The Midnight Rider. Jim Gary Phillips, artist
Art that celebrates themes touching on the spirit world and the seasonal shift to darkness will be the focus this month as American Folk Art & Framing presents Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The show opens on the website on Wednesday, October 1, at 11 a.m. and in the gallery on Friday, October 3, at 11 a.m. A reception, free and open to the public, will be held October 3 from 5–8 p.m., and the show will be on view in the gallery through Wednesday, October 29.
“Among this collection of paintings, wood-carvings and pottery you will find both the familiar and the supernatural: creatures of the night, skulls, devils and ritual vessels all await you in the garden,” says gallery owner Julia Mills. “Join us as we evoke the macabre for the entire month of October.”
Little Red Devil. Wayne Hewell, artist
Artists whose work will be featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil include Kent Ambler, Mike Ball, Carl Block, Wayne Hewell, Shawn Ireland, Jack Klippel, Lonnie and Twyla Money, Jim Gary Phillips and John Sperry.
Phillips is a Kentucky artist who was inspired to paint after meeting another Kentucky native who is a well-known woodcarver. Memories from his childhood, local legends, religious themes and Kentucky musicians all inspire Phillips in his paintings. “Somewhere between sacred and profane, you will fall in love with the way he creates his warnings against sin,” says Mills. “His infernal paintings denounce the evils of this earth, while still giving the viewer something to covet.”
Other works in the magical exhibition include wood-carved critters by husband-and-wife duo the Moneys, and face jugs that employ eyeballs, twisted horns and devilish features to suggest evil spirits, protective talismans and the ferrying of souls between this world and the next.
“Reflections of the macabre can bring us comfort in an unpredictable world,” says Mills, “and as we embrace the impending darkness with this gothic-inspired collection, come and see if you find something that haunts you.”
American Folk Art & Framing is located at 64 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit AmeriFolk.com or call 828.281.2134.
