Up & Coming Weekly

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2010 UCW 11 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM For any artist, the opportunity to share one's talent with the world is the pinnacle of personal achievement, and it will be no less grand for the lucky artists who will see their works displayed in the First Annual Juried Exhibition at Fayetteville Technical Community College. With the opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb, 26, Curator Sean McDaniel no doubt anticipates a success. The artworks to be featured were selected by Juror Chuck Lawson, and a total of 24 artists from all over the United States will have their pieces displayed through March 12. Those who attend will not be disappointed; there is a wide variety for all to appreciate. Each artist has a unique personal style and vision. Artist Amanda Small created both of her sculptures using clay. Her fi rst work, entitled Almost, is an abstract piece that has a sensuous, almost feminine feel to it. With its twining arms emerging from a green pod-like base, it recalls the blossoming of a caterpillar into a butterfl y, while her second piece, Genesis, looks rather like an alien shedding its skin. Mark Gordon's Cuboid Bottle, created using clay, has a rougher texture, rather sophisticated and masculine. It almost resembles a pinecone, with its three-dimensional blocks sitting on the surface of an urn-shaped bottle, giving it a texture that just begs to be touched, but don't touch it! Others decided to go a different route, effectively utilizing the power of the still photo to communicate with the viewer. Michael Freeman's Green Sun Rising is intense; it features vibrant green rays that remind one of a summer afternoon. Shane Booth's Bull leaves one feeling somewhat lonely. Although it features the intimidating animal gazing directly at the viewer, its black and white coloring gives the picture a strangely somber feel, as though a tornado were hovering overhead. Helmut Amann's A Hard Rain…Double 2 and A Hard Rain…Double 3 recall the pages of a psychology textbook. They feature a man in black and white in the foreground, and yet again in color in the background. It feels almost schizophrenic; the black and white stills show the man with a somber, somewhat vacant stance, while his colored 'other half' is expressive to the point of mania. Christine Simonetti's Nightmare is eerie, yet expresses something childlike. Rendered in a style that recalls a Tim Burton movie, it contrasts a smoky yellow scene featuring two women placed beneath a dark forest, and reminds one of the common fears of childhood, such as loneliness and fear of the dark. Although several artists opted to use acrylic or oil paint, each created a piece uniquely individual, creating an atmosphere completely different from that of their peers. Elizabeth Leal's From Matter to Spirit feels transitional, as though the artist created the piece to describe her own journey through life, and although it may at fi rst glance appear simple, it evokes feelings of uncertainty and excitement in the viewer. Kaiyt Howard's untitled piece features a heart that appears to be bursting, and the wild shower of cool and warm color surrounding it seems to personify the mercurial emotions that accompany life; looking at it, one experiences a rush of different emotions, making it a very poignant piece. Vinita Jain's A Fiery Meadow reminds one of fall, and the colors suggest that night is fast approaching; it is rendered in a style that gives the illusion of constant motion, as though a cool breeze were wafting overhead. Clarence J. Schumaker's Gray Day is an impeccably detailed depiction of an expansive wooded area surrounded by a lake. It is beautifully done, with a precision of natural form that is diffi cult to acquire, and evokes a sense of calm and serenity that usually accompanies a quiet day. With opening reception night fast approaching, those involved in the First Annual Juried Exhibition no doubt feel the anticipation that accompanies an artist's chance to share their talent and vision with the public. The 24 whose artwork has been selected have reached that long awaited moment, and each piece is proof of their talent and dedication to their craft. The show represents something most important to any artist-recognition of their talent. It is an affi rmation of their collective and individual success. Juried Exhibition at FTCC to Open on 4th Friday by ASHLEY BANDALAN All Bars and Restaurants in North Carolina are SMOKE FREE PLEASE CALL 1-800-662-7030 or visit www.smokefree.nc.gov to report a violation. Sponsored by the County of Cumberland Department of Public Health. 3BFGPSE3E4UF#t'BZFUUFWJMMF/$ #FUXFFO"MM"NFSJDBO4LJCP3E Chiropractic Can Help! Dr. Karen 4542 Raeford Rd., Ste. B-1 'BZFUUFWJMMF/$t Between All American & Skibo Rd. CALL NOW 426-2272 $7/$6&+,5235$&7,& Voted Best of Fayetteville WE LISTEN...WE CARE...WE GET RESULTS!!! Dr. Karen Dr. Rachel Voted Best of Fayetteville N...WE CARE...WE GET RESULTS!!! &DUSDO7XQQHO 6\QGURPH &KLURSUDFWLF $VDIH QRQVXUJLFDO VROXWLRQ

• Cover