery is a place you will love if you like fine art. The art world in Greensboro just keeps getting finer and finer.

Happy Sunday!

The Sundial at the Bicentennial Garden

This photo was taken about a month ago, in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, back when the trees were just starting to wake up from their winter slumber. We visited on a quiet day with hardly and visitors in the park and for some reason, the sundial really stood out. It was given by the Greensboro Council of Garden Clubs in 1981. Sundials have been around since 290 bce. We're wondering how many people ever stop to read them today. The sculptor of the sundial was Ogden Deal (1932- 1985). We're also wondering what inspired him to sculpt a sundial. Mr. Deal founded Ogden Deal Designs in 1956 in McLeansville. Today, his son carries on in his father's business, making signage for corporations and sporting events.

Greensboro sculptor, Jim Gallucci credits Ogden Deal as being "the guy was most responsible for [his] getting established as a metal sculptor in Greensboro" (reference and great information HERE). Jim restored the bison sculptor that Mr. Deal created and  installed at the Greensboro Science Center. It is so fun to learn more about Greensboro's public art and to know we're seeing art by someone whose legacy lives on in, not only in his art, but in his professional relationships. We're off to see if we can track down more of Mr. Deal's sculptures.

Happy Monday!

 

 

(See another piece of Deal's work, HERE.

Butterfly Effect 2022

 

The Butterfly Effect is a beautiful arts and crafts venue at 3319 Sandy Ridge Road near the Farmer's Market.  We had the chance to visit in 2020, just before the pandemic shut everything down. This past Saturday, we stopped by to say hello to owner, Helene Avraham-Katz, and of course to shop a little. The shop is as cute as ever and well stocked with items by over 50 vendors. This past Saturday, she held a special event with even more vendors who set up for the day. Featured in the above photo are (from left to right), Yahav, Lisa (with Daisy, a dog she is fostering), Helene, Leah, and Heather. You can tell by the smiles, the shop is a joyous place to be.

Helene has beat pancreatic cancer twice and approaches every day with happiness and optimism. On the right of the counter, you can see the memoir she wrote about her life and journey back to health. The title is "The Butterfly Effect."  Helene is a very open person and after spending a few minutes in her store, you will start to feel like family. You will sense the ripple of energy characteristic of the butterfly effect. Today, we learned that twenty one years ago, Helene and her family immigrated to the USA from South Africa, as opposed to going to Australia because it was easier to bring  dogs into the United States. For Australia, themdogs would have had to quarantine for six months. Australia's loss has been a big gain for Greensboro!

Currently, the store is making T-shirts in support of Ukraine. They are $15 for  regular t-shirts and $18 for wicking shirts. To the right of Heather, you can see the front of the shirts, with the sunflower. On the back, they say "Peace for Ukraine". All profits will be given to the UNICEF Organization to help children in Ukraine. Please support this organization that is centered on building community, locally and internationally.

 

See the 2020 GDP post HERE.

Remembering John Coltrane

Today, we are sharing one more post from our visit down in High Point. We finally got to see the John Coltrane monument/statue. Jazz musician John Coltrane was born in Hamlet (Richmond County), North Carolina. However, he grew up in High Point, attending Penn Griffin High School- now Penn Griffin School for the Arts. The above statue is only about a mile from his school. Mr. Coltrane, who learned to play saxophone in High Point,  is said to be one of the most influential saxophonists of all time.

The Coltrane monument in High Point is an 8' bronze sculpture at the intersection of Commerce Avenue and Hamilton Street. It is as if he is watching over Furniture Market. The sculptor is Thomas Jay Warren and the statue was dedicated in 2006. Near the statue is a commemorative sign, historic marker, and a couple of benches, perfect for sitting and reflecting on the influence this great musician had on so many people. His memory continues to live on. The people who were involved in fundraising for the statue were instrumental in starting the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival. If you like John Coltrane's music, mark your calendar for the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival, Labor Day Weekend 2022. And, if you want to hear some great blues music before September, the weekend of May 21st and 22nd, Downtown Greensboro will host the 36th annual Carolina Blues Festival.

Percy Street Free Little Art Gallery

 

Every time we head to the Greensboro Curb Market on Yanceyville, we swing by the Percy Street Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG). During COVID, these little galleries were popping up as a way for people to engage with art and to have their art seen when larger, brick and mortar galleries were closed. These "galleries" are the size of the Free Little Library boxes. As you can see from the above photo, it is a miniature diorama, stocked with small paintings, collage pieces, sculpture, and even a tiny figure. In the corner is a box with tiny art for the having. We usually only look, but a 1"xv2" mixed-media painting of an artichoke stole our heart, and yes, it was free for the taking.*  

These little boxes make art accessible to more people even people who don't tend to frequent galleries; people from all walks of life. Especially during the pandemic, they gave people something to talk about and gave artists a chance to show their work. There is something special about working in miniature. Anne Lamont gives her writing students an exercise to take a tiny 1" frame, look through it, and write about what one sees. That hyper focus on an encapsulated space is a fun experience that you should try. Even better, if you are an artist, consider curating a box! Perhaps best of all, they aren't closed on Mondays!

 

The Free Little Art Galleries (FLAG) have a Facebook page with posts from 2013, meaning the galleries have been around for almost a decade. To our knowledge, the Percy Street FLAG is the only one in Greensboro. If you know of others, please let us know. It would be fun to do an art tour.

