If you go
› What: “Expressions” by Judy Wright, Faye Wolfe and Janice B. Kennedy.› When: Through Nov. 30.› Where: Michael’s Fine Arts & Framing, 1325 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, Ga.› Phone: 706-278-8840.› Website: www.facebook.com/michaelsfinearts.
Three women whose friendship has grown through a shared interest in art are behind the latest exhibition at Michael's Fine Arts & Framing in Dalton, Ga. "Expressions" by Judy Wright, Faye Wolfe and Janice B. Kennedy will be on view through Nov. 30.
The show also will introduce owner Michael Thacker's newly renovated gallery.
"This will be his grand reopening, and the place looks fabulous," Kennedy says. "Not only have the artists been working toward the exhibit, but Michael has also been working for months to get the new space ready for reopening."
INTRODUCTIONS
-Judy Wright: She leans more toward the abstract and favors a fearless approach. An artist's statement describes her as "an intuitive, expressionistic painter who has dialogue with the canvas, listening to the art to let her know when it is complete."
-Faye Wolfe: A contemporary artist, she is a self-professed happy painter who likes to use bright colors and convey movement and lightness. While diverse, her primary subject matters are urban areas and women dressed in their finest.
-Janice B. Kennedy: She takes a more impressionistic approach to her creative side, often bringing light and contrast into her art. She builds her paintings by beginning with a complex background of strokes, color and textures to provide an interesting backdrop to her lyrical art. She is also always on the lookout for found objects that can be used in her art.
HOW THEY MET
"I met both Janice and Faye through art functions," says Wright. "We have taken classes together and have all been members of the Civic Arts League of Chattanooga and Mixed Media Inspired Artists. Our friendships may have started with our shared interests in art; however, our friendships transcend art to include every aspect of our lives."
Adds Kennedy: "Our paths just continued to cross and recross, and friendships developed."
We "were drawn together," Wolfe sums up.
'EXPRESSIONS' A FIRST
Wolfe says this is the trio's first show together.
"There have been several other shows in which we have coincidentally exhibited together but never just the three-woman show," says Kennedy.
Previous venues, Wright says, have included group shows at Ringgold Art and Frame, Creative Arts Guild of Dalton, Universalist Unitarian Church, North River Civic Center and FoodWorks Restaurant.
SETTING THE PARAMETERS
"Aside from number and size of paintings, Judy suggested, and we agreed, to let each artist decide what would be shown," says Kennedy.
"It was left open," agrees Wolfe. "We have done many shows with other groups but would only have two to four paintings. In this we have 10 pieces each."
Wright says she thought having no set parameters would be freeing. "Each artist presents their own expression," she says.
WHAT'S NEW
"The new thing that I have in this show is I have dyed tissue paper that I designed myself that I used for the ladies' dresses, says Wolfe.
"I have been bringing more line work into my paintings in the last six months," says Wright.
Kennedy says she works "some in watercolors, some in acrylics and some in mixed media, so the paintings will be a mixture of these fields."
But her newest interest is assemblages from found objects. "After finding a box of old watch parts at a flea market, I felt compelled to showcase those interesting pieces in some way," she explains. "The result was a small wall assemblage in the show called 'Time Flies.'
FAVORITES
Kennedy says "Time Flies" was fun to do, but her favorite contribution is a 15-by-30 mixed-media piece called "Patterns of Amber."
"I actually started it as a different composition, but I just couldn't feel any passion for it. I knew it had to go. I pushed back the original composition by layering on some interesting vintage dress patterns that I'd found in an antique store. Voila - new color scheme, new composition. The passion for it returned. Sometimes, I work on a piece of art that makes my heart sing while I'm creating it. 'Patterns of Amber' was one of those paintings."
"My favorite piece of mine is 'Come Dance With Me,'" says Wolfe, referencing a scene of a dancer whose dress sweeps behind her in a mass of blacks and golds against a bright red background.
"My favorite is "Roundabout,'" Wright says. "I like the movement and the line work. I feel it conveys an excitement to the viewer.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.