When creating, i primarily use acrylic paint and oil pastel as my mediums to bring color and happiness into the lives of others. Color has much more power in mood than we realize, and i always find myself in a better mood when i’m wearing a bright outfit or in a vibrant space. For me, making colorful art is an extension of that feeling. i hope to see my audience take in my painting with a smile and leave them knowing that silly, joyful art changes the world.

Artist statement

As a visual language, art informs the viewer. Words have a powerful impact; visual information reaches far beyond & can be far more moving than mere words. This visual imagery, conveys the artists feelings, emotions and attitude toward a particular subject, and is often extremely personal.

My training has been in contemporary conceptual art, where one composes a body of work to form an exhibition, fleshing out the concept and displaying it visually. I do not pursue this methodology faithfully but rater use these principles to inform my creative process which i aim to keep positive and uplifting.

In my work i aim to feel my subject and to convey the emotion it invokes in me. Wild animals remain my favorite subjects and i have spent many years observing and photographing these animals in several game parks across Southern Africa. There different species have specific proclivities that i aim to make apparent in my portraits so he viewer may learn something about these magnificent creatures and that i may never forget.

Water is another favorite, usually an internal part of my landscapes. These landscapes need to convey an emotion; the stillness and quiet of the early morning, the roar of the sea, a mood must be apparent and perpetuated to enhance my memories of the place. It is imperative to me that i only paint places i have visited myself & have personally photographed.

In short: a visual depiction of a scene is not my intention, but rather to create a personal response to the subject. I find color contributes greatly to my experience and therefore use a lot of color in my work, not necessarily true to nature. Aspects of the scene may not be detailed so as no to detract from the focal or emotive subject.

Bio

• Living in Martinez, Augusta GA

• Previously from Hillcrest, KZN, South Africa

• Matriculated in 1979

• Married with two adult children & 3 grandchildren

• Worked as an Architectural and Structural Steel Draughts person

• Dabbled in these facets of art:Painting:Acrylic, oil, silk & glass:drawing:batik:printing:silk screening:linoleum, soft ground etching:sculpture:building forms in clay, creating a silicon mold and casting.

• Cmas Scuba Diving Instructor; Dan Instructor - Diving First Aid/Oxygen, Dangerous marine life.

• 2007-2015 BVA (Bachelor of Visual Art), focus on contemporary conceptual art. I received a distinction for Honors exhibition and was awarded the 2015 Uniza Excellence Award.

We are hosting local artist Bernard Roberts, who is displaying a beautiful array of water color and Oil. His exhibit will be hosted at the Larder until the end of June 2023

ARTIST STATEMENT

I enjoy painting thees of space and sea, two vastly unexplored regions of mankind. Creating these scenes, along with multideminisonal dream worlds, has become a tool for me to navigate and process my thoughts as I delve into the depths of my own consciousness. It has provided catharsis in the sometimes painful process of illuminating the dark corners of myself while also helping me to live in the present moment. It is my goal to inspire others, and to encourage them to question their realities by exploring beyond their own perceptions of day to day life.

ARTIST BIO

Jackie Mayo Van Dyke was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia. She found her love of drawing at an early age after watching her mother doodle a woman’s portrait, and that love has grown to include many different mediums from paint to clay. she now enjoys spending her free time experimenting with new techniques and playing with her young son.

Native to Evans, Georgia, visual artist J. Travis Duncan creates artwork that is an amalgamation of the shocking colors of the Fauvists and the loose brushwork of the Impressionists within his own styling. He encapsulates the changes of life and nature through a cacophony of color which is manifests through brush and knife.

The sale of Jill’s art helps send her to Kenya where she will work with CMDA a medical. One week will be in the desert serving 2 villages. The next week will be in Nairobi where the team will serve in the slums. To God be the glory.

The Larder presents “Simply Summer”, an art exhibit and sale of artwork by The Painted Ladies. The show runs during July, August and September. The Painted Ladies are a group of watercolor and acrylic painters that include Wendy Cunico, Corliss Derrick, Renee Howell, Deb Turner and Paula Gay. Bethany and the Southside Boys will be performing also on July 3’rd and Skip Blythe will be performing on July 10’th. Hope to see you there !!

This quarter’s featured artist is our very own super talented Lauryn Sprouse. Lauryn is a member of Pink Slips artist cooperative, and has coordinated the Ride or Die art show the past two years.

Check out Wendy's great art on display at The Larder!