*read this article in the Smithsonian Institution Magazine if you want more details about this innovative idea. Also, see here, for a Washington Post article.

Tammy Pegram Can Create, Design and Redesign!

Finally, finally, this past Sunday, we had the chance to meet the ever talented Tammy Pegram. We have been admiring her window displays at Oscar Oglethorpe for a very long time. Tammy designs innovative window displays for Oscar Oglethorpe on South Elm Street. Here is a small slice of one of her window displays we featured on Greensboro Daily Photo a year ago. Additionally, Tammy made all of the above assemblages and had them for sale at the event held at Curiosities at the Curb, held at the Yanceyville Curb Market this past Sunday. Tammy is one of those people who can look at an item and imagine what it could look like with a little paint, glue and doll parts. She is also known for her painted skulls and has several people who collect them. Also, we want to point out the lamp in the upper left-hand corner. The shade is made from about 80 slides from the collection of an art museum. Tammy painstakingly put them together to form the frame. Look at how the light shines through!

 Tammy also redesigns rooms, taking existing items you have in a room and moving them around in a way that helps the room look refreshed and more cohesive. You can tell by her smile in the above photo that she is a cheerful breath of fresh air. Tammy graduated from high school in Fayetteville, NC, and we sure are glad that she made the decision to relocate to Greensboro! You can find Tammy on Facebook at "Tammy Can Redesign".

Events, like the one at the curb market, are so good for the soul. After a couple of years of isolation, we are all ready for some social interaction and Tammy is such a breath of fresh air.

Happy Tuesday!

Free To Soar

Hallelujah, spring has sprung. This work of art, Free To Soar,"  is installed at the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden at Hobbs Road. The bronze was made in 2000 by Greensboro artist Michiel Van Der Sommen. Yesterday, we took a stroll through the garden and the grounds are definitely showing signs of spring. This is the time of year where the landscape changes almost daily. Yesterday, dogwoods were just starting to bloom and redbud trees had fully budded. Who knows about today. The garden was created in 1976 in honor of the bicentennial of the United States. 

If you want to visit, during the week, the gardens are not nearly as busy as on weekends. While the garden is only 7.5 acres, between the plantings, artwork, bridge, mill, gazebo, and creek, it seems so much bigger. In March and April, the hours are 8am-7pm. Mark your calendar for April 17th for the Parisian Promenade. It will be brimming with people, poodles, and other dogs that like to stroll with their owners.

Happy Friday! It's the weekend; feel free to soar!

Spring on South Elm Street

Spring is so beautiful in Greensboro. The above photo was taken downtown on the 300 block of South Elm Street. Many trees are in blossom this week! If you want to see them, the time is now! In the background of the photo is a mural painted in 2016 by performing and visual artist Kim Kennedy. The center panel features her musician friend Joey Barnes. This mural is withstanding the test of time and still looks as fresh as it did when painted six years ago. It was painted on the south end of a parking lot on Elm, on the building where Design Archives is located. 

When writer Anne Lamott spoke at Tanger Center on Tuesday, she mentioned a writing strategy she shares with her students. She encourages them to take a 1" frame, look through it, and write about what they see in that postage stamp sized view. At GDP, we don't use a 1' frame, but, when framing a photo, we do find great joy in  blocking out everything but what we see through the lens. No matter what is going on in the world, or what around you may not be pleasant, for the brief moment a photo is being taken, it becomes a world unto itself. Photos also capture a moment in time. This little view was of South Elm on 3/16/22 at about 5pm.

Lamott also suggested supporting the indie bookstores. If you are in the 300 block of South Elm, you are at downtown's fabulous indie bookstore, Scuppernong Books. Please shop local for your reading needs. Happy Thursday!

Jeans at Friendly; Lamott at Tanger

From the textile mill days, Greensboro was known as the denim capital of the world. The above pair of fiberglass jeans is one of many in the series "Celebrating Jeansboro, NC, 'Arts in the City', and you can find these works of art throughout the city and at the PTI Airport. The jeans above were painted by Public Artist Darlene J. McClinton, M.F.A. The project was first launched in 2015 as a contest for Guilford County School students to submit proposed ideas for designs. This pair at Friendly Center, with the look of splattered work pants, is located in the new side of Friendly in the common area  behind Ben and Jerry's. The idea of celebrating Greensboro's textile history with the blue jeans statues is so fitting. 

On a completely non-related topic, but relevant to Greensboro, Anne Lamott spoke at Tanger Center last night as part of the Guilford College Bryan Series. Lamott spoke to a full house and graciously held a book signing afterward. The line for the book signing was long and Scuppernong Books were on hand for people to purchase books on site. During Lammot's presentation, she revealed her grandson's other grandmother lives in Greensboro. Let's hope that gives her good reason to return to Jeansboro, ummm, Greensboro! We'd love to have her back. Even better would be to get a photo of Jax and his two grandmothers for Greensboro Daily Photo.

