The new facility provides a much needed exhibition space for APSU faculty and alumni in what has rapidly become the focal point of the Arts community in our town. “It’s a way to help our alumni who are out there trying to build their careers,” said Gregg Schlanger, APSU professor of Art. “It gives them a line on their resume and allows us to brag about our program.”

Critiquing the art

Downtown Clarksville is the home to several exceptional Art Galleries, the Customs House Museum, and of course the wonderful Roxy Regional Theatre. Downtown Businesses which prominently showcase the arts include Hodgepodge, ARTifacts, Rogate’s Boutique, Visions Metaphysical Boutique, The Front Page Deli, and Ingredients. Professor Schlanger noted that  their Downtown Art Gallery will become a major contributator “We’re going to add to what’s going on around here.”

A vivid piece of art

The gallery opened with “Whatever,” an exhibition of work by APSU art alumni. Artists featured in this exhibit include Chip Boles, Marc Pewitt, Miranda Herrick, Betsy Wynkoop, Kelly Kerrigan, Ally Reeves, Bill Eilliot, Scotty Peek, Young Kim, Donna Stack, Travis Childers and Melody Shipley. The exhibit runs through Nov. 28.  For those interested in visiting the gallery, it is located at 116 Strawberry Alley. They are open from noon to 4 p.m., on Tuesdays through Saturdays. However, they will be closed on Thanksgiving day.

Also featured at the First Thursday Art walk was Ashley Richardson, John Glass & Ginger Murvey-Beirus at ARTifacts;  Steven M. Walker at Hodgepodge; Heather Bowker, and  Gabriele Wardeiner at Ingredients;  Lyn Jellison at Rogate’s Boutique; Cliff Whitakers at the Downtown Artist Co-op with his new show “Visions of My World;  Charles Bennet at the Peg Harvill Gallery in the Roxy Regional Theatre;  and Amanda Harrison and Afton Chandler  at Visions Metaphysical Boutique.

Clarksville Mayor Johnny Piper enjoying some of Cliff Whittaker's artwork at the D.A.C. Gallery

Photos Gallery

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The show opens on Saturday, October 31st with the reception being held at Silke’s Old World Breads from 6:30pm till 8:00 pm. The reception is free and open to the public, and refreshments are provided. Betty’s art will remain on display throughout the months of October and November.

Jacob's Ladder by Betty Liles

Painting is a passion that Betty has has enjoyed all her life.

“I paint to express and record my feelings about places (usually historic) that I have visited throughout my travels. I try to express a passion for beauty in my landscapes. The rugged, gnarled tree is especially compelling in its form and shape. I love the intricate patterns formed by the bark on various species of trees. Different textures in landscapes are beautiful–an old bridge with weather-worn planks–huge cracked boulders with vegetation growing out of the cracks–weeds (or wildflowers growing in a ditch beside the road. I record, through painting, how it feels to view these things. I believe art is the emotional expression of the artist’s soul, his or her life experiences taking form via the media of the artist’s choice.

Betty is a member of the Hopkinsville Art Guild; The Chestnut Group (Plein Air Painters); the Downtown Artists’ Co-op in Clarksville, Tennessee; the Paducah Area Painters’ Alliance in Paducah, Kentucky; and the Portrait Society of America.

Gallery

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Visions Metaphysical Boutique will host Deborah Raleigh-Chandler, oils–impressionistic, still life; Afton Chandler, acrylics–modern, impressionistic; Amanda Harrison, acrylics–modern, impressionistic (some new pieces); Linda Cain, handcrafted sterling silver & gemstone jewelry (some new pieces).

Art created by last month's Art Walkers

Hodgepodge will host their first father/daughter show. Tommy Adams and his daughter, Laura, share a love art and creative expression, but have chosen different media for the work. Tommy Adams will show a variety of work in a mixture of mediums, such as oils, watercolor, pen & ink, and charcoal. He prefers landscapes, but has been known to produce an occasional still life or portrait. Laura’s chosen media is photography. Her work is very diverse—from flowers to structural elements of a building or bridges. She works in both color and black & white. She is rarely without her camera and is always ready to capture her view of the world. Both enjoy the study of older buildings and architecture.

Rogate Hadley, owner of Rogate’s Boutique, states she will host Clare Coyle Taylor. Clare, like many artists, works in a variety of media, bringing her own perspective to each work. She has several pieces to show and sell.

