Exchange Gallery

Every month VAE highlights the work of four or five exemplary VAE artists in its Exchange Gallery. This highly visible retail space in the front windows of VAE's City Market Gallery is excellent exposure for artists and a favorite shopping spot of patrons. Artists are juried into the space annually. For more information contact Rachel Berry at 919.828.7834 ex 6854, or rberry@visualartexchange.org.

Click here to learn how to apply for your own featured artist exhibition!

The Exchange Gallery is brought to you by The Allen Tate Company.

December 2008 Exchange Gallery Artists:

• Larry Dean
• Wyn Easton
• Judy Lynn
• Kitty Mecham
• Lori White

Larry Dean

My artistic and musical roots run deep in North Carolina soil. My mother was a talented painter who inspired me to pursue both art and music. With a major in music from Campbell University, I became a professional musician. Today I am lucky enough to lead North Tower Band, a group of six musicians who play festivals, concerts, and special events throughout the Southeast.

In the new millennium, painting has become a passion for me. I travel the city with camera in hand, watching the light, shadow, and color as they dance their way through the day. Back in my studio, I study my snapshots and let my imagination out to play and apply paint to canvas.

My work has become known for unexpected, pulsing colors that make North Carolina scenes fresh and intense. I also want my acrylics to convey the respect for the history and culture of Raleigh that I feel as I paint.

Wyn Easton

I grew up in the Midwest. I have been drawing since an early age. After I graduated from Central University of Oklahoma, I lived in Boulder, CO, Tulsa, OK, Atlanta, GA, and Raleigh, NC. After my thirty-three year career with IBM, I fell in love with plein air painting. Now, I live the artist's life. I am devoted to being the best painter I can be. I paint almost every day because that is what I love to do. When I go outside to paint, I like to spend some time observing the scene before I start the painting process. What does the scene say to me and how can I best portray that on my canvas?

I have studied with some of the finest plein-air artists in the country. They include Armand Cabrera, Charles Sovek, Ann Templeton, Marc Hanson, Rick McClure, Kenn Backhaus, and Bob Rohm.

Judy Lynn

On canvas I want to bring out the character of a subject, not just the superficial and obvious. I look at a street scene, a landscape, or whatever speaks to me and see a different, more colorful and engaging scene than is actually visible. Buildings are my favorite subjects-I love their structure and their purpose. The hustle and bustle of a city inspires me more than a gorgeous landscape.

My paintings begin with a subject that attracts me by its shape, color, light and shadow elements. I have been conditioned by thirty years of making art to see as an artist; I am not attracted to landmarks or things but to interesting compositions found in our surroundings and everyday life. In my work I want to answer the questions Why am I celebrating this? and What is the purpose of this work? instead of What am I painting?

My intention is not merely to illustrate a particular subject even though some viewers will be drawn to the work because of it. My goal is to hold their interest in the shapes, color and movement of the piece. Although I paint what interests only me, if a viewer looks at one of my paintings and is moved by it or feels some emotion, I feel I have done my job well indeed.

I once heard a phrase that beautifully sums up my painting philosophy: Meaning in life is found in discovering your gift; success is found in giving it away.



Kitty Mecham

Through the use of the human form I hope to convey the triumph and tragedy that is a part of all cultures and countries and each piece that I create comes from within as I combine the sexual, military, religious, and socio-economic battles that encompass the human form. I use sculpture to depict the human need for sensual input, within both the visual and tactile dimension; a tool to draw people to the meaning and objective of the work- to awaken people to the conflicts of life and ultimately help to portray the universal nature of human life. Each of us experiences events throughout our lives that play a major role in the development of who we are as an individual. However, common symbols, stories, or actions remind us that we are not substantially different than the person standing next to us.

Lori White

I am a North Carolina artist with a passion for both the environment and painting. Currently, I am working on two series, a wine still life series and a tree series featuring the wonderful beeches, oaks, and pines of Umstead State Park. I have included champagne still lifes in this show, which experiment with contrasting heavy, dark green champagne bottles and the lightness of champagne glasses. Foods or books that pair well with champagne usually accompany these in the paintings.

Impressionism is the art movement that most deeply resonates within me, being a point of departure for my work, which is largely contemporary realism. In addition to the Impressionists, my influences are the Ashcan School, Schmid, Sorolla, Sargent, and Hopper. The currently active plein air painters Scott Christensen, Matt Smith, Ralph Oberg, Albert Handell, and Clyde Aspevig are strong influences on my outdoor painting.

See previous featured artists:

November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007