Friday, December 04, 2009

In the Gallery -- December 2009

IT'S ALL IN THE BRUSH: Paintings by Nell Brown

Ah lovely December, here it is again sparkling for all it's worth, as is the Library Gallery showing off the enticing work of our three December artists. It's exciting. Nell Rose Brown has been patiently waiting to exhibit her art in our gallery. When she first came to town a few years ago, I met her in the Gallery and asked her to display. She heartily agreed and was astounded that she had to wait over a year to do so. But here is her work at last. Do enjoy! Nell was born and raised in the small town of Mecca in Parke County Indiana. She has always been interested in pictures and drew cartoons and scenery as a child. Her interest in art as a hobby began mid-life when she had the opportunity to take an oil painting class. It was love at "first brush stroke" and still is her favorite medium. Nell has been a member of the Covered Bridge Art Association for thirteen years and recently retired after serving seven years as the resident artist for Billie Creek Village in Rockville, Indiana. She is currently a member of the Jailhouse Artists who meet every other Monday at the Old Jail Museum. It is an informal gathering of artists learning from each other. Anyone interested in painting in any medium is welcome.

IT'S ALL IN THE BRUSH: Paintings by Peggy Underwood

Peggy Underwood, who joins Nell on the walls with her paintings this month, is a native of Montgomery County and grew up about three miles northwest of Darlington, on a small farm. She attended Darlington Consolidated School through eleventh grade and then had the distinction of being in the first graduating class of North Montgomery High School in 1972. She has always been interested in farm animals, baking, woodworking, photography and of course painting. Money was really tight for Peggy when she was interested in painting and she was only able to buy a brush at a time and a few tubes of paint. She discovered painter, Nancy Day and signed up to take oil painting classes for beginners. She enjoys painting, but finds it hard to stick to, so drifted into photography which takes less time and can be used as reference. She says she is not one of those artists that can finish a painting in a day. She sets multiple paintings up on easels, looks at them over a few days and sees where she wants to go with her subjects. With Nell, Peggy paints with the "Jailhouse Artists" at the Old Jail Museum and is represented at the Covered Bridge Art Gallery in Rockville, Indiana


WILLIAM WOLFE Sculptor/Painter

William (Bill) Wolfe is a native Hoosier and nationally renowned sculptor whose art career spans painting, multimedia, murals, design, and especially bronze sculpture. Around a decade ago, Bill left his advertising agency to focus on his sculpting and art career. Wolfe's studio is located in the small town of West Terre Haute, Indiana. Electing to reside in this small town setting gives Bill the opportunity to expand his creative ability while limiting distractions. From 1973-1976 he studied art at Indiana State University and from there was the co-developer/owner of Ideas Incorporated. Bill now focuses on life-size monuments. Working in collaboration with Sincerus Foundry of Indianapolis, Bill has become a successful sculptor documented by numerous television appearances and newspaper articles. His works can be found throughout Indiana and as far east as Webster, Massachusetts. Upon review of his body of work, Bill's specialty quickly reveals itself; portraiture-style sculptures that capture the spirit of historical and public figures. These frequently life-size or larger-than-life-size bronze sculptures embody more than realism, they often serve as an embodiment of the subjects' fundamental nature. Palpable examples of this exist in Bill's interpretation of Orville Wrights' inventive and imaginative nature, the unflappable determination of Hall of Fame baseball player Max Carey, and in the inexhaustible fortitude of Abraham Lincoln. While Bill has recently dedicated several veterans' monuments that portray soldiers' care and concern for others, his achievements in painting are not to be overlooked. Similar to his sculptures, his artwork tends to capture a quiet, not introspective, moment of time -- however brief. These paintings bring a Midwestern sensibility and offer a snapshot of reprieve from tumult. Both his sculptures and paintings leave a sublime footprint that echoes wisdom, reverence, and a subtle hope that is becoming an increasingly important legacy. This past May, Bill Wolfe was honored by Arts Illiana, his peers, and the Wabash Valley with a 2009 Award for Professional Artist. Wolf's 2009-2010 season is an extraordinarily busy one, with his restoration of the Gilbert Wilson at the ISU School of Education, a bronze monument in Virginia, a life-size bronze Abraham Lincoln in honor of the 200th birthday of the former president in Illinois, new murals at the Vigo County Court House, three new statues in Indianapolis, and the selected artist for the upcoming Max Ehrmann sculpture in downtown Terre Haute.

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