疯客直播

Comradery amongst artists, 疯客直播 Art Guild inspires one another while promoting the arts

Published 10:54 am Wednesday, May 27, 2020

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The 疯客直播 Art Guild has been a part of the Queen City鈥檚 art scene for 50 years.

Cam Guarino, who鈥檚 been with the Guild since 1981, nearly 40 years, said the 疯客直播 Art Guild was founded in 1970 by Charles and Lorena Garth, along with several other supporters of the arts, to create more artistic opportunities and to make the community aware of the artists who were here.

Today, the mission of the 疯客直播 Art Guild is a little more involved.

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The non-profit organization still highlights local artists and their works but also provides art education through classes throughout the year as they work to encourage economic development through the arts.

The group鈥檚 members consist of local artists and patrons, all brought together by their love of the arts.

Guarino, who works as an art teacher at Morgan Academy when she isn鈥檛 busy with the Guild, works in oil paintings.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e sort of universal,鈥 she said of her preferred medium. 鈥淥ne time, someone said a painting I鈥檇 done of Wilcox County looked like the south of France. I said, 鈥業t can be wherever you want it to be.鈥欌

Jo Taylor, a potter and fused glass artist, is no less enthusiastic about her medium.

Taylor began her art education in water colors with the goal in mind of creating botanical illustrations but after a ceramic handbuilding class AUM, she made the switch.

鈥淚 was hooked,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 love the medium of clay because you can manipulate and mold it.

You can use it for utilitarian purposes or sculptures or paintings. It can be anything you want it to be. It鈥檚 malleable. Glass is the same.鈥

Joanna Nichols joined, has been a member of the 疯客直播 Art Guild since 2001, nearly 20 years.

Nichols was drawn to the Guild after she鈥檚 just moved here as a way to make friends.

Nichols said she鈥檚 鈥渄one enough鈥 art, but she worked in water colors when she arrived in 疯客直播.

鈥淲atercolors were best for me,鈥 she said in her English accent. 鈥淭hey seem almost alive. I know it sounds strange but water does really fascinating things when it runs with the paint. I did a lot of painting when I first arrived [to 疯客直播]. I love things that are different. I loved the old buildings that were sort wearing down and the extraordinary old cars that were sitting around.鈥

Sandy Greene, a retired art teacher, is equally fascinated by the 疯客直播 landscape, but has chosen photography over watercolors to capture it.

鈥業 love to take photos from all different angles,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to look at something straight on, I want to find the right angle to make it look interesting.鈥

Pam Stewart grew up in 疯客直播, but left as a teenager.

She returned six years ago, and has been a member of the Guild for the last three.

Stewart comes from a family of 疯客直播 Artists, her grandfather鈥檚 ornate woodwork can still be seen at the First Baptist Church.

Unlike her grandfather, Stewart works in portraits, prophetic paintings and water colors.

Stewart joined the 疯客直播 Art Guild as a way to become involved with the community and connect with other artists.

鈥淔ellowship with other artists is important. A lot of artists tend to be loners,鈥 said Stewart. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e alone, staring at a blank canvas, it can be terrifying. But when you get with other artists, you get inspired and learn from one another.鈥

Taylor said the comradery amongst the 疯客直播 Art Guild鈥檚 members was important.

鈥淲e get together and learn from one another鈥檚 point of view,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his group of people are just so wonderful. We may disagree sometimes, but we all have the same mindset. And the same heartset. We鈥檙e all very giving and forgiving people.鈥