Departing Storm. Margie Kluska, artist
Through Monday, February 28, Asheville Gallery of Art presents Time for Renewal, an exhibition of works by three new gallery members: Kathy Goodson, Margie Kluska and Johnnie Stanfield. The show will celebrate the resetting and renewing nature of springtime. Visitors can meet the artists at a gallery reception on First Friday, February 4, from 5–8 p.m.
Lenten Rose silk painting. Kathy Goodson, artist
Kathy Goodson works in silk and dye or encaustic to capture botanical flowers and leaves. “Color is what captivates me when winter begins to change into spring,” she says. “Flowers are my favorite subjects because their colors can be dramatic. The Lenten Rose is the first flower to emerge in late winter. Its colors are subtle and muted, unlike the later flowers of spring and summer. I hope visitors will be drawn into my paintings as a visual feast after the browns and grays of winter.”
Margie Kluska is inspired by classical artists and Hudson River School painters. She recently started using oils to paint scenes from nature, including mountain ranges, sunsets, and the flora and fauna of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She calls her style “loose realism” and uses light to transform the feeling of her works.
Sheltering in Place. Johnnie Stanfield, artist
Johnnie Stanfield is known for her colorful, vivid watercolor and acrylic paintings of horses, fishing lure studies and local landscapes. She occasionally uses acrylic and oil for details in her paintings, but appreciates the softer feel provided by watercolors. Her interpretation of renewal in the show is somewhat different, referencing her rejuvenating and restful experience during the shelter-in-place order of 2020. “The time alone gave me an opportunity to slow down, rest and see my world through a different perspective,” she says. “In viewing my paintings, I would hope that you look deeper into the subject matter and feel it. It’s more of a spiritual renewal instead of a seasonal one.”
Asheville Gallery of Art is located at 82 Patton Avenue in Asheville, across from Pritchard Park. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To learn more, call 828.251.5796, visit AshevilleGallery-of-Art.com or follow the gallery’s Facebook page.