Visions Metaphysical Boutique will have an opportunity for public art expression during art walk. They will have two canvases (one for kids, one for adults) available for art walk patrons to compose a collective work of art. While there, you can also have a reading done by a new card reader who does “Spirit Sketches.” Stop in and check-out these unique concepts!

ARTifacts will feature Erin Slauson, a ceramic artist and student at Austin Peay State University. Her work is a unique blend of decorative Raku pieces and functional stoneware bowls. She combines patterns, textures, and geometric-like shapes with organic forms to acheive the design of each carefully constructed handbuilt piece. Her thrown stoneware bowls are completely food-safe and finctional, while all of her Raku work is not. “I intend for them to be sculpture, pieces of art to be viewed and admired. This process renders the bowls unusable for food or liquid, solidifying my intent for them to be sculptures first and a bowl second.”

Downtown Artists Co-op and Dr.William H. Wall, III,D.D.S. present “This Sky, This Gesture”, an exhibit of new photographs by DAC member artist Susan Bryant.

The new work consists of images of skies and hand gestures, exploring the expressive qualities of each, and utilizing several photographic process including tintypes, images from a plastic Holga camera and digital prints.

The opening reception is Thursday, August 6th from 5-8pm at DAC, 96 Franklin St. as part of First Thursday Art Walk. The show will remain up through August 22. DAC is open Wednesdays-Saturdays noon-6pm. and, for this exhibit, by appointment by contacting Susan Bryant at or 647-6171.

The Roxy will continue to host a show by Beverly Parker in their Peg Harvill Gallery. Patrons are also invited to catch the 7 PM performance of RENT. Tom and John have assembled an unparalleled cast of actors who bring this amazing work to life—Vie la Vive Boehm!

Collector’s Pride Antique Mall and Ingredients, both located on Strawberry Alley will be open in support of the Art Walk, as will JuJu’s on Franklin Street.

Images from the July Art Walk, and DAC events

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Visions Metaphysical Boutique will host Deborah Raleigh-Chandler, oils–impressionistic, still life; Afton Chandler, acrylics–modern, impressionistic; Amanda Harrison, acrylics–modern, impressionistic (some new pieces); Linda Cain, handcrafted sterling silver & gemstone jewelry (some new pieces).

The Roxy Regional Theatre–Clarksville’s Center for Arts and Education, will host the work of Beverly Parker Riggins in the Peg Harvill Gallery. The subject matter includes architecture from historic downtown Clarksville. They are large digital prints from manipulated polaroid transfer images. For the performing arts, enjoy Disney’s Mulan, Jr. playing at 6pm and tickets for the hit musical RENT will be on sale in the lobby.

John Glass, a wood craftsman, is this month’s featured artist at ARTifacts. John has an gift for working with wood and has used his gift to focus on building boxes from paneling he salvaged from his construction job 10 years ago working on the United Methodist Church on Madison Street. John was able to salvage most of the paneling from the church during the reconstruction of the building after the tornado. Now he has many beautiful boxes made from these materials. He has also created planters, boxes with secret compartments and display boxes for flags and other items.

Hodgepodge is featuring Adam Yarbrough. An APSU student and ROTC cadet, Adam explores art in a variety of media. His show at Hodgepodge will feature several figure drawings in pen, ink and charcoal, as well as many other works. Stop by Hodgepodge to meet the artist and enjoy some refreshments.

The Downtown Artist Co-op will host DAC Member artists, Peggy Bonnington’s solo exhibition titled : “Part and Parcel” July 2-Aug. 1 with the Opening Reception, Thursday, July 2, 5-8 pm as part of First Thursday Art Walk. Peggy states, I cannot remember a time I was not drawing or being encouraged to draw and paint. I always loved beautiful images, rich color, lush and interesting texture; and I tried even in early childhood to capture likenesses or create interesting patterns that felt exciting to me.”

Strawberry Alley will have two new businesses to visit: Ingredients and Collector’s Pride Antique Mall. They both plan to participate in future Art Walks, so stop by and give them your encouragement!

Paige King’s Hodgepodge featured the ethereal art by Susan Tomi Cheek. Her pictures, many of them made by using a double exposure, held a haunting sense of the otherworld. One particular picture evoked the image of the tunnel and light that many people claim they see during near death experiences with the soul caught half way between life and death.  Susan has a different perspective on the world, and that allows her to capture images that other artists would find hard to duplicate.

