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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OCTOBER 4-10, 2023 UCW 37 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Deb Drew is an accomplished artist and educator. She earned a Ph.D. in Art Education at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio after earning an MA in Art Education at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, and a BA in Visual Communication and Psychology from North Central University in Durham, North Carolina. It wasn't until 2015 Drew decided to create works inspired by religious text. 'Fruit of the Spirit' was the first piece I produced. I envisioned a young man with his hands raised, surrounded by the words that make up the fruit of the Spirit," she said. "I contacted my oldest nephew and asked if he would pose for me, and he was happy to do so. His image began the whole creative mixed-media process, and that work is on the front of my business card. I can't imagine a better beginning, for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control." (Gal 5:22-23) With the exception of one work in the exhibit, if a mixed media work or painting has words in it, there is only one word and not a phrase. e beauty of the limited text is an opportunity to open the interpretation of the work. An example is the work titled Good: a smiling woman is in the center of the panel, the word "patience" reads across her headband. Behind the figure is a group, or pattern, of stylized oranges creating an aura of yellow-orange, striped leaves of green between the fruit. e lower bottom of the picture plane is made of wooden panels stained in a cherry-wood color; the word "good" is on the surface cut from a different piece of wood stained in dark gray. Forgive and Ye Will Be Forgiven, another work in the exhibit, is without text. Drew has painted patterns of daisies across the surface of the painting in the form of an upward spiral: they diminish in size as they float backward and upwards into the distance. A joyous smiling female is behind the daisies and in front of the background of larger arc shapes, painted in the color of teal and gold leafing. Drews's works serve as a means of outreach, sparking curiosity and encouraging dialogue about faith and spirituality — yet many works are left to interpretation. Although religious art had a significant role in shaping the cultural heritage of societies around the world — today it is met with mixed reactions and criticism in secular galleries. No matter what the belief system of any visitor to emes of Joy and Transformation is, the majority of visitors will leave the gallery seeing a strong body of work and having a feeling of joy and positivity. It is the way in which the artist explores a theme that reflects human positivity and joy, or in the beauty of a landscape full of tulips. While religious art may face challenges in contemporary art circles, there are still many contemporary artists who incorporate religious themes and symbols into their work and are celebrated for doing so. e reception of religious art in contemporary art is diverse, with some embracing it as a valuable form of expression for a myriad of reasons. Art, by its nature, is highly subjective, and opinions on what constitutes meaningful or valuable art can vary widely. In an increasingly interconnected world, emes of Joy and Transformation has the potential to facilitate interfaith dialogue and understanding by showcasing commonalities and differences among different religious traditions. At the end of the day, Gallery 208 celebrates diversity and inclusiveness. Beyond its spiritual or religious aspects, Deb Drew's art is simply aesthetically beautiful or captivating. e skill and creativity of the artist in depicting spiritual themes can be appreciated purely on an artistic level. e value of spiritual-based art is multifaceted, encompassing personal, cultural, religious, emotional and artistic dimensions. It serves as a means of expression, reflection and connection to the spiritual or divine realm. emes of Joy and Transformation has the potential to evoke different meanings and significance for different individuals and communities. e public is invited to attend the reception and meet the artist on ursday, Oct. 5, between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. e exhibit will remain at Gallery 208 until late December 2023. Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan Street, Fayetteville. e hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information call 910-484-6200. SONI MARTIN, Gallery 208 Curator. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. "Forgive and Ye Shall Be Forgiven" by Deb Drew "He First Loved Us" by Deb Drew