Art Behind Ben and Jerry's

Yesterday was beautiful in Greensboro and Friendly Center had a fair amount of foot traffic. The above scene was taken behind Ben and Jerry's in the patio/courtyard. People were enjoying the weather and spending time together. Long time Greensboro Daily Photo reader, and dear friend, Alice Hill suggested we have a look at the mural boards in this location. There are several. You can see two as a backdrop  to the photo. The one on the right says "Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home. Of course the one on the left says Greensboro. The area was done by local artist, and Grimsley High School graduate, Gina Elizabeth Franco. Gina came to a career in art, almost by accident when she volunteered to paint a library mural. Gina already has several local murals under her belt, including Westerwood Tavern, and the Interactive Resource Center.*

While today's weather is not as inviting as the weather yesterday, it is still a good day to get out and explore the city. One thing you won't want to miss is the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. It will be today and tomorrow; 10am- 5pm today and 10 am- 3pm on Sunday. They are a little short on volunteers, but we're sure the event will be memorable, especially for people who have never seen it before. Have a great day, regardless of what you decide to do.

 

*read more about Gina's art journey HERE, and HERE.

Paige Cox, Tufter Extraordinaire

Today's post features local Greensboro artist Paige Cox! We just had to follow up on what Paige has been doing since she left Reconsidered Goods. Paige started Reconsidered Goods, a creative reuse store in 2016; working there full time until this January (she had already stepped down as Executive Director this past August). Paige has struck out on her own to work full time as an artist. Paige earned an BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design. Pre-RG and pre-corporate, she focused on felting. The circular wall hanging in her in-home studio (above)  is one of her pieces. Today, you see a picture of Paige armed with her latest fiber passion, a tufting gun. Paige has mastered the art of tufting and makes adorable wall hangings and rugs. The ghostlike creature above is one of her most recent creations.

Tufting is an art form that really took off during the pandemic when the tools of the trade were redesigned and made more affordable to individual artists. Previously, the old technology was more industrial and cost prohibitive. Paige says TikTok is full of videos that have gone viral of tufters tufting. If you follow Paige on Instagram, you can see an example of the process (@paigecox_art). Paige describes her style as bright, fun, silly and whimsical. As you can see here, she loves bright colors. She has started selling her pieces in some galleries, but mostly sells through Instagram (and is open to commissions). However, for about the next month, Paige is helping with staging at the High Point Furniture Market and will be wearing a different creative hat, more like the one she wore when designing at Anthropologie. To be sure, anything Paige touches will be fabulous. 

We all miss seeing our dear artist friend at Reconsidered Goods. However, we have to be happy for her.  She is making great art in her in-home studio, where has the opportunity to spend more time with her husband and pets, including Wilson- the cat who roamed the floor at the Patterson Street location. Don't be a stranger, Paige, you have a fan club out here that really wants to stay in touch with you!

Happy Friday, everyone!

 

 

Artistic Motion Dance School of Arts and Preparatory Academy

Today, we conclude the photo shoot at Prescott Street with the rear view of the building where Artistic Motion Dance School of Arts and Preparatory Academy is housed. While the address is 800 West Smith Street, the building is right across the street from the house we featured yesterday and next door to the office building featured on Monday. The decoration of the back of the building is brilliant advertising. Smith Street is one way and if you take the street into town, you cannot possibly miss this building. If you notice, the sheet between the slivers of windows is made from giant vinyl banners. The part at the end of the building and between buildings is paint that matches the colors of the banner perfectly. The lines for the parking spaces accentuate the geometry of the building. 

Artistic Motion was founded in 2000. According to their website, they have an internationally acclaimed faculty with dancers from Russia, Georgia (the country), The Dominican Republic, England, and from many prestigious dance programs throughout the United States. They offer classes from ages 3-adulthood. The studio is conveniently located and there is plenty of parking. Perhaps the greatest news about Artistic Motion is that it is currently in partnership with Triad International Ballet, a new professional ballet company set to begin their first season in 2022! If you have ever seen a performance from dancers at Artistic Motion, you know the talent and precision of the dancers.

 Happy Wednesday! May we all find the beauty in the people and places of Greensboro. May we all have the positive outlook and commitment to perfection of artists in motion!

Piedmont Triad International Airport: Wrangler Jeansboro Statues

The Piedmont Triad International Airport was started in 1927 and, the 112 acre facility has been evolving and changing ever since. One of the latest efforts has been to enhance the facility with public art.

In 2018, four Wrangler Jeansboro statues were installed at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The above statue is by Jerry McGuire of Pfafftown. It is called "Slice of Heaven." This statue is located is baggage claim, one of the public areas of the airport that you can actually view even if you are not traveling. You don't need to go through airport security to see it. The statue itself is made out of fiberglass. The first installations of the jeans statues were in 2016. They are located not only at the airport, but also around town. Wrangler sponsored them as a nod to Greensboro's history with denim and jeans.* At one time, Cone Mills in Greensboro was the largest denim maker in the world. Wrangler actually coined the term Jeansboro in 2015. Many of the jeans statues were painted by students of Guilford County Schools.**

When we were at the airport Saturday night, we were only picking up a traveler, but it sure made us want to do a little globe trotting. However, at the end of the day, it sure was nice to return home and hunker down for the Sunday morning snow storm. Happy Wednesday 

 

*reference and more information, HERE.

** another great reference.

Cast Impressions of Manhole Covers

The above art is a technique of casting impressions of manhole covers. They are made by the production manager of the Greensboro Symphony, Vito Ciccone. Originally from Washington, D.C. Mr. Ciccone has been in North Carolina since the late 1960s, early 1970s when he graduated from UNC Pembroke with a degree in fine art and printmaking.  A person of many talents, Mr. Ciccone has been making these cast impressions for almost a decade, and displays them at Tate Street Coffee House regularly in December.