Susan is the official photographer for  the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA) events. It was also my distinct pleasure to meet one of her daughters, Cherish.

Susan Tomi Cheek and some of her ethereal art

At ARTifacts which is upstairs from Hodgepodge one exhibitor had just sold out as I arrived, but Gabriele Wardeiner was on hand to show me her exhibit of dragons. I love Asian culture and her dragons were reminiscent of their representation of the dragon. Her signature piece was Reisa’s dragon (Center of image below) which was based off of a friends tattoo. She also has some “one of a kind” postcards. Each one with its own unique touches. Including washers, an old onion bag, the tags from tea bags, pieces of a Roxy program, a rubber tree’s leaf. “I never throw anything away” Gabriele said.

Gabriele Wardeiner and her dragon art at ARTifacts

Kitty Madden and Visions Metaphysical Boutique's owner Linda Cain

At Visions Metaphysical Boutique owner Linda Cain greeted me as I walked through the door. Her business has such a warm energy that people immediately find themselves at ease. Debbie Bugg was there to do readings for the evenings Art Walkers.

The Roxy had already closed up for the evening by time I arrived but several of the people at the walk had told me that they had really enjoyed Disney’s Cinderella Jr performance that evening. The show which is presented by the Roxy School of the Arts Students, plays through June 13th so it is not too late to catch it!

The timeless fairy tale meets the magic of Disney in this adaptation of the treasured animated film. Poor Cinderella is endlessly mistreated by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and denied a chance to go to the Royal Ball. With a little help from her mice friends, and a lot of help from her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella goes to the ball, meets the Prince, and falls in love! With a beautiful score including “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and the classic “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” this musical will charm its way into your heart, and remind you that dreams really can come true.

DAC Members Gail Meyer and Cliff Whittaker talk about one of her pieces

At the Downtown Artists’ Co-op I arrived in time to have some personal time with their featured Artist Gail Meyer. “I like to experiment” she said. Her show Serendipity hangs at the DAC until June 27th. Talking about the exhibit she explained it to me, “I sometimes sit in front of a canvas and don’t know what will come out. Serendipity, it’s a happy mistake, I just made lots of happy mistakes.” Painting on the canvas with acrylic paints she finds that the speed acrylics requires vs the slowness of oil paints, enables her to let her creativity flow freely. “It brought out my inner artist. Instead of doing little tiny details and making sure everything is right. I just sort of spiritually started painting from the inside out. Instead of from the outside in.” She has 27 pieces in the show. With soft pastel colors her city scape scenes have a light airy feel to them. My favorites pieces from her show was the Tuscan Vineyard, and her Potters Shed.  She also had a very good Painting of the old Ringgold mill.

Over at the Front Page Deli, they were holding their trivia night to a packed house. But lets save that’s for a future story!

The Front Page Deli's trivia night

The First Thursday Art Walks are always new and unique, and are a great way to experience new art and artists. If you haven’t been before plan on attending the next walk on July 2nd. This is a great opportunity to directly support the local art community by purchasing some of the pieces you see.

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“Natural Selections“, a show of recent artwork by Brad Reagan and Rachel Hall Kirk, opens this Thursday at the Downtown Artists Co-op on Franklin Street.

Brad Reagan:
“My paintings and sculpture explore a layering of multiple visual languages ranging from rusted metal to googley-eyes, and motifs ranging from floral wall-paper to masks. Through these eclectic mixtures, I want to use these cultural influences to build and invent an aesthetic that speaks to my experience growing up in the south while addressing themes such as the domestic space as well as psychological and biological desire.”

Rachel Hall Kirk:
“These abstract drawings are based on insect patterns, from the objects they create such as hives, nests, and webs, to the patterns of marks found on and inside their bodies. I want the viewer to get close enough to the pieces to see the intricate detail of marks, the precision of the lines, and the vivid colors of the ink and acrylic paint. Much like a look at a wasp’s nest or spider’s web, close inspection of these drawings reveals objects that could only be created through a tedious, labored process.”

