Amidst a wilderness of animals and spirits of the wild, I met with artist Shannon Bueker. In fact, we were not out in the wilds of Chatham County, but in her home studio, densely-packed with her lush paintings of animals and people in their element and on the move. Almost indistinguishable at times, the forms are… Read More →
Nancy Trovillion, Assistant Director for the NC Arts Council, calls Chatham County an “arts goldmine.” We have more artists per capita than just about any other county in the tarheel state. These spotlight articles help you learn more about our unique local talents and creative voices.
Meet This Artist: Dorrie Casey is giving art to support art for children
Since she was a child, Dorrie Casey was all about theater – writing, performing, designing, and making music. Then, quite by chance, a new art form grabbed hold of her and even kept her up at night. “It was as though something inside me had been sleeping a deep sleep and it suddenly woke up,”… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Derrick Ivey is master-of-many theater magician
This month’s Meet This Artist is by guest blogger Elisabeth Lewis Corley. Native North Carolinian Derrick Ivey was a Radio, Television and Motion Picture major at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, studying journalism and screenwriting. He moved to Atlanta briefly then returned to Chapel Hill and settled in Chatham County where he… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Bluegrass icon Tony Williamson overcomes pain, finds purpose on his farm
Born into a multi-generational family of musicians, Tony Williamson and his brother Gary quickly earned the title of “child sensations” on the national bluegrass stage. Back home at their school in rural Randolph County, however, their music earned them some teasing from their classmates. Tony and Gary were undeterred. “Music was such a fun… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Ruth Moose is serving up words, ideas, memories
Ruth Moose was only three years-old when she first tried her hand at writing. “My grandfather was a Baptist preacher – tall, very charismatic. He baptized a lot of people, traveled across North Carolina and preached at various churches and revivals,” she said. He left a sermon – in progress – on his writing table…. Read More →
Meet This Artist: Ash and clay become art in the hands of Lara O’Keefe
Oak tree ash from her wood stove, red clay from the earth – there is a bit of Chatham County in nearly every piece of pottery Lara O-Keefe creates.* As someone who grew up here before heading out into the world, this represents a literal return to her native roots and soil. “I spent my… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Pain fueled creativity & spirit for Onicas Gaddis
Onicas Gaddis has only one photograph from his childhood. “This is me and my two brothers, Bart and Phillip, and my sister Josephine – before I was taken away,” he said. The photo is blurry, his siblings’ faces like a misty dream. When he said good-bye to his family, he had only his memory to keep… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Sculptor Eddie White is exploring on a large scale
Sculptor Eddie White starts with a piece of paper or a thin sheet of plastic. He cuts intricate lines – sometimes parallel, sometimes curved – and carefully twists the ribs apart. The flat surface suddenly becomes dimensional. “What begins as a design consisting of two basic shapes can be manipulated in endless ways for different effects,”… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Allison Tierney is exploring the objectness of paint
Artist Allison Tierney is known for applying paint in a “non-traditional”style. But paint isn’t the only thing she is applying to her canvases. “My pieces often employ found items that are embedded within the frame and these objects bring with them histories and stories of their past,” she said. Even the scraps from her paintings… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Leandra Strope is empowering girls to find their voices
While other toddlers were smearing yogurt in their hair and coloring on the walls with crayons, Leandra Strope at age two was learning to play the violin. “My mother was committed to the idea that my brother and I would be musically literate,” said Leandra. By the time she was in elementary school, she had… Read More →
