The 16th Arts on the River event Saturday will feature fine art, said director Lois Tryon.
“No crafts, no black velvet paintings of Elvis, no painted ceramic ducks,” she said.
The event is a juried (or judged) show featuring artists from Columbus, Lanett, Smiths, Cumming, Ga., and Nashville, Tenn.
One visiting artist, Nashville’s Bob McGill uses an unusual technique -- he paints using razor blades.
Guests will get to see McGill’s technique in use because he’ll be working while he’s at the event.
Guests will be able to buy art at the event. There won’t be any food vendors on site but Tryon recommends that art lover eat at one of the downtown restaurants. In the afternoon, pianist Tom Chadwick and Friends will perform at Arts on the River.
Suzanne Reed Fine: Painter
Age: 44
Education: Bachelor’s degree in drawing and design and marketing and history, graphic design
Family: Husband, Joel, daughters Harper, 12, and Cassidy, 8
Previous Jobs: Graphic designer, art teacher, receptionist at Emory University Hospital.
Hobbies: Cooking, skiing, exercising, spending time with family and friends, volunteering at my girls’ schools.
What inspires you? Many things inspire me. Music, sounds, people. I think perhaps what inspires me the most are the mountains and trees in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico where I grew up. There is something very energizing and centering about the place.
Name the artist whose work you saw that made you say, “I can do that.” I was first taken by Andrew Wyeth’s work when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I don’t know that I thought, “I can do that,” but I remember thinking “I want to do that!” His paintings told stories that made you want to climb inside and figure out what was going on. I am inspired by artists Stephen Quiller, Georgia O’Keefe, Dorothea Lange, Lesley Dill, Betsy Eby, Katherine Chang Liu, Bo Bartlett, George James, as well as many authors and musicians.
What kind of art schooling do you have? I was born into a family of artists from many generations, so I learned from watching and working with my father and grandmother. I studied drawing and design in college, and then graphic design school after that. It wasn’t until I had been out of college for several years that I decided to take up painting. Most of what I learned was self-taught through books, videos and trial and error. I also reconnected with my college art professor, Stephen Quiller, who teaches workshops now and paint with him at least once or twice a year. I try to take workshops as well. Painting and drawing as much as I can is the best training, I think.
What time of day or night do you do your best work? It depends on when the deadline is. Now, I work better in the mornings or earlier in the day, just because of my family’s schedules. I can work any time that is free. I have never been one to wait for inspiration to hit. However, I used to think that I was only “working” when I was actually applying paint to the canvas, but in reality, so much more goes into the process. Coming up with the idea and letting it gel in my head, visualizing the piece can sometimes be done while standing in line at the grocery store, or at the soccer field, so when I get to the studio I have all the details worked out and I can get right on it.
What is your goal as an artist? Ultimately, my goal is to be true to myself and find that voice of expression for each piece. I want to continue to see what’s around the next corner and push the possibilities of what I do. It’s a very exciting process, and each time it leads to something else and something different which is incredible.
In what medium do you work? I work primarily in acrylic, but work with the other watermedia (watercolor, gouache, casein) as well.
Suzy Hood: Painter
Age: 53
Hometown: Phenix City. A Columbus native, she moved across the river 27 years ago.
Education: Columbus High School; Columbus Technical School; Columbus State University
Previous Jobs: Retired from the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier in Columbus after almost 34 years of service.
Current Job: Part time office assistant for the dental office of Dr. Christa Spann in Phenix City.
Family: Husband of 37 years, Graylen (also an exhibiting artist); daughter, Jessica Owen, 34, and her husband, Christian, of McDonough, Ga.; daughter Alexah Weaver, 31, and her husband, Phillip, of Phenix City; granddaughter, Oakley Weaver, 16 months, of Phenix City. Pets include a mixed breed, Drake; miniature Dachshund, Louis; Bassett Hound, Mail.
Hobbies: Painting, cooking and working in the yard.
What inspires you? Color. I love color, I love the changing colors of the leaves in the fall. I am inspired and encouraged when I look at other artists’ work. My husband, who has developed into a wonderful artist himself, is my biggest inspiration ... we feed off of each other’s ideas.
