At some point in the final days of October, the walls and display shelves at In-Town Gallery were bare. Twice a year, the member artists in the 28-year-old cooperative gallery remove all of the art pieces and replace them with new or different works.
As in the past, the pieces in "The Art of Gifting" represent a wide range of mediums, including glass, wood, metal, pottery and painted works. Each of the 30 artists brings as many as six pieces, meaning almost 180 pieces now adorn the space and more is sitting at the ready, should a piece be sold or the members decide to change things up, according to spokeswoman Helen Burton.
"The gallery is renewed on a daily basis, so there is always something new to see," Burton said.
Some of the pieces are representative of each artist's work over the years, and some mark a new direction. Burton, for example, is known for her floral and architectural pieces. She attended her first polo match recently at Bendabout Farm in McDonald, Tenn., and was so pleased with the photographs she took, she tried painting the scenes.
"I got excited when I saw my photos and decided to try it," she said. "I went out of curiosity. I was not looking for something new to paint."
The six paintings showcase the colorful pageantry and majesty of the riders and the horses.
New members Laura P. Brock and Maddin J. Corey are introducing jewelry and oil paintings, respectively, at In-Town.
"I love thinking through the way a piece of jewelry must come together," Brock said in a news release.
"I enjoy using the torch, rolling patterns and cutting sheet. Even mundane requirements like filing, brass brushing and sawing have a mesmerizing effect."
All of the artists at In-Town are regionally based, according to Burton, and all of the pieces are original works.
"We don't offer prints," she said. "The gallery is owned and run by the artists, so there is no salary to pay, and that keeps the prices attractive. The artists work at the gallery, and they are very knowledgeable and can talk intelligently about the works."
Barry Courter is staff reporter and columnist for the Times Free Press. He started his journalism career at the Chattanooga News-Free Press in 1987. He covers primarily entertainment and events for ChattanoogaNow, as well as feature stories for the Life section. Born in Lafayette, Ind., Barry has lived in Chattanooga since 1968. He graduated from Notre Dame High School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in broadcast journalism. He previously was ...
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