LITTLE ROCK — Several artists from the Three Rivers Edition readership area have works on display in the 49th annual Mid-Southern Watercolorists Juried Exhibition in Little Rock.
B. Jeannie Fry of Cabot, Sandra Marson of Jacksonville, Charlotte Rierson of Fairfield Bay and Luanne Stone of Gepp (Fulton County) are among 33 artists with pieces in the show, which will be on display through July 7 in the Trinity Gallery at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. The exhibit is open to the public, and there is no admission charge.
Juror M.E. “Mike” Bailey of Santa Cruz, California, selected the works from among 159 entries submitted by 84 MSW members from 10 states.
Fry titled her work Tutti-Fruitti.
“It’s a fun little painting, intended to be full of color and happiness,” Fry said.
“Sometimes we artists paint realistically, trying to represent a moment in time,” she said. “Other times, in our artist journeys with paints and brushes, we are intentional about the relationships of only shape, color, line, value, texture, and direction and movement. Tutti-Fruitti is all about that kind of journey, taking a traditional still-life subject, repeating the same subject over and over in different ways, working with shapes and glaze upon glaze of watercolor, to create a stained-glass effect, while creating a playground of fun for the viewer to look at.
“I hope this painting makes the viewer feel good and smile,” said Fry, who is a past president and a current board member of the Mid-Southern Watercolorists. She is a Diamond Signature member, meaning her work has been accepted into at least five annual MSW exhibitions.
Fry has exhibited her watercolors in various exhibitions in Arkansas sponsored by the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and other organizations.
She has also painted numerous commissions and is included in the Artist’s Book of Arkansas Artists called A Gathering of Artists, published by the Hot Springs Fine Arts Center.
Marson titled her work Movement in Red.
“This painting is a colorful abstract designed to create an emotional response … not a realistic concept, but rather a feeling of movement,” she said. “This abstract design is built from all the elements of design. Using an asymmetrical composition gives the illusion of depth by overlapping planes to create a sense of pure and unabridged energy, thus creating motion. The use of the primary-color red is balanced by its complement, green.”
Marson is a Diamond Signature member of the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and edits the organization’s monthly newsletter. She is also a member of the North Central Arkansas Artist League, the Arkansas League of Artists, the Arkansas Arts Council’s Artist Registry and the International Society of Experimental Artists.
Rierson titled her work Frozen in Time Series II.
“Throughout my life, I have been on what I call my ‘Art Spirit Journey,’” said Rierson, who holds Diamond Signature membership in MSW. “This journey of personal creativity has led me from the dance arts to expressing my deepest thoughts and emotions through painting.
“This painting series was inspired by winters at my grandmother’s [house] looking out at the pond and the memories of snow falling and blanketing the world around me,” Rierson said.
Rierson is director of the MSW regional advisers and a past MSW president. She is also a past president of the North Central Arkansas Artist League and coordinator of the North Central Arkansas Art Gallery that just celebrated its 25th year of providing arts to the community.
She was recently a winner in the Arkansas League of Artists Members Show and was juried into its annual juried show. She is a Signature member of the Arkansas League of Artists.
Stone titled her work Fishing in Greece.
“This year, I am honored to get my Diamond Signature. This means I have had five paintings accepted into juried MSW shows,” Stone said.
“This painting was inspired in Greece. I saw these boats and immediately knew I had to paint them. I could almost see the finished painting in my mind. When that happens, the painting is almost always a success. What a great feeling,” she said.
“Art is an important part of my life,” Stone said. “For me, it is a way of highlighting the beauty I see around me or to tell some kind of story that I think the viewer should know.
“There are many directions you can take with painting, and I strive to make progress in my artistic journey by taking classes and learning new techniques, then passing on what I learn to other artists. A finished painting gives me a sense of accomplishment. I hope it brings a smile to the viewer’s face.”
The Historic Arkansas Museum is at 200 E. Third St. in Little Rock. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (501) 324-9351 or visit historicarkansas.org.