The process is involved and includes cleaning off the manhole cover, making sure that pedestrians and law enforcement understand that he is making art and not vandalizing. He wears a vest with the word "artist" on the back, to help assuage people's concerns. Mr. Ciccone also makes the paper used in the process, makes the impressions, and then adds color, and finally stamps on the street address and longitude and latitude of where the impression was made. We had to do some internet sleuthing to find out the back story on the above pieces because, at Tate Street Coffee House, we couldn't find his name anywhere, only a small piece of paper with "make me an offer I can't refuse" and a phone number.*  The impressions really document a community. For example, on the left, you see that Greensboro was founded in 1808. It is easier to see the documentation around the perimeter of the one on the right. 

We don't know how much longer they'll be up, but as of yesterday, they were still on display at Tate Street.

* A big thank you to the Greensboro News & Record and the fine writing of Dawn Kane, whose article appeared (HERE) in the paper 12/7/2017. 

4th Annual Holiday Invitational at CVA

The non-profit, Center for Visual Artists has been open in Greensboro since 1956:That is quite a legacy of celebrating local art and supporting artists. If you have any extra time this week, head down to the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street and have a look at all of the galleries throughout the  facility. Also, if you are looking for last minute gifts, the Center for Visual Artists is holding their 4th Annual Holiday Invitational. You can buy so many interesting items from local artists. Christmas will sneak up on us this year, given it is on a Saturday and Christmas Eve is on a Friday night. That gives us four more shopping days until Christmas. Even if you don't need gifts, it is nice to get out and see some great art. CVA will be open Tue, Wed, and Thur this week. Here is a link to CVA's website so you can see hours and learn more about the show and plan a visit this week.

Happy Monday!

Love Lock Sculpture

A Love Lock Sculpture has been installed at Eclectic by Nature on State Street. Customers, and people passing by, are encouraged to add a lock. This work of art is especially beautiful with all the diverse locks being added to it.  Lovers  are really adding some interesting locks and these are not just your PE locker Masterlocks. Of special interest are the brass, lion lock (upper left) and the clear plastic lock, bottom left. Also, the above photo shows the mural of State Street behind the sculpture. There is so much art and visual interest in the EBN garden.

If you haven't noticed lately, State Street has absolutely blossomed. From the North Elm Street end to the Church Street side, there are many new businesses and they are all full of holiday goodness. The new kid on the block is Bull City Ciderworks, just down the street from Eclectic by Nature. Another neighbor is Vida Pour Tea, a big contributor to the revival of State Street. However, Eclectic By Nature is one of the "grandparents" on State Street. While not always in this location, EBN will celebrate their 19th anniversary on Saturday, December 18th. Last time we were in, we were offered a cup of tea. We're betting they still have that same tradition. So, as you plan out your weekend, stop in and wish the EBN family a happy anniversary, put a lock on the sculpture, and let a little magic happen.

Happy Wednesday!

Lobby Art Piece at Tanger Center

Yesterday, we featured a photo of the outside of Tanger Center with no people. Today, we wanted to share a view of the inside just before Sunday's afternoon performance of Dear Evan Hansen. It was close to a full house! Notice how many people are wearing cobalt blue tops- almost as if it were planned.  We also wanted to point out the artwork, in case you missed Dawn Kane's November 15th article about it in the News & Record.

The ceiling art in the entrance hall is by Cuban artist Mabel Poblet. Entitled "Genesis" , the installation consists of approximately 200 strands of reflective, metallic and clear discs. They create a nice balance of a busy ceiling with lots of movement against a busy floor with lots of movement, with the middle space open and empty. The lobby, Phillips Hall, is 8,000 square feet and the Phillips Foundation financed the artwork and its installation.* It also fits nicely with Janet Echelman's iconic floating artwork hovering above LeBauer Park. Happy Tuesday!

*reference and read the N&R article HERE (please consider subscribing, if you don't already). 

Hollis Gabriel, Artist

This weekend was so full of holiday activities. From Hanukkah services to the First Friday celebration to the Holiday Parade to the Made 4 the Holidays Market at the Greensboro Farmers' Market and more, there was plenty to do. Also, several local artists held events. The artists at Sternberger Artist Center at 712 Summit Avenue held an open house. The above photo is of local artist Hollis Gabriel* who has a studio there. Hollis is sitting in front of a few pieces of her art. Hollis is a painter, doll maker, and a makes aprons and scarves from prints of her paintings. The scarf she is wearing in the photo is from a painting, likely the long, narrow one on the right.  You can also see some of her other scarf designs draped over the back of the couch.

Hollis, who grew up in New York and New York City, also lived for several years in New Orleans. She taught school for 20 years, incorporating a lot of art into her teaching. She is a self-taught artist who likes a lot of color in her paintings. She comes by her artistic talent honestly as her father made mobiles, and she actually helped her father with his mobile making in the later years of his life. If you like bright colors, pattern, and talking to intelligent, and vibrant people, stop by her studio for a visit. You probably still have time to purchase a scarf or two if you are looking for Christmas gifts.

Happy Monday!

See HERE for a Greensboro News & Record article about Hollis and her art from June 22, 2010.

