How to go
What: “Solar Energy” with Sun Art Challenge
Where: Studio 14 Gallery, 14 E. Main St., Tipp City
When: Continues through Sept. 1
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday
More info: (937) 890-3614 or http://artchallengegallery.com/?p=6962
The theme of sunshine is synonymous with happiness. You can find works on this upbeat theme at Studio 14 Gallery over the next six weeks.
The show features works by Nora Sallow of Wauseon, Ohio, and Aida Garrity of Dublin, Ohio. These two artists are showing figurative, landscape, and still life oil paintings. Sallow is presenting 25 oils that celebrate rural and peaceful settings, like a small girl playing at the beach.
“Nothing is more enjoyable or challenging to me than trying to capture the essence and personality of a human being,” said Sallow.
Garrity lived most of her life in England, but now makes her home in Ohio. One of her works features a young man playing golf. She has an MFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. In addition to works by these two Ohio artists, the annual Sun Art Challenge is being featured at the gallery. This includes local artists, as well as artists from across the United States who send in their interpretation of sunshine. All of these 32 works are shown online as part of the Art Challenge Gallery, as well as in the studio itself.
“We have an annual “sun art” challenge and then I send the art images to CBS ‘Sunday Morning.’ Many of our sun art submissions have aired on the program, as many a fifty different times these past three years,” said Rusty Harden. “Each image I have sent to CBS ‘Sunday Morning’ producers becomes part of their Sun Art Library.”
Harden is presenting her newest work, “Sundrops,” in the show. It’s a vibrant watercolor of bright blue “drops” of water falling off a plant stem. The sun’s image enhances each individual drop. Other Dayton-area artists who are showing their Sun Art are: “Lady Sun” watercolor by Evelyn Staub; “The Hope for Spring” oil on canvas by Rina Thau; and “Gentle is the Sun” watercolor by Sonnie Woodworth.
“I think it’s a wonderful exhibit. The Sun Art Challenge is exciting because it brings in a lot of newer artists, and some, of course, who are professional,” said Staub, owner of Studio 14. “It gives everyone a chance to compete for the same honor to be on ‘CBS This Morning.’ We actually have several young students who are exhibiting this year.”
The Art Challenge Gallery was created by the late Vikki North in 2008. In the waning months of 2011, Harden took over and updated the online website. Artists are invited to submit their artwork inspired by two themed challenges a month, where it may be offered for sale. The Sun Art theme got its start in 2010.
“It is exciting to have the online art gallery and be a part of these artists’ work. The Sun Art challenge brings joy to so many and to offer that for the artists and the views is a wonderful privilege,” said Harden, a Trotwood resident. Exhibiting them together in a brick and mortar gallery has been great fun and I’d recommend the public come and see this amazing exhibit for themselves.”
Harden has had three of her Sun Art works featured on “CBS This Morning”: “Cheshire Sun” in 2011; “Crimson Sun” in July 2012, and “Cuppa Sun” in the fall of 2012.
If you’d like to see a segment where the Sun Art was featured on CBS This Morning, go to http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7421132n.
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