By Julie Lindsay, Guest Columnist
When it comes to art, size really doesn’t matter. A tiny, detailed etching may speak to you just as loudly as a vast, epic mural on the side of a building.
However, too often, size does matter when it comes to the price of art, making larger works unattainable for some. That’s why the Murphy Art Gallery’s Big Outdoor Art Sale is more than good news for those of you looking for a large, quality piece of art that will not cost you an arm and a leg. What’s more, the available work is original, local art that has been deemed fabulous enough to grace to walls of downtown Murphy.
You’ve all seen the large, printed 5-foot by 3-foot panels displayed carefully on brick walls of businesses at strategic spots. They won their space in the sun after being picked from many applicants for the Murphy Art Xplosion contest.
These artworks change seasonally and showcase a new show for spring, summer, fall and winter every three months. Themes range from “Appalachian Creatures Big and Small” to “Everything Goes” and more. All entries must be local and winning artists are awarded prize money.
The pieces have become part of the Valley River Arts Guild treasure trove, which the guild would now like to share with you all – for a song. The works are substantial, outdoor grade vinyl canvases on a Styrofoam backing – unframed as the existing frames are reused by the next crop of MAC Xplosion winners.
The artists themselves will have a first dibs to “buy back” their work, but then the sale is open to the public for the fabulously inexpensive cost of $35 per piece. Given each work is hardy enough to live either outdoors or in … that’s a pretty great deal.
There’s something for everyone, from lush, colorful landscapes to gorgeous painted animals and birds, mixed media work and stunning photography. The panels from the show “Summer in the Mountains” are not in the sale since they’re on town display through the end of September.
The Big Outdoor Art Sale will be open to the public on First Friday evening, July 5, and all day Saturday, July 6, in front of the Murphy Art Center.
Also coming to the MAC, the Sweet Land of Liberty exhibit opens in the Special Events Gallery on July 1. It will run the entire month in honor of America’s Independence Day. Arts and crafts in the gallery will showcase the beauty of our region with an Americana theme.
You are all invited to our opening reception on Murphy Art Walk evening. Live music inside the MAC will feature Jim and Marci Wilcox with free refreshments, while music on the square will be rocked by the Switchback band.
The writer is a resident of Cherokee County.