Glenwood Art and Creative Greensboro

Harry Turfle, front right-  holding a cup of paint and a paintbrush- is lead artist on the Creative Greensboro Project in Glenwood. This weekend, artists and community members came out to help with the painting of the crosswalks at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Grove Street. The painting was the culmination of many neighborhood discussions and meetings between interested Glenwood residents. Harry said, in true artists' fashion, the group had to change their plans for the design. The special paint needed for painting on asphalt was not available in yellow and purple (supply chain issues)!  They didn't want to delay the project. As you can see above, the slightly more muted palate is actually quite striking and the black and white squares add a lot of energy to the design. The Glenwood group wanted the design to have movement without being too distracting to pedestrians.

Harry, passionate about community art, especially in his Glenwood neighborhood, identifies as an "wast coast mutt," having lived in several cities and states along the eastern seaboard. Harry came to Greensboro to attend UNCG, where he earned an MFA in art. He is very happy to call Greensboro, and Glenwood, home now. Thank you Harry for all you are doing for the community.

Read more about the Creative Greensboro and Artist In Residence programs, HERE.

Learning about Day of the Dead at MCUNCG

Dr. Janis L. Antonek, photographed above, is standing beside the Day of the Dead altar she constructed with help from her students and in collaboration with local artist Beka Butts. The exhibit is installed at the Middle College at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (MCUNCG). It is displayed in the hallway for all students to enjoy, not just those taking Spanish this semester. The papel picado/cut paper, the lettering, and the tissue paper flowers were all made by students at the school. The goal of the project is to make it possible for students to make Mexican art and to learn about the practices, products, and perspectives centered around Mexican culture. Even though the theme of MCUNCG is health and life sciences, there are many students at the school who enjoy art. This project is an opportunity to incorporate visual art into the Spanish language curriculum.

The Endowment Grant Committee of the North Carolina Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation awarded Dr. Antonek a 2021 MAXINE AND DON McCALL ENDOWMENT GRANT for Gifted Education or Fine Arts. Dr. Antonek was delighted to receive the grant because it is making it possible to collaborate with local artists, to purchase supplies, and to let students make art. Dr. Antonek says the students really seem to be enjoying learning about Mexican art and culture.

(photo credit T. Hefner).

Fraleigh's Artwork at the Weatherspoon

Looking for something to do this weekend? Head over to the Weatherspoon Art Gallery and experience this exhibit by Angela Fraleigh, entitled, "Splinters of a Secret Sky." It was made especially for Greensboro and the Weatherspoon on UNCG's campus. Fraleigh's three large-scale paintings evoke art from era's past and are inspired by the legacy of Claribel and Etta Cone. The Cone sisters, from the wealthy, entrepreneurial, philanthropic Cone family of Greensboro,  helped establish the Weatherspoon's collection. The Cone sisters traveled in Europe extensive, knew many famous artists personally and collected passionately. Fraleigh's paintings represent women absorbed in each other, as opposed to being painted as subjects of the male gaze. Great always has a twist, food for though. Imagine (and see) these subjects not giving a care about who might be looking at them.

As a special twist on the thought, the two unidentified museum visitors in the right corner were doing a photo shoot, using segments of "Splinters of a Secret Sky" as a backdrop for their photos. Just like the Matisse inspired mural in the background, the two figures to the right are grayscale; quite a contrast from Fraleigh's painted ladies. The Weatherspoon is free, and open to the public. Head to the corner of Tate and Spring Garden streets and have a visit. We bet you will find the art inspiring. Happy Friday!

Art Stock Artists: 2021 Twenty-third Year!

The above four artists featured their artwork this past weekend in the Scout Hut on the property of Irving Park Elementary School on the edge of Kirkwood and Irving Park.  They are, from left to right, Janet Berry, Renee Swink, Rosalind Stanford-McCarty, and Mary Schiavone. Mary works mainly in acrylics and the other three mainly in oil. All four are painters and their paintings are very reasonably priced and would be a lovely addition to any home.

Janet's husband Bob is one of the organizers and publicists for the show. Carolyn Owen founded Artstock in the 1996 as a way for artists to have a way to show and sell their art. She died in 2018, but fortunately Artstock continues.* The tour is free and open to the public. Artists pay a nominal fee to participate and do not have to pay commissions on their sales. If you missed ArtStock this year, you can contact the artists directly (see below).  You would have plenty to choose from if you needed a painting for your home or to feature in your business. We don't know the other artists well, but we featured Renee, here, on Greensboro Daily Photo in 2015. Her art continues to delight us; and the art of her colleagues is very nice, too. See Renee's art at her website. Contact Janet at [email protected], Rosalind at [email protected], and Mary at [email protected]

The Scout Hut is a perfect venue for showing art. Four to six artists fit in there easily and this cute little building is so conveniently located at the corner of Dellwood Drive and Cornwallis Drive. Happy Monday, everyone!

* read more HERE.

Cassandra Liuzzo and the GROW Initiative

Today, we're featuring Greensboro artist Cassandra Liuzzo who has been participating in a Greensboro Residency for Original Works (GROW). Her GROW project involves community weaving and her space is located in the Cultural Arts Center at 200 N. Davie Street. Next week, on October 13th, Cassandra will be speaking about the project from 6:30- 8:00 pm.*  You may recognize Cassandra as the owner of Shelf Life Art and Supply Co., a new and used art supply store she established in 2014. Before Reconsidered Goods and Jerry's Art Supply, Cassandra had the idea to open a store that gave artists a place to sell supplies they didn't need and to purchase new and used supplies for their own projects. Even though her brick and mortar store in Irving Park is no longer open, Cassandra continues to combine her love of creating new works of art with her love of reusing items. The lower left corner of this photo features a page from one of her many sketch book pages. Most of the pages have something old, reused, or found. Cassandra, a lifelong Greensboro resident, graduated from Grimsley High School where she got so much of her visual art training. She also honed her art skills and appreciation for the cost of supplies while studying at Appalachian State University. 

