1000 x 90

Art Cellar Gallery in Banner Elk Features Coffee Talk with Watercolor Artist Robert Eoff Saturday, Aug. 24

Aug. 22, 2013. Art Cellar Gallery will be hosting an Artists Coffee Talk with painter Robert Eoff this Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. This engaging artist will talk about his inspirations and techniques and there will be a collection of his paintings on display from trout fishing scenes to walks along the parkway. Robert Eoff will be at the gallery from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be a casual talk at 10:30 and Eoff will be on hand to answer questions and meet visitors while everyone enjoys coffee and other refreshments throughout the meeting.

4935566_origRobert (Bob) Eoff is originally from Memphis, Tenn. His early creative influences were roots music like gospel, blues and of course rock and roll. He bagan painting in the early 70s influenced by a colony of watercolor artists in Memphis who painted rural farm scenes and landscapes from the Delta. Eoff said “I bought some paint, paper and brushes and checked out books from the library to try and copy the techniques.”

He had already been drawing for years and so painting seemed a logical step. He entered his first contest and then quit for years when his other career as a broadcaster was taking off. He was painting occasionally, but after 9/11 he was moved to redirect his leisure time, and began taking watercolor lessons from one of those earlier painters. 

Fred Rawlinson, a retired professor from the Memphis College of Art is credited by Eoff for turning his “colored water” into watercolors. Eoff’s paintings have won recognition from the Tennessee Watercolor Society and he is a Signature Member of the organization, winning the Past Presidents Award in 2006. In 2009, he began painting in oil and continues to paint with both media, and his work has been included in numerous shows. 

Along with the meeting artist Eoff’s visitors to the gallery will have a chance to view the current exhibition by feature artist Norma Murphy. Murphy’s show focuses on the artists distinctive acrylic and paper collages on canvas, but also includes numerous works on paper and several of her oils. Murphy’s work is well known for her images of ladies at tea or in the garden, but the show also includes rich still lives and landscapes. Saturday will be the final day of her feature exhibition, but her work is always included in the gallery offerings. 

New work is always arriving at the gallery and the last two weeks has brought new pieces in glass by artists Richard Jolley, Tommie Rush and Rick and Valerie Beck. Well known artist Zoey Brookshire has just delivered two new large scale figurative works on paper and there are numerous other works from other gallery artists.

This Saturday’s Coffee Talk with Bob Eoff is part of the Avery Tour de Art, which is a day long event that includes 13 different arts destinations througout Avery County. Stop by the Art Cellar for the map to all the other destinations. The Art Cellar Gallery is located on N.C. 194 before the Mill Pond in Banner Elk and the new exterior has brought a lot of attention to its three floors of exhibition space. Contact the gallery for additional information at 828-898-5175 and www.artcellaronline.com.