Jennifer Snyder will be the featured artist at Hodgepodge, 125 Franklin Street.  Jennifer states, “My subject matter originates from nature.  I have always been interested in insects and birds.  Butterflies, in particular, are a passion of mine.   Butterflies have been a recurring theme in my artwork for at least fifteen years.  There is something about the fragility of something that is so beautiful that really appeals to me.  So, for this collection I focused on the idea of things that flutter or fly.”

Rogate’s Boutique will feature Bing Verbist.  Big has been a Clarksville resident since 1968. He studied art a APSU for five years. Bing has been owner and primary operator of Sign Art since 1981. He just recently completed 8 paintings described as “color stamping”, four of which will be displayed at Rogate’s this month.

ARTifacts has two art vendors to feature in the month of May.  First is Anne Kelle Designs: Ann Kelle Designs was debuted in 2006 when self-taught graphic artist, Kelle Boyd, took a little step of faith in a new field and launched a line of note cards at the National Stationery Show. Her fresh and bright designs immediately caught the attention of the industry.  A week following the debut, her designs were being presented to Target, but these days Kelle is especially excited about her new line, which can be found exclusively at ARTifacts.

Also featured at ARTifacts, Happy Trails: Of herself, Lesa McDonald, who says “I’m not an artist I just enjoy sewing and crafting.  My mom and grandmother taught me to sew when I was 7.  They made most of my clothes when I was very young then when I was in middle school/high school, I made my stuff.  I also hand embroidery but don’t have time anymore so now am on to machine embroidery.  I love the Old West style clothing, way of life and Roy Rogers.  I don’t like good-byes so I always wish everyone, Happy Trails.  ”

Visions Metaphysical  Boutique  will host Deborah Raleigh-Chandler who works in oils; Afton Chandler, who prefers acrylics; Amanda Harrison, who also works with acrylics; and, Samantha Stephens, whose media is acrylics.  Linda also has a nice selection of hand-crafted jewelry.

A new and exciting perspective on photography is about to be presented at the Downtown Artists Co-op located at 96 Franklin St. in beautiful downtown Clarksville.  In fact, that’s what it’s called:  An Alternative Perspective.  And, it features the work of long-time and highly respected DAC member Beverly Parker.

Beverly has developed a technique of manipulating original Polaroid images into scenes of artistic beauty and wonder.  She punches, scrunches and squiggles the emulsion of the original Polaroid photograph and then adds bits and pieces of images and 3-D items to enhance the effect.  There is more, but I’m not going to give away all of the secrets of the process.  You will have to come to the Downtown Artists Co-op gallery located at 96 Franklin St. to view the finished results. 

Beverly has more than 20 of these pieces on exhibit and they range in size from about 11×14-inches to an eye-popping 4X6 feet.  You will be able to recognize certain background scenes such as the railroad depot, the Customs House Museum and many other places around Clarksville,  but you won’t believe the unusual and beautiful art work that Beverly has created from these scenes.

The opening reception will be Thursday, February 5, from 5 – 8 p.m. at the DAC gallery.  You will have a chance to talk with Beverly about her work and enjoy refreshments and mixing with other DAC patrons.  Her work will be on exhibit at the gallery until February 28.

The DAC Inaugural art exposition event serves as prelude to annual Riverfest festival and promotes independent celebration of the visual arts and the art community.

The Downtown Artists Co-op hosted the inaugural of the Regional Juried Art Exposition on September 4. DAC’s Franklin Street showroom was filled with over 300 pieces of art submitted for the exposition.

An estimated 300 people viewed the DAC Juried Exhibition on opening night

“The submission response to this inaugural competition was greater than expected. We hope for even more next year,” said Betty Liles. She explained that in non-juried expositions, every submission is displayed and a judge selects the winners. Entries are submitted mostly from local or immediate regional community artists. In a juried exposition, selections are received from a wider area, often from outside the state, are viewed by a panel of art experts for inclusion in the exposition or rejection and then are judged by the various specified categories.

Best of Show winner Lessie v. Dixon with "Harvest Time"

The winner of the inaugural Regional Juried Art Exposition ‘Best of Show’ is Lessie Venardo Dixon of Gallatin. His painting, an oil portrait titled Harvest Time captured the $500 prize. He has been painting for over four years and has been drawing since his early childhood. He developed his talent progressing from pencil and charcoal to pastels, to watercolors and acrylics. He met Dawn E. Whitelow and Michael Shane Neal who directed his focus and mentored him in portraiture. He said his ultimate goal is to win the Portrait Society of America competition in 2009. It’s an annual event which happens before the Regional Juried Art Exposition.