Name the artist whose work you saw that made you say, “I can do that.” The artist that made me say “I can do that” is former Columbus resident Frenasee Rathel Daughety, now in Dublin, Ga. She was my first art teacher and let me know right from the start that there was not a right way or wrong way to be an artist. She encouraged me to develop my own style. She still continues to encourage me to this day.
What kind of art schooling do you have? Though I do not have an art degree, I have taken many art classes through CSU’s continuing education program as well as have attended various workshops and classes from local and regional artists.
What time of day or night do you do your best work? I usually do my best art work early in the morning. When I am having trouble sleeping, I usually get up and paint. The house is quiet and I put on some light jazz music, which always gets me motivated to paint.
What is your goal as an artist? My goal as an artist would be to paint portraits of people, especially my granddaughter and future grandchildren. I have always admired people who paint portraits. I think it takes a special talent and patience to do those types of paintings.
In what medium do you work? I have painted in acrylics, oils and watercolors. I most enjoy painting in acrylics, they dry faster and are less messy.
Donnie Crocker: Wood turner
Age: 65
Hometown: Phenix City for my first 40 years, Columbus last 25.
Education: Graduated Central High, Phenix City, in 1964. Two-year degree CVCC, attended Troy University.
Previous jobs: 30-plus years at Litho-Krome Co,; retired in 2002.
Job today: Self-employed since 2003 as a welder and handyman.
Family: Wife, Carol (an accompolished artist also), son Chris and his wife Kori, granddaughter Ella; daughter, Wendi, and her husband, Jason, grandson, Judson, granddaughter, Jenna; Carol’s son, Michael. Pet, Nali, a mixed breed Alaskian Husky.
Hobbies: Fixing stuff that other people can’t and wood turning
What inspires you? Jehovah’s creations.
Name the artist whose work you saw that made you say, “I can do that.” Ouland, a well-known Georgia wood turner, now deceased. I met him on our honeymoon at Unicoia State park, at the art show there that weekend.
What kind of art schooling do you have? None, I’m self taught.
What time of day or night do you do your best work? Evenings.
What is your goal as an artist? To one day work only with my art, nothing else.
In what medium do you work? Wood turnings. I use all types of wood.
Len Jagoda: Painter
Age: 64
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio. Has been in Waverly Hall since 1975, and in the Columbus area since 1970.
Previous jobs: Aflac
Job today: Full time artist
Family: Wife, Delores. Two pensioned race horses and six dogs -- five are “rescued mongrels” and one is a Spinone Italiano. One cat (also a rescue).
What inspires you? I don’t seek inspiration; I think if I waited for inspiration I might never do anything. I take on each piece as a challenge. Since I specialize in dogs and horses, I try to capture a “look” that reflects that individual’s personality as well as the fundamental likeness. For me the likeness is the easier of the two challenges. I can only be satisfied when I feel that I have accomplished both.
Name the artist whose work you saw that made you say, “I can do that.” Since my scholarship to Cleveland Institute of Art was superseded by a ”scholarship to the Fort Benning Institute of Infantry” I never formally studied other artists. Over the years I have visited many museums and galleries and studied how different artists approached different elements of a piece of artwork but never thought about replicating another artist’s style. If you want to know the name of an artist who I highly respect, I would say Booth Malone. I would never say, “I can do that” about his work, only that I would like to achieve the level or quality of his work in my own style and mediums.
What kind of art schooling do you have? I have not receive any formal art schooling; however, I did participate in an oil painting workshop but I have yet to complete an oil painting.
What time of day or night do you do your best work? I try to get some time in right after the horses are fed, stalls cleaned and horses turned out in the morning.
What is your goal as an artist? Short term to become an associate of the Academy of Equine Art; long term, to be a financially successful artist.
In what medium do you work? I worked in pencil and sculpture only when I started being a full-time artist in 2007 and added pastels in 2008. Because of the foundry costs of having sculptures cast in bronze, I am working mostly in pastels at this time.
