Two new exhibits, “See it Your Way” and “Small Works,” opened to the public on July 1 the RAL Art Center at 19 N. Main Street, Kilmarnock.
Over 114 pieces of art, including paintings, digital art, pastels, photographs, ceramic art, mixed media art, fiber art, and stoneware are on display. Michael Jones, an artist and Art Center Manager for the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center in Williamsburg, judged both shows. He presented the awards and his comments at the First Friday reception on July 4 held at the RAL Art Center.
The Jane Stouffer Exhibit Room show, “See it Your Way,” includes 57 pieces. For first place, Jones selected “It’ll Be Okay, Baby Girl,” a pastel by Mel Neale. He awarded second place to “Native Thoughts,” an acrylic painting by Terry Willis. For third place, Jones selected “Under the Bridge Series-Great Wicomico,” a photograph by Andrew Raymer. Jones also selected six works for honorable mentions: “As Through a Mirror Darkly,” oil by Juli Schuszler; “Buds,” stoneware by Alicia Daily; “Country Road Magic,” acrylic by Brenda Slyvia; “Nature’s Miracle,” mixed media by Jacquie Colligan; “Ocean Motion,” by acrylic by Karen Kingsley; and “Ephemeral, acrylic by James Dylan.
The “Small Works” show includes 47 pieces which displayed on The Mobile Display Units in the main gallery. For first place, Jones selected “Master Crow,” a ceramic piece by Averelle Dylan. He awarded second place to “Enjoying the Night,” a wet and needle felting work by Barbara Brecher. Third place went to “Canola Gold,” an oil and cold wax work by Bonnie-Leigh Jones. Five works were selected for honorable mention: “Persway,” mixed media by James Dylan; “A Taste of Honey,” photograph by Annie Barsky; “Summer Vacation 2020,” mixed media by Sammy Anderson; “Liberty,” photograph by Gayle Werling; and “Calm Before the Storm,” acrylic by Harvey Lee Hinson.
These works will remain on display and be available for sale until July 26 at the RAL Art Center, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Works on display
Works by RAL co-op artists Courtney Guerrant, Tam Norman, and Ron Taylor will be on display throughout July in the windows of the Rappahannock Art League Art Center.
Guerrant is a jeweler who began to dabble in jewelry design and fabrication 25 years ago, beginning with creating pearl necklaces. She moved on to knotting gemstone of all kinds to make necklaces and bracelets, and her hobby grew into a business. Many of her designs are created with pearls and turquoise, which she started working with while living in Arizona.
Norman is a modern realist artist who works primarily in oils. A graduate of VCU, where her focus was on illustration and design, Norman captures different aspects of everyday life, including ordinary objects and local places. She also paints the occasional portrait. In addition to painting, Norman enjoys drawing, linoleum block printing, cross stitching, and gardening.
Taylor is a self-taught artist who enjoys both 2D and 3D mediums and works in oil, acrylics, watercolor, pastel, wood, metal, and any other material that best conveys the work. He depicts love, hate, happiness, sorrow, and quite often, whimsey, in his creations, and says of his work, “Art is the message. I am the messenger.” He says he speaks two languages, English and Art