In addition to Dixon’s best of show award, the exposition awards listing include four categories with the following winners: 3D/Fiber Arts- 1st Place, Konstantin Jatropius, Crucified; 2nd Place, Sarah Hightower Hurst, Dreaming in the Wind, 3rd Place, Shelia Caspino, The Color of Money; Mixed Media- 1st Place, Rickey Williams, Psalm 23; 2nd Place, Claudia Balthrop, Untitled; 3rd Place, Brandt Hardin, Scared Texts: Clear/Balance; Honorable Mention, Charles V. Bennett Jr., Sound the Battle Cry.

In the category of Painting/Works on Paper, besides the best of show award: 1st Place, Jason Daniel Jackson,On the Rocks; 2nd Place, Eleanor Baker, At the Old Time Fiddlers’ Jamboree; 3rd Place, Karen Enright, Summertime…and the living is easy; Honorable Mention, Richard L. Milam, Eat Your Greens. In the photography category, 1st Place-Mitzi Cross, Portrait of a Woman; 2nd Place, Winnie Bagley, Untitled; 3rd Place, Beverly Parker, Flowers at Customs House; and Honorable Mention, Richard Pugh, Waiting.

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In "King of Spades" (17 X 23, 2008), Lewis’s most recent work embodies her aesthetics and ideals as an artist that anyone can have their portrait done, and shows her flare for detail while capturing the innermost essence of her subject, a trait she shares with regional portrait artist, Billy Price Carroll. Featured here is Ryle.

Though Monet said, “My life is useless,” artist Judy Lewis disagrees with this statement, though she can see how Monet may have felt this way. “It is a tough life to live struggling to make a living as an artist because you feel such desire and passion. If you look at art history, many artists lacked the customer base to feel appreciated during their lives,” according to Lewis, a native Clarksvillian.

Lewis, a devoted mother, has one daughter, Keegan, from a previous marriage and has lived in Clarksville for the majority of her life. In addition, Lewis has done work in Texas, and recently returned from Gettysburg, PA.  Lewis has been steadily producing art work sometime after, Art Cantu, a Christian minister from south Texas, witnessed to her, and sparked a hope in her that she could achieve her dreams. At this point in her career,  Lewis has done over 300 exhibit-worthy pieces, and continues to produce more art every day, not counting numerous drawings.

Of late, Lewis has delved into painting oils and acrylics with a style and color technique as unique and original as her drawings. The painting, Phoenix Rising on Angel’s Wings, captures the colors of a young girl and her gallant horse, Angel, as they properly go riding across a verdant field. Her vivid brush strokes in Christmas Carriages on Franklin Street capture the light and color of night lights downtown during a Christmas extravaganza.

Starting out, Lewis did drawings, and Christian poster art, and was always drawing more. Ms. Lewis got five commissions for her work from having her art work in a downtown window in Schumer’s. The client later told her, “You’re the best kept secret in this town.” As we sit in a local restaurant, Lewis unveils her life as a regional artist in the following interview.

At what point did you first realize you were an artist?

“I always thought I was since I was a kid—first grade—all I wanted to do when I was a kid was color. My friend would get mad at me and say, ‘all you ever do is color.’”

“But it goes earlier than that. In my grandmother’s Bible there were real, detailed paintings in between each book of the Bible, and woodcuts in the appendixes. I was around four or five at the time. I remember while I was redrawing them, the thought came to me–maybe I want to be an artist? At that moment something inside me said that I wanted to be an artist. Growing up, I got in trouble in school a lot for drawing in class.”

Could you tell us some more about your work?

“I mostly do portraiture. I do love to do portraits of people. Norman Rockwell was a storyteller, but feel that I can capture a feeling like the innocence of childhood. Say I had twenty studies of a child’s portrait but there was only one that captured my heart. That’s when I know it’s going to be a good portrait, and my goal is to pay tribute to that person the best I possibly can.”

"Portrait of Abraham Lincoln" ( 17 X 23, 2006) by Judy Lewis was done in Gettysburg, PA., site of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address, during his dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery.

One of my favorite pieces that you’ve done is the portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Is that the case with this historical piece too?

