5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Thursday, Sept. 30 | ChathamArts Gallery
Throughout October and November, the ChathamArts Gallery will spotlight the work of three incredible artists: Siglinda Scarpa, Roy Lindholm and Florence Johnson. The Chatham County Arts Council will unveil the work of these artists and a newly renovated space at its opening gala Thursday evening, Sept. 30.
Each of the three featured artists document “place” in a unique medium: Scarpa through pottery, Lindholm through photography and Johnson through watercolor.
Scarpa says her interest in art began during her childhood as she would explore the mountains around her home in Italy. “I had a sense of belonging to and feeling equal with everything around me,” she said. “The purpose of my art is to bring the beauty of natural elements into our everyday lives.”
Lindholm says his goal as a photographer is to capture images that he’d like hanging in his home. “My photographs differ from some in that I focus on mood to emphasize the charm and beauty of the subject, often a location,” he said. “I’m not a photojournalist; the more my photographs have a ‘painterly’ quality, the happier I am.”
And he’s not the only “painterly” ChathamArts artist to express the mood of a place. By chance, Lindholm and Johnson’s collections include similar places they visited in Bruges, Belgium.
“I love drawing and painting barns,” Johnson said. “During my travels, I seek them out. As I draw and paint the barns—specially the old, weathered ones—I like to imagine what it would have been like on this farm when it was thriving. The comparisons of the structures are fascinating, yet I find the same materials are used worldwide.”
In order to provide a beautiful, revitalized space to display these interpretations of “place,” ChathamArts Gallery volunteers spent a week in August revamping the gallery, located in historic downtown Pittsboro.
“We sanded, spackled, primed and painted until our fingers were numb,” said artist and volunteer John Makowski. “But it was all worth it. Look at how it sparkles! I’m proud to display my work in this space.”
“I’m glad to see the gallery upgraded so that it will continue bringing vitality to our downtown by showcasing the creative talent that flourishes around us,” Johnson added.
Once solely showing Chatham County artists, the gallery recently opened its space to all North Carolina artists.
“People from across the state are beginning to learn about us and to visit more frequently,” ChathamArts Director Molly Matlock said. “New artists promote us to new customer bases, and this helps us grow.”
The gala offers an opportunity to meet and learn from our Piedmont artists. Wine and refreshments will be served.
ChathamArts Gallery sells a wide range of North Carolina art and is open weekly from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month.
More information about the gallery, is available at
www.chathamarts.org/gallery.
Admission is free and open to the public. Wine and refreshments will be served.
ChathamArts Gallery | 115 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro, NC 27312
Phone: 919-542-0394
