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 →
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: 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 →
Meet This Artist: Young Authors, Bright Lights
When Chatham County’s media coordinators put out a call for original stories, more than 500 elementary and middle school students delivered. Autobiographies, works of fiction, pop-ups books, poetry – they arrived in many forms. From this pool of literature, 50 were selected – representing the top picks from each public school. The authors of these… Read More →
Meet this Artist: Liz Bliss is a Cirque Performer with a Flare
Chatham County artist Elizabeth Robertson (aka Liz Bliss) is a cirque performer, aerial artist, acrobat, stilt dancer, fire dancer and instructor. “I tend to think of myself more as a professional smile maker. My goal is to inspire others to move, express and be,” she said. Though she pursued a career in public health and… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Linda Booker fuses art and issues through documentaries
As a child, Linda Booker was especially drawn to these three things: art, reading and the little brook that trickled near her home. The latter provided a quiet retreat where her creativity and her passion for learning flourished. Thus when she founded a company in 2005, she chose the name By the Brook Productions through which… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Meredith Bridges – shoemaker, weaver, sculptor, teacher
Meredith Bridges can make herself a pair of shoes, weave a blanket, construct a pack basket and craft a shaker box. She does so with creative flare, a respect for her materials and a keen eye for detail. “Though I love making art and being in the studio, I am just as happy to help… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Joey Howell Creates in Paints & Notes
In the deep woods of Chatham County, Joey Howell has found synchronicity between his two art forms. He plays music to create “visual imagery that transports the listener” and he paints visual images that “convey the rhythm, harmony and emotion of music.” There is a bold yen and yang flow between them – rather like… Read More →
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