For ten weeks, Edgewood Cottage will host regional artists in a studio setting for the eighth annual Artists in Residence series. The program is presented by the Blowing Rock Historical Society at Edgewood Cottage in downtown Blowing Rock. Edgewood Cottage was the first home and studio of Elliot Dangerfield and where he held his “Painting Lady” classes at the turn of the 20th century. His legacy continues with this program that will feature local artists during the summer months.
Artists will be in residence at Edgewood Cottage every day but Wednesdays through August 29. All the artwork is original and most of it is available for sale. Visitors will be personally greeted by the artists and will be able to talk with them about their work. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view and read about Elliot Dangerfield’s famed works while strolling through his legendary cottage. The exhibit is free to the public. Free parking is available behind BRAHM in the parking deck. Hours are 10am to 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays, noon to 6pm on Sundays.
Schedule for the 2017 season:
June 22 – July 2 : 2016 Alumni
Meet the artists from the 2016 series and see some of their works. Those showing from June 22 to June 26 are Derrick Chalfan: painter of bright, fun canvases; Dawn Wicklow: Chinese ink and alcohol ink painter; Barbara Sox: artistic basket weaver; Kathy Rosenberger: watercolorist; Charlie Frye: Appalachian Folk & Americana painter; Susan Sharpe: fiber and fabric artist; and Caron Baker Wike: stoneware potter.
Among the artists’ work you can see from June 28 to July 2 are Potters of the Blue Ridge (Dottie Baker, Nancy Graham, Bob Meier, Cindy Pacileo, Remo Piracci, Becky Henderson Gow, Nancy Lewis, Theresa McGrath, and Jennifer Gardiner); Pam Washer: crafter of handbags made from repurposed materials; Beth Taylor: mixed media artist; Marti Kardol: realistic and abstract painter; Deone Roe: oil and watercolor wildlife artist; and Ed Dyer: realistic still life and landscape artist.
July 6 – 11: Kay Robb
Kay is currently a professional portrait painter living and maintaining a working and teaching studio in Hickory. She works in oil and pastels. She has been a member of the Piedmont Painters for 20 years and enjoys painting regularly with a Hickory plein air group. For the past five years she has become increasingly interested in landscape painting. With the wealth of beauty in the secret places of creeks and rivers of western North Carolina, she is drawn more and more toward depicting the magical world hidden among the hemlocks and rhododendron just off the remote paths of our state.
July 13 – 18 : Beth Parham, Gene Parham, and Earl Davis
Beth and Gene Parham met through their mutual interest in carving. Beth’s carvings are realistic works, requiring texturing and burning to create the realism of the subject. In addition to carving realistic songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey, she has branched out to pyrography, the art or technique of decorating wood or leather by burning a design onto the surface with a heated metallic point. Gene Parham began carving about 30 years ago as a hobby. He prefers carving in the round and specializes in realistic waterfowl and birds. Most of his work is carved in tupelo and he prefers painting with brushes rather than an airbrush.
A retired minister, Earl Davis is a self-taught painter. He is mainly an oil painter of landscapes, local Blue Ridge scenes, memorable scenes from hiking vacations in our National Parks and the woodlands and floral beauty around us. Earl says, “As these scenes emerge on the canvas, there is always the challenge of learning, the goal of bringing forth ever more faithfully that aspect of God’s handiwork which spoke so powerfully to me.”
July 20 – 25 : Ronda Hale and Susan Grant
Color and light are what attract Ronda Hale to a subject. She often finds herself adding more brilliant color to her painting with that color is absent in real life. Landscapes are always intriguing to Ronda, but old buildings, historical sites and water are also favorite topics for her oil and watercolor paintings.
Although her engineering background naturally leads her to a realistic style of painting, Susan Grant particularly enjoys painting animals, especially beloved pets. When participating in plein air events, she is drawn toward architectural subjects. Her medium of choice is transparent watercolor for the fresh, clean colors that result from building layers of “washes” onto the paper.
July 27 – August 1 : Lee Harper
Dancer, choreographer and artist, Lee was educated at Juilliard School of Music and North Carolina School of the Arts. Turning to the visual arts in 1990, Lee has exhibited in several Georgia and North Carolina galleries. In her show at Edgewood Cottage you will see Lee’s paintings of landscapes, figures and abstracts in oil andacrylics. Her style is flowing, full of motion and heavily-pigmented, vivid colors. Even her still life works brim with energy.
August 3 – 8 : Richard Wright
A full-time potter, Richard Wright is one of a handful of Catawba Valley potters focusing on native materials and producing functional, wheel turned pots. Often his pieces are decorated in folk inspired designs. The scale varies from simple mugs to pieces three to four feet in height. Most of the pots are organic in shape with an occasional fun, eye-catching piece for conversation.
August 10 – 15 : Susan Payne
Having studied academic traditional drawing and oil painting from portrait artist Mary Perts, Susan Payne has also trained as a watercolor artist and oil painter in summer workshops. Susan has received numerous awards and grants for her art and teaching. Her most current artwork showcases landscapes and neighboring towns. She finds the stunning views in constant flux and embraces how the abrupt changes in the High Country weather can alter the colors, light and shadow.
August 17- 22 : Ryan Kirby
Ryan Kirby was born an artist and once old enough to venture deep into the woods of the family farm, his subject quickly became wild things-sunsets, rivers, animals. From the wilds of Alaska, to the Rocky Mountains, to the heartland of his home state of Illinois, Kirby has traveled far and wide to see fur, feathers, trees and water differently than the rest of us….and the same. Ryan has participated in several exhibitions and his work has appeared on the cover of Fur-Fish- Game and Outdoor Life magazines.
August 24- 29 : Raney Rogers
Raney Rogers believes that there is an artist in everyone and wants to bring out that soul artist through her workshops, classes and the work that she produces. She has taught art in the Ashe County Schools, has served as the resident artist and Director of Cultural Arts for White Hart Woods, has lectured extensively, held workshops and participated in juried exhibitions throughout the Southeast. All this and she is the owner of Acorn Gallery in West Jefferson too! Come see how Raney’s artwork makes the world a more beautiful and meaningful place in which to live. Maybe she can help you discover your own “inner artist.”
The mission of the Blowing Rock Historical Society’s Artists in Residence at Edgewood Cottage is to promote, publicize and celebrate the arts by showcasing the work of North Carolina High Country and regional artists. See more about the Historical Society at blowingrockhistoricalsociety.com.