“Yes, I wanted to portray Abraham Lincoln as best I can. I loved going to the Smithsonian and seeing the presidential portraits, but Lincoln was the first one I wanted to draw. Also, because I was in Gettysburg, it was right to do him and I’m glad I did.”

What about doing portraits of historical figures and celebrities?

“I’d like to do Joan of Arc’s portrait! I’d also like to do Wilma Rudolph, Frank Sutton, Sgt. Carter from Gomer Pyle, [because] he’s from Clarksville—anyone from Clarksville who was well known, or celebrities.”

Why Joan of Arc?

“Because she’s an interesting character in history. You don’t see a lot of portraits of great women, since it’s been a men’s world.”

Which five artists would you like to be stranded with on a deserted island? You know—the art world’s version of Lost?

“Van Gogh, Renoir, Norman Rockwell, da Vinci, and Michelangelo. I’ve read a lot of van Gogh—his life was depressing but interesting. Other artists I like are Sargent. Rockwell is number one for me. The art world didn’t consider him [because] he was more of an illustrator but an illustrator is still an artist. And I like Norman Rockwell’s portraiture. He did Eisenhower’s portrait and Nixon’s portrait—they were in the Smithsonian. Norman Rockwell is a major influence.”

Have you found it difficult having a realistic drawing style in a contemporary art world?

“No, I just do what I do and I’m not concerned with what the art world says about a particular style. You don’t see hordes of people going to see movies they don’t understand—they go to movies that touch their hearts—I think art is so loved. That’s why Norman Rockwell is so beloved—he did work people could understand. To me, art is art if it shows emotion—I think that’s good art—great art. I like Jackson Pollock—his work was well balanced and beautiful. Georges Seurat’s pointillism—I love it. In fact, when I was a kid when I saw A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte— I said, ‘I love it!’ There’s something about umbrellas—the parasols and it was brilliant outdoor lighting.”

How do any of these people influence your work and why?

“Renoir—Luncheon of the Boating Party—influenced me because I like his romantic themes, his impressionism, his boating party, and people with feeling. I think I want to achieve something like Renoir, except in a Norman Rockwell fashion. [Laughs] I also have been influenced by Chuck Close’s big portraits—he’s a contemporary influence, and Daniel Green.”

Is creativity innate? What are your beliefs on this?

“I think we’re all born with it, because we’re made in God’s image and he’s the creator. I think we all like to draw when we’re kids—I don’t know any kid that doesn’t like to draw, but when they grow up—adult—they think it’s stupid. I think we can create far beyond what we think we can actually create. We don’t realize the depth of our own creativity—we’re limited by how much we think we can create. A lot of times I felt like Don Quixote chasing rainbows and windmills and [thinking] it’s not going to happen, or is this really real? Chasing something after the wind— it was right after that Art ministered to me in Texas and I became a Christian that my art took off. He asked me, ‘What do you want to do in your life?’ ‘To be an artist,’ I said. Something sparked. He gave me a glimmer—just a glimmer of hope that with God all things are possible and it was all I needed to start drawing again. If you live your whole life without being an artist when you’re supposed to be, you’re going to regret it. Ten years ago I thought I’ll be better than I am today and it gave me hope.”

Where do you see yourself then in ten years from now?

“I’ll be better ten years down the road than I am now. I like to challenge myself.”

Training

“I’m self-taught. We’re all self-taught in a way. Even with someone training you—you have to compose the piece and do the work yourself. I read a lot of books and practiced hard. I drew a lot. I have 300 final pieces. But that doesn’t account for every practice drawing by any stretch. If you count them, oh, who knows? It’s very difficult to draw for pleasure and try to sell [it] versus doing commissions since I’m used to doing commissions. Although, I think they’re marketable, I do some pieces for me.”

What are the best and worst parts of being a full time working artist?

“The best part is being your own boss, and doing what you’re free to do, and you’re happy. The worst part is if I’m able to survive or not. I hate the term starving artist. I feel like it’s the only profession where people expect them to be starving—you don’t hear of a homebuilder being a starving homebuilder, or a doctor, [etc.]. Donating work is great—if you have pieces lying around—I’ve given to auctions in the past. I also feel it’s the only profession where people expect you to do work for free—people don’t realize that talent is work that you need to be paid for.”

