The golden light of the morning sun filters through the trees and swirling mist, frozen in acrylic paint.
Buoyant, jovial portraits of famous scientists stand out in Impressionist oil paintings. Swaths of abstract color painted to reflect the life-giving act of breathing electrify otherwise stark white canvas.
Rustic barns and tractors, soothing orchids, catamarans beached on a lakeshore — Greenwood’s most exciting artists capture a wide variety of different subjects in stunning ways.
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Public art events have been hard to come by this year. Large-scale exhibitions and art fairs have been cancelled, eliminating opportunities for artists to reach potential customers and show off their work.
But the Greater Greenwood Arts Council, together with the Greenwood Public Library, have stepped up to fill the void. An ongoing exhibition, featuring 50 paintings by 12 area artists, will be on display through Nov. 20.
“We’re very excited to share the arts with the community in a vibrant way. This artwork is absolutely gorgeous,” said Mark Landis, president of the Greater Greenwood Arts Council. “So, we’re sharing it and trying to let people know about it. It’s a great exhibition. I think there will be a lot of people who will enjoy it.”
The exhibition was born as members of the Greater Greenwood Arts Council searched for a way to promote the arts in the area, as large events and fundraisers were shut down due to the ongoing pandemic.
The council aims to advance the arts by offering opportunities for creative expression and immersive cultural experiences. They have organized a contest to use local artwork for special wine from Mallow Run Winery, helped bring sculptures to the trailways around Greenwood and held an artisan dinner as a fundraiser.
One of its most visible events is the annual Art for the Ages, which features artists of all kinds, skill levels and styles displaying their work for the public to see in April and May. That show had to be cancelled.
The library has always been the host of the show, and officials reached out to the Greater Greenwood Arts Council to try and devise an event that could be held safely but still capture the creative spirit of the community.
“They called us and said they had plenty of open space for something they could feature,” Landis said. “They wondered if we’d be interested in doing an art exhibition due to the fact we weren’t able to do Art for the Ages back in April. We thought very quickly and immediately said yes.”
With a set exhibition of established artists, organizers could control the number of participants and more easily manage precautions against the virus, Landis said.
Participating artists included past winners of the arts council’s events and contests. Patty Coulter creates large contemporary, bold, abstract paintings using fluid acrylic paint, while Jeff Davis captures the worn patina of time on an old tractor in his painting, “Waiting.” Marianna Richards paints stunning visions of the natural world, particularly orchids, and John Manicke makes utterly realistic portraits.
Chuck Horsman’s Impressionist portraits, Stephanie McDairmant’s abstract “breathing” pieces and Cheerie Joy’s take on wide-open spaces are all prominently features. Well-known local artists such as Barbara Dunn-Stear Nadine Najjar, Nancy Neeley, Patti Paris Owens and Barbara Thomas all offer unique takes on the beauty of the world around them.
The works being shown are for sale, and organizers hope that the exposure results in some financial support for the artists as well, Landis said.
“Maybe the artists will be able to get a little bit out of it as well,” Landis said. “If they have pieces they want to want to sell, we’ve encouraged them to bring those pieces.”
The first-time exhibition is symbolic of a transitional year for the Greater Greenwood Arts Council. A number of new volunteers and board members have stepped forward to lead the organization, as they plan on the best ways to promote creativity and artistry around the Greenwood area.
“This is a rebuilding year for the board,” Landis said. “Being able to do this, in a rebuilding year and in the craziness that is 2020, it’s an opportunity to continue to say to the community that we are alive as an organization, and we’re exciting to move forward.”
In addition, the council is working on a scholarship program for high school seniors involved in the arts in the Johnson County community. Donations are being accepted at the council’s website, and they are using the exhibition as a way to draw attention to it.
Young artists will be able to apply for those scholarships in the coming weeks, Landis said.
“This is another opportunity for us to share about that,” he said.
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Greater Greenwood Arts Council exhibition
What: A display of more than 50 works of art by 12 local artists, done in all styles and media
Where: Greenwood Public Library, 310 S. Meridian St.
When: Through Nov. 20
Participating artists: Patty Coulter, Jeff Davis, Barbara Dunn-Stear, Chuck Horsman, Cheerie Joy, John Manicke, Stephanie McDairmant, Nadine Najjar, Nancy Neeley, Patti Paris Owens, Marianna Richards and Barbara Thomas
Information: facebook.com/GreenwoodArts
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