Annie Jacobsen, artist
This year, Mark Bettis Gallery will host the first annual Holiday Collectors Ornament Show, opening on Friday, November 11, with a reception from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the gallery. The show will run through December 27 and feature holiday ornaments created by 15 artists in a range of media.
“My ornaments are meant to remind us of the living creatures in our world,” says Balsam Abo Zour. “You will see insects, reptiles, and birds—I love their beaks, feathers, and talons. My ceramic ornaments have bright, vivid colors and twisted shapes.” Zour, who usually creates larger, more complex pieces, says this show has allowed her to be simple and playful. “I’m approaching this show from a child’s perspective,” she says. “I’m trying to capture the process where imagination and curiosity fuse.”
Deb Williams is also unaccustomed to working on this smaller scale, which has created a pleasant challenge. “I am creating some small cast glass houses that someone could put on their mantel, for example, and they are pieces that could be enjoyed year round,” she says. “My second design is a more traditional glass/mixed media snowflake. Each one will be different, just like real snowflakes.”
Not only does the Holiday Collectors Ornament Show offer the opportunity to see local artists working in new ways but it’s also a valuable holiday shopping opportunity. “Visitors will love the wide variety of ornaments that we are offering and that each was made custom by a local artist,” says Williams. “The artists are creating unique and interesting pieces that won’t be shown anywhere else in the area.”
Mark Bettis Gallery is located at 123 Roberts Street in the River Arts District of Asheville. For more information, visit MarkBettisGallery.com.