“Early on, when I saw it as a hobby, I kept practicing, and practicing thinking one day I’d be good enough and in those times I would often give work away. In the past. I’ve had to do work on weekends as a single mom, and when I was working other forty-hour-a-week-jobs. The myth of the starving artist is so strong, and it needs to be broken. Getting people to pay what you need is difficult because of the starving artist myth. It’s not cool to be a starving artist these days–you have to be able to make a decent living, even though you love fulfilling your passion but now I have to look at it as a business.”

"Working Hands" ( 16 X 19.375, 1995) displays Lewis’s knowledge of art history in doing work after Albrect Dürer and Dürer’s influence on her life and work.

Tell me why Working Hands is one of the most beloved pieces you’ve done?

Ms. Lewis shows me a picture after Albrect Dürer of his Praying Hands, that she has entitled, Working hands and tells me how Dürer’s story inspired her to draw this piece and to write his story over the art. “Albrect Dürer had an older friend –another struggling artist who roomed with him.”

“Albrect Dürer did these praying hands in a woodcut as a tribute to his roommate’s hands. Albrect Dürer’s older roommate spent his life scrubbing floors in a restaurant to support Dürer and got a job until Dürer made enough money to support them both with his woodcuts that finally sold years later. Dürer told his roommate he could go do his art now, but both his hands were so shot—his roommate couldn’t hold a paint brush anymore due to the pain. One night Dürer saw his roommate praying when he came home, and Dürer said he’d paint those hands to show that toil and work for others—the sacrifice his roommate made for him. God honored Albrect Dürer and the man who toiled for him.”

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?

“Be committed to the piece. Give yourself time and patience, and try not to get discouraged. Just keep doing it, because you’re going to be further reaching your goal just pressing on. It takes a lifetime and you can’t do it with just a few pieces. When you get forty or fifty pieces in a room—that’s when you can tell an artist’s quality and workman style. And seeing your work in a collection—seeing my work in a collection gave me, for the first time, an appreciation of my work. Usually, you’re just so focused on one piece. It’s the feeling and emotion that’s there in the room. Get to that point, and feel [it].”

What are your hobbies or life outside of art?

“There’s nothing much outside of art, spirituality, and God. But, I like to read about quantum physics—atoms popping in and out—where do they go when they pop out, and pop back in? If you break matter down, you’ve got nothing—where does matter start? It all comes down to spirituality. I think there’s a spiritual lesson in everything. God is literally in the details.”

Of her early works, Lewis said that Jaime and Baby Lucy was one of her first portraits. Dormitory Window was one of Lewis’s first pieces drawn at APSU of two college students looking out a Sevier Hall window. In 1984-85 she had the prints shrink-wrapped and placed in the APSU bookstore. Local street scenes that Lewis has vividly rendered include Owen’s Barber Shop, The Roxy, Ely Feed Co. and Uneeda Biscuits.

"Portrait of Alexis" (17 X 17, 1996) shows a young girl and her pet dog sitting on the steps as she enjoys reading her book.

A volunteer, Lewis is a member of the Downtown Artist’s Co-op, which helps promote the arts in the community. Of her current exhibit at Hodgepodge, Lewis said, “Paige King has been very, very helpful in helping me show my work since I’ve returned to Clarksville.” Lewis has portraits in homes that range from factory workers’ homes to mansions of high stature, and covers a vast client range and all income levels. Subject matter in Lewis’s works ranges from pets, animals, children, people, and famous figures to street scenes, and landscapes.

When asked about her portrait and art work commissions, Lewis said, “I want people to understand I can do a portrait of anyone—as individual in character as the subjects themselves. By that I mean not just a stately business man or woman, but portraits of teenagers, or young adults. Portraits always last forever, and the older they get, the better. Photographs fade and the clothes seem dated by time. Unlike photographs, portraits have a timeless presence and they get handed down from one generation after another. People have hunted me down to do portraits. I can try to meet anybody’s price range.”

If inquiring about a commission, call Judy Lewis for an appointment at (717)-357-7526 to visit her at her studio on Excel Rd., off Madison St. Lewis is open to inquiries for a wide variety of other subjects in various media.

After speaking with Ms. Lewis, I felt like I was just beginning to scratch the surface of a deep pool. Judy Lewis’s current work can be seen in Rogate’s Boutique and in her two person show with Reisa Peters at Hodgepodge through the 3^rd of September. Lewis will also have a booth at the Frolic on Franklin Street event in downtown Clarksville on September 20th.

