Andrews – The Andrews Public Library held its second quarterly art show May 7 as the Young Adult & Children’s Showcase & Sale, with art from local artists Bailey Shope, Jacob Teasdale and Greta Whisonant.
Curated by branch co-manager Kelly Bryant, the show was intended to feature young local artists whose talents have emerged and been honed by visiting the library and entering the various art and coloring contests provided monthly by the regional library.
While it was each young artist’s first public showing of their works, it won’t be their last according to each one as this has been a confidence-building exercise to share their works with family, friends and the public.
The youngest artist at 16 years old, Bailey Shope works in different media, including pencil and pen drawings, as well as different paints for a varied collection over her six years honing her skills.
Shope said the inspiration for her works are capturing the expressions and essences of people in portraiture as well as landscapes within the natural world. She does commissions based upon photographs provided to her for conveying the essence of both people’s loved ones and pets.
Jacob Teasdale, 20, of Murphy, prefers photography as his medium and is inspired by nature and still-life renditions of both foreign locales during his travels abroad aboard cruises to tropical climes. He also provides detailed images of the natural scenery of western North Carolina including tight shots of river rock formations along with the barks of trees including river birch.
Teasdale also prefers to let his images reflect the beauty of his surroundings without digital manipulation, although he is interested in learning more about how the digital process can potentially enhance and influence his art.
Greta Whisonant began sketching as a homeschooled student for an art class and for entertainment around age 11, and at 17 is proud to show her work for the first time. She works in charcoal, color pencil and graphite to explore fantastical creatures, from myth and original creation, along with personifications of emotions as imagined characters in her work.
Also an Andrews library volunteer, Whisonant is inspired by both books and her intensely personal take on the larger meaning of creating art and the mass marketing of art within the broader consumer world.
Light refreshments were provided by Friends of the Andrews Public Library. The works will be on display until the next scheduled showing in August.
Details: Visit facebook.com/AndrewsPublicLibrary.