The collaborative weaving project, conceptualized by Liuzzo for her residency, involves getting as many community members as possible to engage in making weavings from fabric scraps. If you stop by the cultural arts center when she is in the pop up work space, you can add to one of the weavings. No prior experience is necessary. She will be there this Friday from 12- 1pm, and when she speaks next Wednesday.

Read more about the City of Greensboro's GROW initiative for community engagements in the arts , here. Here is a link to our 2015 post about Cassandra and Shelf Life. How wonderful that the City of Greensboro is supporting creative arts projects, not just in downtown, but also in several neighborhoods. Also, how wonderful that Cassandra is taking time to share her artistic talent with the Greensboro community. Sometimes all it takes to help someone gain confidence and GROW in art is to have a free, low-stakes opportunity to give art a try!

* see more in a Yes Weekly article, here.

Nydorf on Stratton on Nydorf

Today, we're featuring a photo of Roy Nydorf, taken at the GreenHill on the eve of Jack Stratton's presentation about his retrospective exhibit. Roy is standing beside a painting entitled, "Roy's Bonfire, The Smaller Bonfire." You guessed it, Roy Nydorf is the Roy in the title,  the person holding the staff, the front person in the painting. Roy came to Greensboro in 1978  as an art professor at Guilford College. In the book published for Jack's retrospective exhibit, Roy is one of the people Jack thanks for having influenced him. Jack explained that the above photo was painted, in 2006,  after Jack had been to Roy's house and Roy had decided they would have a small bonfire as opposed to a large one. There is another painting in the exhibit from a big bonfire at Roy's.

On Wednesday, we noticed Roy as he was standing and admiring the above painting. We discussed the painting with Roy, knowing he was the subject of the painting. He  commented on the masterful use of color. The highlights on Roy, resulting from the fire, are lime green- a bold color, yet it fits perfectly and exemplifies Jack's keen understanding of color theory. Roy said the painting is fabulous and that it exudes artistic confidence. He also told his wife that if there were one painting he would consider purchasing, it was this one. However, Roy himself is an artist as were his parents, and wall space in his Oak Ridge home is at a premium. "Roy's Bonfire, the Smaller Bonfire"  sold that night and the new owner promised Roy he had visitation rights, a "win/win" for all involved! It was so special to spend time in the same room with both Roy Nydorf and Jack Stratton and to learn how strong their relationship remains after decades. Roy, who had his own retrospective at Green Hill in 2012, is a legendary Greensboro artist. It was special see him with his protégé, Jack in a venue filled with Jack's art, some of which was inspired by Roy. Living in Greensboro is like that. By "that" we mean that you spend time with influencers of influencers in venues small enough to leave feeling like you have new friends for life. Events at GreenHill are like "that" too!!!

Happy Saturday. Head to the GreenHill Gallery and see this exhibit before it is gone.

 

 

Jack Stratton at GreenHill Center for the Arts

Last night, Jack Stratton spoke at Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art in their gallery on Davie Street. The exhibit has been installed since mid-July and will continue through the first week in November. Jack, originally from Western North Carolina, has been creating art his whole life. He remembers his childhood years when art was a somewhat clandestine activity for him. He drew to make visual his aspirations and fantasies. When teachers caught him drawing when he should have been listening, they would take his drawings away, thereby making art seem like a subversive act. As he spoke through the evening, Jack explained that his art is about "the nature of experience and the passage of time." Jack explains that he sees art as a path. "it takes you places; you learn stuff." 

Jack's paintings are full of color and the human form. He draws just enough to elucidate the narrative, but no more. His paintings are not cluttered with detail. With his  keen sense of color theory, his use of light, and his evoking the earthly elements, Jack has created a style that makes his paintings very identifiable. Jack says he's less interested in documenting an event and more interested in saying something about the nature of the experience itself. Walking through the gallery and seeing Jack's art and then getting to hear him talk about was, indeed, a special treat. We took several photos of Jack, but selected an image that captures the same sense as his paintings. In so many of his paintings, hands are prominently featured. We had to get him using expressive hand gestures, a photo showing the fleeting moment of his interacting with the attendees at the show. We leave you today with a Jack Stratton quote, just in case you are tempted to buy a piece of his art, "Life is short, but art is long." Indeed, art endures, and we are sure Jack's will only increase in value over time.

If you are downtown tomorrow for First Friday, or anytime in October when the Green Hill gallery is open, please stop in and have a look. We are so lucky to have Green Hill as a community resource. Learn more about the center and gallery, here.

Leah Junquera

Last Friday, en route to the North Carolina Folk Festival, we happened upon UNCG's Greensboro Project Space where Leah Junquera was installing art for her show. The gallery is the off-campus contemporary art center for the UNCG School of Art. It is in a new location, at 111 East February One Place, right beside Cincy's. Leah is a recent graduate with an MFA in painting. She loves to paint landscapes that focus on the relationships between trees and the earth. Leah is originally from the foothills of the Adirondack Park in New York and the landscape from that area really influences her work. According to her website, "her paintings oscillate between physical landscape and inner space"... and she "investigates where expired hopes go." Her paintings have thought provoking titles like, "Where do we go from here?" and "She sewed all the curtains herself before she even knew the road existed." 

