"Hippos: Mother and Child"If you go
› What: “The Best Journeys Take You Home” exhibit, featuring works by Del Martin› When: Friday-June 30› Where: Creative Arts Guild, 520 W. Waugh St., Dalton, Ga.› Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m-4:30 p.m. Friday› Opening reception: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3› Admission: Free› Phone: 706-278-0168
Del Martin wants you to come with her on trips to foreign countries.
Not in airplanes, but in art.
The Atlanta-based painter - who grew up in Dalton, Ga. - travels the world, painting landscapes, wildlife and other vistas in plein air (works done in the open air). She will merge those worlds in June with an exhibit called "The Best Journeys Take You Home" at the Dalton Creative Arts Guild.
"Come see paintings inspired by first trips to both South Africa and Alaska," Martin says.
"In South Africa, I fell in love with its penguins and beautiful coastline. And I renewed my love affair with the wildlife of the African bush - particularly the elephants and hippos."
The exhibit will be a chance for people to travel along with her vicariously, says Guild Gallery Manager Savannah Thomas.
"The best journeys do take you home, but this is also fun because it is an exhibition of her travels, so it will be nice for people who haven't gotten to these parts of the world," Thomas says.
As a young girl, Martin had her barn-wood paintings and custom-decorated river rocks on display in the Creative Arts Guild's annual Firehouse Festival. She has since had works on display in galleries from Atlanta to Michigan, but the guild holds a special place in her heart.
"I love the Creative Arts Guild and I've been doing this every June for years," she says.
About a dozen of her recent works will be in the current exhibit. There is a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at the Creative Arts Guild. At the reception, Martin will share parts of her travel journal.
"I always carry a journal and I make notes and sketches and I also keep business cards from the places where I've eaten," she says. "I like to eat and people seem interested in all of these things together whether I've been to Africa or the mountains of North Georgia."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.