Three new gallery members will be featured in the May show at Asheville Gallery of Art. Flower Power showcases the beauty of North Carolina terrain with works by Nick Colquitt, Jean-Pierre Dubreuil and Yvonne McCabe. There will be an opening reception at the gallery on Friday, May 5, from 5–8 p.m.
Provence Village detail. Jean-Pierre Dubreuil, artist
For self-taught artist McCabe, the theme of this show couldn’t have been more suitable. “I love spring,” she says. While for many, the theme may harken back to the phrase coined in the 1960s, McCabe takes a broader perspective. “When I think of ‘flower power,’ I think of how different life would be without flowers to feed the world’s pollinators,” she says. “I also think of the colors, beauty and joy that florals bring to us all. For this show, I chose to paint an homage to different types of flowers in each of my paintings.”
The botanical paintings Colquitt made for Flower Power are a departure from the landscapes for which he is known. “I do love plants, so I’m thinking of these as portraits of forest friends and trying out a loose painting style that’s new to me,” he says. The control offered by oil paints, as well as their longevity, make this his medium of choice. ”I can vary drying time, viscosity and transparency when layering,” says Colquitt, who is also a self-taught artist. “I like that I don’t have to rush to blend smooth gradients before the paint dries.”
Many of Jean-Pierre Dubreuil’s paintings feature subject matter from his native France, but his current fascination is the nature and beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For Flower Power, he has made a series of oil-on-canvas and watercolor works. “I enjoy using watercolors as a sketching medium while on the move and use these as basis for works in oil in the studio,” he says. “I just hope that my art brings people an instant of pleasure when they look at it.”
Asheville Gallery of Art is located at 82 Patton Avenue in Asheville, across from Pritchard Park. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To learn more, call 828.251.5796, visit AshevilleGallery-of-Art.com or follow the gallery’s Facebook page.
