Salmagundi Gallery in Waynesville has added artist Lita Gatlin and her vivid, light-filled landscapes to its roster of exhibiting artists. Gatlin grew up immersed in the natural world and that early connection continues to shape her studio practice. “I had the good fortune of growing up in a rural community that afforded all opportunities to entertain myself outdoors,” she says. “My dad was in fish and game management and taught me to respect nature and learn from it. As an artist, I try to be observant of the colors in the natural world. Even the greyest of days provide an extensive palette.”
Looking West. Lita Gatlin, artist
Her work reflects not only the places she loves, but her desire to bring viewers into those places. That sensibility is one reason Salmagundi Gallery owner Jerry Jackson was eager to introduce her paintings to Western North Carolina collectors. The gallery will exclusively feature her mountain landscapes, while her coastal and wildlife works may be acquired through commission.
For Gatlin, finishing a piece is as much instinct as it is observation. “I consider a painting complete when it makes me happy,” she says. “I like to live with a piece a few days after it is finished and often I find just the right few brushstrokes or a pop of color to make it sing.”
Her hope is that visitors not only admire the landscapes she paints but also step into them—experiencing the temperature, sound and movement she feels when painting outdoors. “I strive to bring the outdoors in to the viewers of my art: to feel the cool mountain air or hear the trickling stream or the quiet of a mountain top, or notice that the light through the trees isn’t white or yellow but a palette of dancing colors being highlighted by the sun,” Gatlin says. “I strive to make the viewer feel they are there.”
Salmagundi Gallery is at 136 North Main Street, Waynesville. Learn more at SalmagundiGallery.com.
