Derek Hennigar, artist
In August, the Southern Highland Craft Guild celebrates its Wood Day and opens Beautiful Mystery, a new exhibition in the Folk Art Center’s Focus Gallery.
Beautiful Mystery opens on Friday, August 23, and features traditional and contemporary craft by five Guild members: batik paintings by Robin Ford, clay works by Susan Grier and Joe Frank McKee, jewelry by Ilene Kay, and wood sculptures by new member Brian Melton.
“Beautiful Mystery, as a theme, does cover a lot of territory,” says Ford, who began creating paintings for the show in late winter. “Most all of my work is concerned with Nature and the patterns found there, so I find this theme often in my quest for beauty and peace through my work.” Batik painting is a technique of painting cloth with hot liquid wax which resists the cold dye that is applied for color. “In the process, only one dye color can be used at a time, plus the waxing of that color,” says Ford. “Key importance is the sequence of colors used, light to dark, as each color layers over the last.”
Jewelry artist and metalsmith Kay handcrafts her jewelry in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which serve as an immense source of inspiration for her designs. “Each piece begins as a sketch that evolves into a pattern,” she says, “and I use hand tools to saw, texture, hammer and form high-quality materials like Argentium Silver, gold, and heat-colored titanium. I primarily work with Argentium Silver, fusing most pieces for stronger joins and using solder only occasionally. This forging method ensures each piece is unique and a true work of art. Every piece is meticulously filed, sanded and polished to achieve a beautiful finish, making the creation process an exciting daily adventure.”
In selecting works for Beautiful Mystery, Kay sought to reflect the natural majesty of the area and expand on her existing designs. “The theme Beautiful Mystery is embodied in my work by drawing inspiration from the ever-changing beauty of the mountains—the exquisite, delicate flora, and the sensory delights of each sunrise, sunset and rainstorm,” she says. Beautiful Mystery is on display through November 11.
The 2024 celebration of Wood Day will take place on Saturday, August 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fifteen master woodworkers will demonstrate their craft and compete in the annual carve-off competition from 1–3 p.m. The free event will also feature hands-on opportunities for visitors to work with wood.
SHCG is a nonprofit, educational organization established in 1930 to cultivate the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Highway 70 entrance in east Asheville. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Learn more at SouthernHighlandGuild.org.
