The Art League of Henderson County will showcase work from artists across the Southeast this fall with Celebrate Art, a juried exhibition running from Friday, September 5, to Saturday, September 27, at the Art League’s new gallery, Art Place, in Hendersonville’s Historic 7th Avenue District. The show will open with a public reception from 5–7 p.m. on September 5.
Don’t Think – Paint. Julia Burchard, artist
The exhibition will feature original works in painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, fiber and mixed media, selected by juror Casey Engle, curator of Blue Spiral 1 Gallery in Asheville. Artists from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee were invited to submit entries, with awards recognizing excellence in each medium as well as Best in Show.
Among the artists featured is Paula Sefchok, whose work is guided by a strong sense of purpose. “My philosophy is rooted in the belief that art holds the power to raise awareness and elevate the well-being of individuals, society and the environment,” says Sefchok. “I create with the intention that my work can heal, inspire, provoke thought, challenge perspectives and, ultimately, offer hope.”
Her mixed media piece for the show layers monoprints created with acrylic paint, alcohol inks, markers, homemade stamps, stencils and masks, collaged with her own printed and embellished papers. The work is mounted on canvas, varnished and framed. “Submitting a piece in an art show is both exhilarating and intimidating, especially when it’s a juried exhibition with intense competition,” says Sefchok. “You find yourself displaying your work alongside so many gifted artists, which can feel daunting. Yet, it’s also a powerful opportunity. Putting your heart and soul into the world through your art is, in my view, one of the bravest things an artist can do.”
Philip Hacker, artist
Ceramic artist Philip Hacker will also have a piece in the show, a wheel-thrown vase made from a combination of white bear porcelain and black mountain clay. The piece’s texture and movement come from a chattering technique applied while the vase spins at high speed, paired with a translucent glaze over the chattered surface and a clear glaze over the mixed clays. “My art is a three-dimensional expression of my inner thoughts and emotions,” says Hacker. “When creating, I think about negative and positive space and I get joy out of creating something beautiful out of raw clay. Having a juried piece in the exhibit is affirmation that the beauty I see in my work is appreciated by others.”
Art Place is located at 730 Locust Street, Hendersonville. The exhibition is free to attend and will be on display during regular gallery hours. Learn more at ArtLeagueHVL.org.
