THE VILLAGE ARTISTS

Meet the Artists

CARL BELL When talking with Carl Bell, one cannot help but marvel at the sense of humility and sincerity emanating from such an outstanding artist. He truly feels his artistic skills are still in their adolescent stage. An unquenchable yearning for knowledge of new skills and techniques describes the William Carl Bell of today. He sees himself on an unwavering path of continually maturing, growing, learning and evolving in not only art, but in life as well. Visit his website at http://www.williamcarlbell.com

MARLYN BOYD describes her painting as fun and free. "I rarely do the same thing twice. I let the subject matter and what I want to communicate to my viewers dictate the materials, mediums and styles I use. I combine what I know and the materials I have to produce a message that I want to share visually."

NICHOLAS CHARLES' styles range from bright abstract expressionist to primitive, landscape and seascapes, fantasy and tropical themes. Nicholas paints vividly inspirational pieces using a wide variety of techniques including oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastels. Inspired by a reverence for the Planet and the Miracle of Life, these paintings are an affirmation of life, love, and creativity. Visit his website at http://www.wishbonegallery.com

CARL CRAWFORD creates magnificent collage works from cuttings taken from
magazines and pieced together to form images that are either pre-drawn or improvised on a blank canvas. Many of his works express his love of song and jazz music.

GAIL CUNNINGHAM uses a variety of mediums and techniques to create multiple layers and textures. This experimental process allows her to apply paint, let the colors flow, find shapes and patterns and run with them. The result is her unique style of painting. Visit her website at http://www.gailcunninghamart.com

DAWN FABER is a Certified Interior Designer who has taken numerous paths to express her creativity. She started seriously pursuing her passion for painting by working in oils, dabbled in collage, and has fallen in love with abstract acrylics. Her work is represented in private and corporate collections in the US and Internationally. Visit her website at http://www.dawnfaber.com

KEN GATES uses various woods from all over the world. He turns them on a wood lathe to create bowls, vases, vessels with lids and much more. He is a member of Charleston Crafts, Palmetto Wood Turners of SC and the American Association of Woodturners.

KATHY GOLDBACH (Information coming soon)

PAULA GROOKETT works with colored pencil, acrylic and watercolor. Her current passion is creating colored pencil portraits. She has studied under well known painters including Judi Betts, Maggie Hoybach, Mary Whyte and Ann Kullberg. Visit her website at www.paula.grookett.com K

DEE HANSEN is a native of Chicago and has always been drawing. Majoring in art at the U of Illinois, favorite classes were figure drawing and painting. Dee finished her BA degree in painting at USC in 1978. Along the way Dee has taken many additional classes wherever she lived: art education, ceramics, painting, figure drawing, art history, printmaking, anthropology and map making. Her work is eclectic, sometimes taking a whimsical turn, as her muse dictates. She paints in watercolor and acrylic, creating colorful paintings of people, landscapes, and creatures of her imagination – mermaids, fish, and lizards. Dee has received numerous awards for her paintings, and has exhibited throughout the region. Visit Dee's website at http://www.hansenpaintings.com/

MARY HARTFIELD has been painting for over 34 years and teaching for 32 years. Her oil paintings have won numerous awards including Best of Show in Georgia and at the SC State Fair.

JANICE HAYNES' work is a blend of painting and photography. Using a digital canvas her original photographs become her point of reference. Similar to conventional paintings (oil, watercolors, etc.) each image is created one brush stroke at a time. Janice uses a pressure sensitive pad and a stylus that becomes her palette and paint brush and her monitor becomes her canvas.

LUCINDA HOWE'S contemporary Fauvist landscapes are filled with bold, extravagant color. Inspiration is derived from the juxtaposition of architecture and natural elements in landscapes and gardens. Through plein air excursions, Lucinda absorbs a sense of place and gives it personal expression with emotional color in the studio. See more of her work at http://lucindahowe.com/

RENEE ITTNER-MCMANUS is the recipient of numerous awards for photographic excellence. A specialty of Renee's is capturing a visual story of the wedding day experience. See more of Renee's images at www.Rimphotography.com

KAREN LANGLEY creates beautiful oil paintings, specializing in portraits of pets and people, still lifes, flowers, and more. She also creates watercolor batiks dubbed "fun and exciting to create!" Karen teaches classes in the gallery. Visit Karen's website at www.karenlangleyart.com

VAN MARTIN considers himself a Renaissance Man. Educated in science, music and art, his work is in too many collections to mention. Van works in oils, acrylics and sculpture mediums creating portraiture, landscape, wildlife and abstract paintings.

JOANNE MCDERMOTT, a graduate of Pratt, Brooklyn, NY, her formal experience has included package, technical and electrical design. Her many travel hours have fostered ideas for landscapes,figurative and series paintings. Her travels have included trips to China, Hawaii, Bahamas, France, Italy and several trips to Ireland. The mother of four grown children, her portrait work now includes seven grandchildren. Her latest interests have been industrial sculptures and printmaking.

PAT MCNEELY grew up loving to sketch the barns, fields and streams on her family's farm. Pat is a member in numerous art groups and has received several recognitions for her paintings in competitions.

MELINDA KILCOYNE SMITH paints with pastel, oil, acrylic and watercolor. "I consider myself fortunate to have been given this passion and appreciation for painting. To create something beautiful, that others might be moved, as I am, that is my goal."

RITA SMITH, a long-time resident of Columbia, SC, and well known in the art world, works in a variety of mediums. She paints in the realistic style using watercolors, oils or acrylics and has a portfolio of many collector prints and giclees besides the originals in the gallery. Visit Rita's website at http://www.ritasmithgallery.com/

CHATCHAKORN "JOM" SONDAY creates lovely clay floral arrangements, using ceramic clay from Thailand and Japan. The clay is mixed with oils and each flower is handsculpted and air dried.

BONITA STRICKLAND is the owner of The Classic Clef Studio of Guitar and Art Gallery in Lexington. She is a classical guitarist with a Bachelor of Music degree from USC. In 1998, she began expressing her love of music through the medium of painting and exploring creative ideas with a paintbrush. Visit Bonita's website at www.bonitastrickland.com