A new show, Color Comes Alive, highlights the work of artists Marcy Lansman, Pat Merriman and Pringle Teetor. It will be on display at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts from September 24th through October 20th, with a reception in the gallery on Friday, September 27th from 6-9pm.
 
Many of Marcy Lansman’s paintings have been inspired by what she sees on walks in the woods near her home in Chapel Hill.  Lansman begins with an underpainting of bright patches of color. Then, using a palette knife, she fills the painting with random strokes that together create the illusion of light hitting trees. Speckles of color from the underpainting show through the random shapes created by the palette knife.  “The effect,” says Lansman, “is to liven up the painting, mimicking splashes of light we see in nature." This technique is especially suited to paintings of trees since, from a distance, the leaves on a tree look like random patches that vary not only in brightness, but in color.”
Lansman wants her paintings to take the viewers out of their busy world into the peace and quiet of the woods.
 
Pat Merriman’s paintings reflect her love of North Carolina, her native state. Constant experimentation keeps her work fresh, innovative, interesting and unique. “I am inspired to try new techniques, paints, and brushes and see what they add to my work. Currently I am exploring the use of different techniques and materials to create snow scenes.” Experimentation helps encourage creativity, and broadens an artist’s perspective. “I believe it breathes life into artwork,” says Merriman, “and hope you will come see what it has brought to my work in this show.”
This year has been challenging for glassblower Pringle Teetor. She missed almost 3 months in the studio due to shoulder surgery and was not able to get back until mid-June. “At first, I just practiced simple forms” said Teetor, “but I made them a little different. I picked random colors for these pieces as I was mainly practicing, but they turned out very well. Footed bowls are something I love to make but have struggled with in the past because of my shoulder problems. With Color Comes Alive as the theme of the show, I put colors together for bright contrast, like purple and orange for some of the bowls.” Teetor also has carved pieces in the show, a cold decorative technique called battuto, done with diamond wheels on a lathe.  It is a very lengthy, tedious technique, and requires planning layers of color so that cutting through one layer reveals another color underneath.
“Years ago, I fell in love with the motion and dance of the heat and fire.  It blends physical, technical and artistic skills. It’s physically demanding and hard on the body.  It’s exhausting, but yet, I still love it.”
 
About the Gallery:
The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is owned and operated by 21 local artists exhibiting contemporary fine art and fine craft. The Gallery's offerings include oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings, metal sculpture, figurative sculpture, ceramics, photography, photomontage, painted gourds, mixed media, jewelry, glass, and handcrafted furniture. 121 N. Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Phone: (919) 732-5001. The gallery's hours are 10am-6pm Monday–Saturday, 12-4pm Sunday. More information can be found at HillsboroughGallery.com