Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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36 UCW OCTOBER 4-10, 2023 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM COVER Themes of Joy and Transformation: Mixed Media by Deb Drew by SONI MARTIN When viewing any work of art, we each have a level of appreciation that takes place. We might see ourselves in the work, the craftsmanship is remarkable, or we like the subject and style. We can value a work of art for its historical place in history or maybe the work shows us something we have not seen or thought about. No matter what reason we value works of art or the content of an artist's work, a successful work of art must have inherent formal qualities that support a visual balance. An aesthetic appreciation was immediate in 2022 when I saw a body of work by Chapel Hill artist Deb Drew in the 10:10:10 exhibit at the Fayetteville Arts Council. e mix of natural and painted woods and earth colors, the figure is stylized in shapes of color and texture against an abstracted background. At the bottom of the panel, the artist included one word in a material that was slightly raised off the surface of the panel. No matter what the word or subject, each panel exuded a sense of completeness or joyfulness. After meeting the artist, I invited her to exhibit at Gallery 208. Several months later we talked on the phone. One year later, the artist's reception for emes of Joy and Transformation: Mixed Media by Deb Drew opens in Gallery 208, ursday, Oct. 5. e reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. As the curator of the exhibit, the call to Drew, which took place several months after meeting her, became a turning point in what would be selected for exhibitions at Gallery 208. is is the first exhibit in the twelve years of curating Gallery 208 that an artist is exhibiting work inspired by religious faith. Why is that? First and foremost, an artist with faith-based works has not approached Gallery 208 for an exhibit. But there are other factors. Although contemporary art culture tries to acknowledge and support diversity, it is still strongly influenced by popular styles. e result is artists align themselves with current trends or market demands. is influence also has the potential to marginalize religious themes in favor of popular and commercially viable subjects. Drew, like all artists, explores themes and symbols as a means of communicating a feeling or an idea. For this artist, themes and symbols are a way to express her spirituality by incorporating modern techniques and perspectives to create fresh and thought-provoking artworks. Ultimately, religious art in the 21st century continues to serve multiple purposes, from personal expression and spiritual practice to cultural preservation and education. It remains a vibrant and evolving aspect of the art world, reflecting the enduring significance of religion in human culture and society. "Thorny" by Deb Drew "Good" by Deb Drew