ARTS Celebrates Local Artists
Arts for Rural Texas presents paintings by 20 regional artists. The exhibit, “Brushstrokes… New Visions,” opens at ARTS in Fayetteville, on Feb. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. Participating in the exhibition are artists instructed and led by Mary Quiros and Karen Vernon and include Tami Bone, Karen Bookout, Kathy Callaway, Martha Dennis, Vicki Hanly, Allyson Hoffmann, Carole Hurley, Kae Kinley, Phoenix Kooper, Andrea Mathis, Paula D. Morris, Darcia Mucha, Linda O’Neal, John Pittman, Kathy Sauer, Bernie Scott, Tracey Wegenhoft, and Ellen Wolpert.
Karen Vernon, ARTS’ Executive Director and curator of the exhibit, says, “Many of these painters are new to making art, having only begun to study in the last few years. Each of them seeks to grow and learn. Most have had lives and careers that were not related to the arts, careers in the oil industry, some in medicine, and others in business, education and more. Yet, today, they spend time each week, exploring, experimenting, and making new discoveries.
Creativity takes courage and opens optimism and curiosity. It is a skill that is nurtured in those that think “out-of-the-box.” Creative people are great leaders, people who don’t follow the ordinary and repeat history. Creative thinkers seek to solve new problems and make new discoveries.
The great thing about creativity, however, is that it can be developed in everyone. Sometimes it is discovered in the arts, sometimes in auto repair, other times it may be in gardening, or in medicine, or engineering. There is no limit to creativity and how it is involved in our lives. Each item we touch, our cars, our homes, the music we hear, the television programs we watch, they all come from someone’s creative thought.”
Three artists exhibiting in the Brushstrokes show shared their experiences. Dr. Karen Bookout earned a minor in art while getting her degree in veterinary medicine. She worked in drawing and clay. A few years ago, while visiting Fayetteville, she and her husband, Tom, fell in love with the community. After moving to the small town, she saw the paintings of Clovis Heimsath, a well-known artist who lives in Fayetteville. She was motivated by how enthusiastic Heimsath was about his own art, his career, and the opportunities in his life to create. This encounter opened a door of desire in Bookout, a desire to learn to paint. Karen is now retired from medicine but says, “My art gives structure to my retirement. It provides a source for growth and learning. It nurtures my desire to improve by creating a strong passion to attain something new and better. This has been especially helpful during the COVID-19 quarantine.” While others have become depressed and confused during the quarantine, Karen explains, that her time in isolation has been filled with discovery and experimentation.
Karen’s artwork focuses primarily on animals and humans, expressing the interactions and commonality between people and animals. She has repeatedly been commissioned to do portraits of special pets. “A lot of animal lovers are so amazingly emotional about their animals. Creating a painting of their pet is very rewarding.”
Kathy Callaway, a student of acclaimed watercolorist, Mary Quiros, says, “I have always loved art. It was my favorite class when I was in school. In my youth, I was always drawing horses. In high school a visiting artist, a sculptor, inspired me. I fell in love with sculpture and went on to become a bronze sculptor. I love creating works of art that depict children at play. A few years ago, I saw water media artist Mary Quiros of Fayetteville demonstrating a painting. Well, I was hooked and have been painting ever since. I love painting because I can complete a piece and see it totally finished. This is very different when working in sculpture, where the sculpted piece must be sent to the foundry to be cast and finished later by their craftsmen. I am so happy to be included in this show of adult students. I think everyone has interesting and varied works. It is fascinating to see what everyone presents as their individual vision. I enjoy every second of my creative time. I feel so lucky that I have this and it is something I can go and do.”
Allyson Hoffmann grew up in Fayetteville and is currently a student at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. Art has been in her life as long as she remembers. She already holds multiple awards for her paintings and is earning a degree in Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies with a concentration in ARTS Management. Her works have a strong focus on traditional realism, genre paintings that speak of the fast disappearing rural lands and the people and who inhabit them.
“Brushstorkes…New Visions” is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Arts for Rural Texas, a 50(c)(3) non-profit located in Fayetteville at 114 N. Live Oak on the Fayetteville historical square. The artists’ reception will be held Saturday, Feb. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m.
ARTS, currently entering its 18th year, provides free programs to thousands of children in the region and serves adults with workshops, performances and symposia. Learn more at www.artsforruraltexas.org or call (979) 378-2113.