Current Exhibits:

Rogate’s Boutique

Phone : (931) 645-3526

115 Franklin St
Clarksville, TN 37040

Hodgepodge

Phone : (931) 647-0444

Upstairs Gallery; Thru Sept. 3^rd

125 Franklin St
Clarksville, TN 37040

]]> http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/08/28/through-the-looking-glass%e2%80%94an-introduction-into-the-world-of-artist-judy-lewis/feed/ 0 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/07/17/downtown-artists-open-new-exhibit/ http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/07/17/downtown-artists-open-new-exhibit/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:00:55 +0000 Christine Anne Piesyk http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=6024

Early Spring oil on Canvas by Betty Liles. This is the stream flowing through Rotary Park in Clarksville

The Downtown Artists Co-Op in beautiful downtown Clarksville is happy to announce a new art exhibit by long-time member artists Nada Fuqua and Betty Liles. The opening reception will be tonight, July 17, from 5:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. at our gallery located at 96 Franklin Street. The new works will be on exhibit through August 12. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon until 6:00 p.m. with no admission charge.

Nada and Betty are both from Hopkinsville, KY, and both work primarily with oil paints but do a variety of works in other media. Nada says that she loves the way oil paint moves, even how it smells. Nada says that painting has been her bobby for many years and she never stops learning and developing new techniques.

She says that, “This year I’m learning a new technique from an artist-friend in South Dakota. Using this technique I cover the canvas in layers of wet paint, often using complementary colors, then use styli of different shapes to define and make details.” Nada says that a number of her paintings in this show were done in this style.

Still Life by Nada Fuqua. Painted out of frustration while waiting for home repairs after flooding

Nada also loves painting portraits in live sittings using pastels. She says she receives satisfaction from seeing the pleasure that her friends and family get from the portraits for years to come.

Betty Liles is a native of Christian County, Kentucky. She studied commercial and fine art at Austin Peay State University and Murray State University. She says that the primary medium she employs is oils on canvas, “but I also use alkyds, acrylics, water colors and mixed media.”

In the upcoming show she has used a variety of media to paint landscapes, portraits, figure studies, still-lifes and abstracts. Painting is a passion that Betty has enjoyed all of her life and she enjoys the challenge of a variety of subjects and various media.

Betty and Nada are both members of The Portrait Society of America as well as the Hopkinsville Art League, the Downtown Artists Co-Op, the Tennessee Art League and other art organizations. Both are excellent artists who never stop studying and finding ways of stretching for a new challenge.
Cliff Whittaker

The Downtown Artists Co-OP Gallery on Franklin Street

Entry forms must be postmarked no later than August 6th. Entry forms can be picked up at the DAC gallery, the Cumberland Bank in Clarksville or at several other businesses in Clarksville and Hopkinsville. Additional information and entry forms may be downloaded by going to www.clarksvilleartists.org and clicking on Regional Juried Art Exposition Link to More Info.

Awards will be paid in cash for Best of Show and then 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the four following categories: painting and works on paper; 3D/fiber arts; photography; and mixed media. Artists may submit a total of two works to be juried for acceptance with a fee of $15 per item.

Inside the DAC Gallery

Victoria Boone who is currently director of the Leu Art Gallery at Belmont University will be the juror. Ms. Boone holds a masters degree in Museum Administration and has served as a juror for over forty art competitions including Cheekwood Museum, Vanderbilt University, Hunter Museum of American Art, Alabama’s Festival in the Park, the National Pen Women’s National Art Competition, State of Virginia, and South Carolina’s regional art competition among others. Juror comments will be posted on the back of each item submitted for acceptance. Acceptance is not guaranteed.

DAC gallery hours of operation are Wed-Sat from noon-6 p.m. Telephone number (931)552-4747. You may also call Becky Keene at (931)552-3311 () or call Cliff Whittaker at (931)980-2041 ()

Please join the Downtown Artists Co-op for their annual gala fundraiser!!!

On Saturday, February 24th, 2007

Customs House Museum
200 S. 2nd St.
Clarksville, TN

6:00 Food, beverage, silent auction
7:00 Live auction

Tickets: $15

Email Peggy Bonnington or Gail Meyer for further information, directions, tickets, etc.