Leah is especially fond of the color blue, all of the hues from turquoise to ultramarine. She has a deep understanding of color theory and it comes through in her paintings. This talented young artist has paintings available in all price points, and we predict her work will become well known. It is so wonderful UNCG has a gallery downtown and you do not have to be UNCG affiliated to show there or to be involved in their events. Community engagement is a priority. The gallery is free and open to the public. If you time your visit just right, you can get a hot dog at Cincy's and see Leah's artwork at the same time. If you are super lucky, Leah will be there you to take you on a mini-journey through her installation.

50+ Artists

A few years ago, Bobby Craddock (second from left with a scratched cornea) formed the 50+ Artists Group, for older creatives to gather, talk art, nurture their creativity and find ways to show and sell their art. This past Saturday, the Greensboro group went on location to Danbury in Stokes County. They went to visit the Stokes County Arts Council to see what ideas could be brought back to Greensboro. The arts building on 500 Main Street in Danbury has a gallery, a shop for selling art, a coffee shop, a theatre/venue for gathering, workshop space, and studio space. There are plans for even more features for the property. 

In the above photo, five members of the 50+ group are seated in the studio where artist Craig Richards paints and displays his work. Craig took time out of painting a landscape to take a few photos for our group. Seated, from left to right, are members, Joyce Lind Terres, Bobby Craddock, Janis Antonek, Mavis Liddell, and Carlton Craig. Being surrounded by Craig's art (see back wall), talking art, and getting ideas to bring back to Greensboro made for a very productive day. If you are interested in joining the group, and are close enough to Greensboro to take advantage of the meet ups, talks, and shows, please see the 50+ Artists Community on Facebook. In the above group alone, there is expertise in mixed-media art, assemblage, found-art jewelry, photography, oil and acrylic painting and woodworking. There are 150+ members of 50+ artists, all with special talents and on their own creative journey!

Happy Thursday!

History by the Cup

Today's post is of a sculpture that is part of the "History by the Cup" collection. In 2008, eight bronze cups were placed around the city, They commemorate the historic lunch-counter sit-ins that began with the request for a cup of coffee. The above cup is placed in front of the Cultural Arts Center, near the outdoor seating of Café Europa. It is called, "In the Face of Strange Fruit," by the artist Derrick Monk. There is a quote on a plaque below it, by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, "He who is different from me does not impoverish me- he enriches me." That is a nice quote to keep handy and to live by. 

Next time you are walking around downtown, or if you are downtown for the North Carolina Folk Festival next weekend, you will likely be near the cups. It can be fun to try to find there. Here is a map to help you if you want a self-guided tour. On the day we first noticed this cup, we were in front of the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street listening to the Triad Ukulele Club. If you like ukulele music or want to learn to play, learn more about the group here. Exploring our community is so special. From listening to music on a First Friday, we learned about the ukulele club and took time to focus on one of the sculptures we had not stopped to look at before. "History by the Cup" reminds us of the power of one, and the fact that we all have the potential to enrich each other's lives.

Happy Saturday! 

Christ's Blessing

Recently, we had a request to feature this stained glass window, located inside the Greensboro History Museum on Summit Avenue. Here is a view from the 3rd floor, looking down to the second, where the window is located. The stained glass window is here because the building was originally the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro. There is not better way to describe it than to share what is on the plaque. As for its beauty, the window speaks for itself.

"Christ's Blessing, c 1903: Painted and kiln-fired stained glass using oxide paint, translucent opalescent glass, rippled cathedral glass and lead framing, including a memorial plate and original horizontal steel bracings. The theme for this beautiful Tiffany-style window comes from the Gospel verse, 'Let the little children come unto me... for such is the kingdom of heaven.'*  It was sponsored by members of the Scales family in memory of their mother Effie and Father Junius, who was a prominent 19th-century Greensboro attorney and state legislator. 

You are standing in the Smith Memorial Sunday school Building, one of the two areas in the museum that originally served as First Presbyterian Church. The other area, to the north, housed the sanctuary. Every arched window in the historic church building featured stained glass.

The window was removed in 1929 to the new First Presbyterian Church in Fisher Park and placed on display in a classroom. Experts reinstalled the stained glass in its original location in 1990." And, here it remains today. It is even more beautiful in person. The museum is free, and open to the public from 2:00- 5:00 pm today if you want to stop by and see it. Happy Sunday!

*Matthew: Chapter 19, Verse 14.

Center for Visual Artists

The Center for Visual Artists, located at 200 North Davie Street, does so much to connect artists and the community and to help members of the community learn to be artists The center's origins date back to 1956 with the Greensboro Artist's League. The above photo was taken during First Friday in August when they were showing SMORGASBOARD: A Feast of Summer Art, an array of student work from summer camps. 

The three black and white scrolls on the left are part of the end of residency exhibition, Seeing Through, by local artist Karen Archia (see article here). They are 36' long and are called, "Black Lives Inspire."  Karen, one of the owners of the People's Perk Coffee Shop, has been a local figure making a positive impact on the community for a very long time. Now, instead of serving up little life lessons with a cup of coffee, she is doing it with brushes and ink. She is one of many examples of the talented artists you will have an opportunity to interact with if you get involved with the Center for Visual Artists.

Happy Wednesday! May your day be filled with joy and original art.

