In an effort to showcase the work of local artists, the Sequatchie County Friends of the Library will host its fourth annual weeklong art exhibition.
This year’s “Art and the Library Exhibition” will feature works from 31 artists, who work in a multitude of media, from watercolor to woodwork. Opening Tuesday, the exhibition will spotlight a “resident artist” each day through Saturday, said Nina Hunt, organizer of the event.
“This is a showcase for local artists, but it’s also an opportunity for people to be able to see art they might otherwise not be able to see,” she said. “We wanted to bring something unique to the community.”
Five resident artists will demonstrate their artwork to visitors, showcasing watercolor, textile, multimedia and stained glass pieces, Ms. Hunt said.
Dunlap, Tenn., artist Charlie Yowell has been working with brass and stained glass for 10 years and plans to show a copper-and-glass bird. Mr. Yowell specializes in creating 3D stained glass sculptures that move.
“I started out making little wire sculptures, clouds and hang gliders because I was a hang-glider pilot,” he said. “Then I got into stained glass, where I put color on a flat piece of glass.”
“I liked the color, but it wasn’t moving. So I got the idea of putting the stained glass inside of the wire sculpture, and then it all came together with the movement and the color,” he said.
Connie Hornsby, who creates hanging fiber quilts, said she began making the elaborate quilts about eight years ago after being a basket maker for 20 years. She said she is looking forward to sharing the art of fiber quilting with others, since many people are unaware of the art.
“When people think of quilting, they think of traditional quilting. This is an opportunity to share a little bit of what I’ve learned,” she said. “I make pictures. … I’ve drawn trees with thread, it’s basically painting with thread and fabric.”
IF YOU GO* What: Art and the Library Exhibition* When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday* Where: Dunlap City Hall Training Center, Rankin Avenue.* Price: Free
For local artist Rick Jacob, the opportunity to exhibit his work holds a special meaning this year. He will be showing a nearly 4-foot-tall carousel horse sculpted from wood and painted with acrylics, which he has dedicated to his niece who passed away from leukemia a few years ago.
He said he hopes to auction the piece off after it has been exhibited and give the proceeds to a charity such as St. Jude’s or the Ronald McDonald House.
“Usually when I do animals, I always include things that are somewhat important to me,” he said. “This one, from the get-go, I had thoughts of what I wanted to do with it.”
As a retired teacher, he said he is looking forward to demonstrating his work and teaching the process of creating a carousel animal from wood.
“I hope we get a lot of kids,” Ms. Hunt said, “because some of the artists have told me that they expressly have an interest in showing that art makes a fine career, and while you might not become Donald Trump, you can make a living at it.”
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