No Partridge In A Pear Tree

Visitors to the Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro in December won’t see traditional holiday decorations. Rather, they will be treated with a serendipitous mix of colors and textures created by members of the Chatham Artists Guild, the organization offering the 19^th Annual Chatham Studio Tour the first two weekends in December. This show runs through February 4^th. There will be a Meet the Artists reception on January 8^th from 4 to 6 PM.

The Brewery show was organized by nationally recognized Chatham artist Shannon Bueker, whose nature inspired abstract paintings are featured in the assemblage of works. Bueker is well known for layering color and line, keeping wispy lines of charcoal, describing movement and strengths, and developing a rich, varied surface. Her work reveals nature‘s grace and unfolds its layers of interactions, interconnections and the surprising overlaps. “This exhibit has an interesting mix of media with subject matter ranging from non-objective to nature themes -- space, ocean, leaves, forests, line, pattern, texture.” Bueker explains, “I like the predominant colors -- pink, purple, bronze.” Another featured artist, Joey Howell, is displaying some of his Galaxy Series paintings interpreting what we might see peering out into space through a powerful telescope. Paintings by Cindy Bainbridge, Vidabeth Bensen, Phyllis Burns, Vangie Cathcart, Forrest Greenslade, Kate Ladd, Leslie Palmer, Rita Spina, sculpted gourds by Carol Tinsky, fabric art by Karen Tiede and photographs by Thomas Boone round out the show.

The Chatham Artists Guild (www.chathamartistsguild.org) is a non-profit organization of regionally and nationally recognized visual artists. Each year, Guild members open their studios to the public through the Chatham Open Studio Tour. Visitors travel throughout lovely rural Chatham County to meet artists in their own work spaces, and share their ideas on art and the creative process. 

Carolina Brewery (www.carolinabrewery.com) a locally-owned brewery and restaurant, has drawn international attention for its handcrafted beers and traditional bar fare in its Chapel Hill and new Pittsboro locations. 

Caption: Lantana, a 48 x 60 inch painting by Shannon Bueker at the Carolina Brewery.

Fearrington Arts Scene Featured

Fearrington artist and writer Forrest C. Greenslade has published a story “Fearrington’s Vibrant Scene: Behind every studio door, there is a unique life story” in the November online issue of Chatham County Line. Greenslade chronicles the roots of Fearrington’s visual arts community, and highlights the life pathways of several artists who live and create in this rural North Carolina village. To read the story, visit: http://chathamcountyline.org/shtmls/FearringtonsVibrantArtScene.shtml

Caption: A watercolor painting of an old barn, by Florence Johnson, one of the artists featured in the article.