MLK + Elm

Yesterday, we featured Tate + Gate; today, we feature MLK + Elm. This photo was taken during First Friday this past weekend. It is so fun to walk downtown and it is so easy to find inspiration for things to photograph. This photo was take at twilight, while there was still a little blue left in the sky. The ambient lighting and the red car on the right made the September 11th sculpture stand out. Local sculptor Jim Gallucci collected 16 tons of Steele from the Twin Towers rubble to use in sculpting, some of which is seen in the above sculpture. He got the last permit issued to visit the scrapyards. His credentials as a sculptor working in metal surely helped gain entrance. The above sculpture was installed on South Elm Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in 2017 after traveling to several places around the United States.

If you get a chance, head downtown and have a look at it. If you teach school, you may want to take some photos to share with students. The base is shaped like the Pentagon and the gate you see in the middle is held together by two steel beams from the World Trade Center. Jim put so much thought into the sculpture as well as much symbolism, Here is a good reference from the News and Record to learn more. Today's photo is a little effort to make art to showcase Jim Gallucci's art. Greensboro is so lucky to have Jim, a sculptor who is not only talented but also  connected to history and current events. His sculptures have so much meaning.

Have a great Tuesday!

RBG Mural

Let's start Monday with a work of art. Recently, we were at Irving Park Frame Shop at 2105 W Cornwallis Drive and, as we were leaving, noticed this mural of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While there is no shortage of RBG murals, it is nice to have one in Greensboro. She has been an inspiration to so many, near and afar. The mural is the perfect thing to see at a frame shop/art gallery. Notice the way her collar extends down to the sidewalk. The mural is signed by THARE. Unfortunately, a Google search did not yield results. Nor is THARE on the extensive list of muralists on the Kotis site (here). We'll keep trying to track down THARE. If you know this person, let us know and we'll link to the artist's website.

It is nice to have these murals at street level. That makes it easy to get photos. Midtown really has become known for its murals. That is a fun summer thing to do, get out and explore the murals. Referring to this interactive street art map really helps. We see online that Justice Ginsburg visited Raleigh, but we don't see anything to indicate that she visited Greensboro. Oh well, she has been immortalized on the above brick wall with a green (for Greensboro) background.

Happy Monday!  Six more days until summer and seventeen more days until Cookout has watermelon milkshakes!!!

Cheesecakes By Alex

Today's photo is the mural inside the new dining room at Cheesecakes by Alex at 315 South Elm Street. It was painted by the Greensboro-based artist, Jenna Rice (@JennaRiceArt). In the mural, Jenna painted Alex on the left with son Timmothy who is also in the business. Alex opened his business downtown since 2002. Over the nearly 20 years, the menu has expanded from a few cheesecake flavors to over two dozen. There are traditional flavors, like New York style to  seasonal flavors (blueberry, pumpkin), and unique flavors like butter pecan, and bananas foster. Indeed, there is a flavor for everybody. Additionally, there are other desserts like cupcakes, cookies, macaroons and macarons. 

Alex has had his bakery downtown early on in the revival of downtown Greensboro, opening it in the same year that the Green Bean Coffee Shop opened.  If you are downtown and want something sweet, step in and treat yourself to a slice of cheesecake and say hello to Alex, Timmothy, and the rest of the crew. Happy Thursday.

Westerwood Mural: Part Alebrije, Part Postcard

Today's mural is on the side of the Westerwood Tavern. The Westerwood Tavern has been a Westerwood institution for over sixty years. While the name and owners have changes, that Cheers feeling of everybody known your name remains the same. Westerwood is a neighborhood of artists and the bar holds events to support artists. Today's mural is an example of their support of the arts.

The mural is most visible when headed west on Guilford Avenue. It evokes part Mexican alebrijes (as in the movie Coco) and part vintage Americana postcards. Local artist Beka Butts@bbutts_illustration created the mural. We actually featured Beka last November when she was working at the Day of the Dead exhibit for Casa Azul (see here). Beka trained at Savannah College of Art and Design and, fortunately, decided to bring her SCAD training back to Greensboro and share it with us!

Happy Saturday! May you have a chance to explore your community this weekend; whether it is Greensboro or elsewhere.

People of Greensboro: Kevin Rutan

Kevin Rutan, today's featured guest, is seen standing among pieces of artwork sold at his recent studio show. Kevin is the ever talented, nationally-known, decorative artist and owner of "Fe Fi Faux, Inc." When not faux finishing walls for clients in the USA and abroad, Kevin can be found in his studio expressing his creativity on canvas. All of his artwork is original- no prints. He is especially known for faces of women, one of which was featured on the January 2021  O. Henry magazine cover. Kevin balances painting canvases with faux finishing which he learned in the Institute Guégan in Brittany, France, developing great expertise in faux bois and faux marble finishes. Kevin has lived in Greensboro for the past fifty years.

Twice a year, Kevin holds art shows in his College Hill studio, located behind his Joyner Street house. His house was once owned by William Raymond Taylor who was on staff at UNCG from 1921-1961. During his time in the house, William Taylor made theatre curtains in the above studio and the Rutans lived next door. When the Taylor family sold this great property, they offered it to their neighbors, the Rutans. Kevin has kept the legacy of creativity alive in this house that turns 100 this year. If you like modern art that balances creativity with technique, keep an eye out for Kevins paintings. See examples of Kevin's paintings at his recently created website. He has paintings at all price points, starting at only $45. Happy Tuesday!