By Julie Ann Bell
What do you feel when art stops you in your tracks?
There are classes, books and videos about art appreciation as a topic of study. The subject matter ranges from learning about historical eras and the cultural influences of those times; art movements (such as Baroque, Impressionism or Pop Art); media (ink, oil paints, clay, glass and more); techniques (drawing, etching, impasto, collage, etc.) and vocabulary for talking about art.
View from Above. Lisa Underwood, artist
Art appreciation, as an emotional action, involves connecting with art and having a sense of the imagination and skill that went into creating a piece. Further, each of us may sense instinctually what we like or dislike, what makes us think, what fills us with wonder or yearning and what makes us curious about why anyone calls a piece “art.”
As visitors enter the studio, we watch as they speed past some display areas and linger at others. I do the same when I am at a gallery or art fair. There are styles, colors and subjects to which I’m particularly drawn and others that do not fit my personal aesthetic.
I’ve been known to burst into tears upon encountering large abstract paintings by Mark Rothko. I’ve sat for hours in front of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries and Monet’s Water Lilies in Paris. I’ve been enthralled by the light of the stained glass at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona and angles through slot canyons of the Southwest. I find delight in color, line and shadow in my travels and in my daily life.
But my preferences are not everyone’s preferences, so when we have an opening for a new artist, we strive for balance. We deliberately seek artists with differing levels of experience, subject matter, materials, methods and styles. This means some art is right up our personal alley and some is not—but it may be what another person may be seeking to look at or buy. Our goal at Trackside Studios is that visitors feel welcomed and that, amidst our variety, they discover something that moves them.
Fifty years ago, when I took an art history course in college, I could not have imagined that one day I would be creating art and co-owning an art collective with friends. My life-long career in nursing nurtured my caring and problem-solving skills; outdoor adventures and travel fed my need to expand my universe. Somehow these all coalesced into a wide-opened view of what is art and who is an artist. We pushed this envelope when we formed Trackside Studios in 2015, and we will continue to push this as we grow into the coming years.
We invite you to visit us. You will hopefully be captivated by many artists and their work. Some art may perplex you. Some may uplift your spirit. Some may fit your palette of favorite colors and some may be jarring. The art accompanying this month’s article is by Lisa Underwood. She is one of the artists at Trackside Studios whose work uplifts my spirit. She recently added wire to her colorful, flowing pieces which inspires me to try new approaches to my wire sculpting. Underwood teaches art in the adult enrichment programs at both AB-Tech and Blue Ridge Community College.
We invite you in—to encounter art and feel it move within you.
Trackside Studios is located at 375 Depot Street in the River Arts District. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, and by appointment. Learn more at TracksideStudios.com.
