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Carlton Gallery’s 30th Anniversary Continues with its ‘We Celebrate Art’ Summer Group Exhibition

July 16, 2012. A celebration of Carlton Gallery’s “We Celebrate Art” Summer Group Exhibition which runs through September 15.

The 30th Anniversary Summer Group Exhibition features the non-objective abstracts of new gallery artist, Edie Maney. Her paintings are sensually bold and commanding works of acrylics and mixed media on canvas. She uses plastic, scrapers, and printmaking brayers in addition to brushes and palette knives which enable her to begin in a chaotic style before developing a focal point. Maney works with the canvas on the floor which adds to the strength of her paintings and allows her the freedom to work visually around the painting which she calls “dancing with the canvas.” She paints only the emotion of the colors, as she says, “I want the viewer to go into the painting as if on a journey and feel the emotion.”

Maney paints in acrylics mixed with a gel medium that closely mimics the rich creaminess of oil paint. She applies 3 to 5 coats and then starts “playing around” – moving the shapes around on the canvas. Maney lets the color in her abstracts determine the shape, motion, and texture in the design and composition of her work. She states “emotional expression and meditation are the elements of my style. I experience my passion for life through my paintings.”

The finely crafted wood furniture by Keith Allen is also a feature for the 30 Anniversary Summer Group Exhibition. Allen’s contemporary line of cabinets, chests, tables and benches are among the three dimensional art works exhibited in the gallery. Each piece is superbly hand-crafted using a mixture of woods such as walnut, pecan, ash, mahogany, maple and purple heart.

After retiring from teaching mathematics and computer science on the college level, Allen started “Allenwood” and began building furniture professionally. His design influences are taken from 20 century Dutch cabinet makers who are pioneers of modern furniture design. His work tends to feature the natural defects found in wood contrasted with his “plain geometry.” He utilizes domestic hardwood joinery such as mortise and tendon, dovetails and butterfly inlays in his distinctive designs.

Allen grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He earned his B.A. with Highest Honors, M.A. and Ph. D in Mathematics from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He is a member of various art and craft guilds in North Carolina.

The 30 Anniversary “We Celebrate Art” Summer Group Exhibition also showcases landscape paintings in traditional and contemporary styles; non-objective abstracts; mixed media and water color scenes and figurative work. Three dimensional works in glass, wood and clay, along with wearable fiber art of colorful jackets, felted wool hats, hand dyed silk ponchos and scarves make this Summer Group Exhibition a visual delight.

Enjoy Carlton Gallery’s collection of fine art created by esteemed artists who are local, regional and national during the 30 Anniversary “We Celebrate Art” Summer Group Exhibition through September 15. “Whispers of Life’s Journey” exhibition by Toni Carlton continues through July 25. An anticipated exhibition on July 28 is “Realism of Light and Abstractions – Landscape” by local artist, Egi Antonaccio. The gallery is located 10 miles south of Boone and 7 miles north of Linville on NC 105 in the Grandfather Mountain community. For more information on artists, exhibitions or workshops, call 828-963-4288 or www.carltonartgallery.com.