| Teachers |
Artist Biography:
Tiffany Whitfield
I received a B.F.A. in Ceramics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and now I’m currently working on my M.F.A at the University of Georgia. I have
spent the last few years teaching and showing my work, but my interest for a career in art began at an early age. As a child I loved all arts and crafts. When I
was 13 I was introduced to clay and I immediately fell in love with the material. Unlike the majority of high schools in America I was able to study ceramics,
however, it was a very limited program. During my summers of high school I would seek out community art centers to learn more about the techniques of clay.
Now I enjoy teaching others about this amazing material. The majority of my work is handbuilt sculpture that incorporates my passion for vessels and the history
of pottery.
Christina Sullo is a ceramic artist from the Atlanta, Georgia area. Christina studied sculpture under Greg Johnson; pottery on the wheel with Vicki Paulett, Arlene
Cohen, and Pam Kohler-Camp; and hand building with B.J. Barrett and Joan Macaluso at Hudgens Center for the Arts. Firing techniques including raku were
taught by Mike Garnes at Hudgens and Christine Tholl at Red Wall Studio.
Christina taught art at Suwanee Elementary for grades K-5 in Gwinnett County, GA; also, children's and adult clay classes at Blue Ridge Art Center in Seneca,
SC.
In 2005-2006 as part owner of Sharp Studio in Walhalla, SC, Christina taught adult wheel, handbuilding and sculpture classes as well as children’s classes.
Currently she works out of her Jefferson, GA studio and teaches adult classes at Georgia Piedmont Arts Center in Winder, GA.
**********************************************************************************************
Terry Scopelliti received his first camera as a birthday gift in 1975 and began creating images with a passion. He exhibited this early work and quickly won
awards and acclaim. Attending The Art Institute of Atlanta he earned an Associates Degree in Photography. Gaining experience in retail portrait studios and labs
throughout his high school and college years he move to New York after graduation. Working as an assistant to many top fashion and still life photographers he
gained the skills to become manager of 15 photographers in a commercial catalog production Company. Returning to Atlanta in late 1988 he has continued his
exploration of the photographic medium, both commercial and fine art. Known for his finely crafted black and white images his work has been featured in two solo
exhibits, numerous group exhibits and featured in national advertising. His work is proudly owner by many private collectors.
**********************************************************************************************
Brenda K. Mc Daniel:
“I do not handle watercolor in the traditional way, as most watercolorists do. Starting out painting with oils, then acrylics, and in 1979, watercolor, I made the
transition the only way I knew, so I tend to paint with watercolors the way most artist paint with oils. I believe I was born an artist. As far back as I can remember I
have created my art on anything, even the bottom of tables as a child. My paintings are neither photo realism nor impressionistic. They are somewhere in the
middle. I tend to spend more time and energy on the main subject than the rest of the painting. That is just my style.
**********************************************************************************************
Jo Cooper received her B.S. Degree in education and art from the University of West Georgia and engaged in graduate studies at East Texas State University
and the University of Georgia. She taught Science and Art in the Gwinnett County School System. She also taught Art in the Carrollton Head Start Program and in
children’s art programs both in Texas and in Georgia. Her work has been shown at GPAC in Winder, Of W.G., Carroll County annual Fair, and other locations.
Awards of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and Honorable Mention have been earned. Her interest in art began as a child with chalk, crayons, and pencil drawing and
progressed to charcoal drawing and oil pastels in high school and college; then on to oils, acrylics, and watercolors. Most recently she began hand building clay,
primarily using under glaze firing for the brilliant colors and Raku firing for the variation and excitement gas firing brings.
**********************************************************************************************
Bill Cooper received his B.B.A. Degree in marketing and management from the University of West Georgia. He is the owner of William H, Cooper III, and
Associates, Inc., a marketing firm. Having been in the business world full time until recently, the extent of his “hand-work” has been home repairs, home
improvements, and designing and implementing small building projects. About 1&1/2 years ago, he became familiar with GPAC in Winder through his wife, Jo, and
began throwing clay. Since then, his work has been displayed at GPAC Gallery and at various shows and festivals in the area. He enjoys high firing with
traditional glazes as well as low firing with under glazes. He recently constructed a Raku kiln and you can now find him firing outside his studio, Studio 23, in
Hoschton. Just follow the smoke.
**********************************************************************************************
For almost twenty years Rozelle Morton- Bush has been creating sensuous and colorful works of art from glass. Her work has organic, flowing lines with lush,
translucent colors. She also enjoys adding ribbons, copper, blown glass and pottery to bring color, movement and life to her work.
Rozelle sees her work as a diary of her concerns, moods and experiences. As an artist, she feels a person has a chance to change their life by acts of will: to
share and give to others parts of themselves. She especially enjoys the contact and communication with her clients.
The ability to maintain a high level of excellence gives her much pride, but the aesthetic experience and viewing pleasure are the most satisfying. In her studio,
she finds the ultimate freedom to design and explore the subtle, sensuous, and sometimes disquieting areas of self.
The goal of Rozelle's work is to create art that speaks to the hearts of women. Much of her work addresses the varied and changing conditions of women at
different stages of their lives.
**********************************************************************************************
Rebecca McCartt has walked many career paths in her life. She has earned a B. S. in Studio Arts and minor in Art History from Oneonta State University. She
spent her senior year , at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan to receive an A. A. S. in Fashion Buying, Merchandising and Display. To pay for her
education, she was a model for the Chelsea Model Agency, where she was exposed to professional photographers, visual artists, sculptors and gallery dealers.
Upon graduation, she was a manager in a department store, in her hometown of Fairport, New York. After three months, she moved back to NYC to study and
work as a professional artist. She has studied; classical figure drawing, sculpture and perspective at the National Academy of Art, painting ,figure drawing at
the Art League, and printmaking and sculpture at SUNY Purchase. Her encaustic paintings, mixed media collage and photography has been shown in several
SOHO galleries.
Rebecca worked in retail management for eight years, than went back to college at Florida State University. After she obtained a B. S. in Nursing, she found
herself working as a registered nurse in the Winder emergency room for four years.
When her daughter was born in 1999, Rebecca developed a rare form of dystonia (movement disorder), that weakened her left arm and leg. As the door to a
nursing career closed, she found the Georgia Piedmont Arts Center door, was wide open.
It is here, where she has taught the Summer Kids Art Camps for five years. She has won numerous awards at the juried at shows for her linocut/woodcut prints,
mixed media paintings, photographs and gourds. She has participated in many art festivals including the Sunflower Farm Fest in Rutledge,GA and the
Celebration of the Arts in Winder, GA.
“I believe all forms of the Arts teach children and adults self-expression, problem-solving, individualism, tolerance for others and self- confidence.”-Rebecca
McCartt.
“Spirit is an invisible force made visible in all life.”-Maya Angelou
**********************************************************************************************
Lisa Doster: Graduated from UGA with a degree in interior design and horticulture.
Began drawing on the walls at an early age when it was not so in vogue...walls do make the greatest canvas. She taught ballet to three four and five year olds
with the Athens School of Ballet and also taught Sunday school at that time. Lisa works with acrylics mostly, but does love china painting. She studied under Pat
Mercer of Watkinsville, where she learned the art of painting on porcelain as well as pouring, firing and glazing the porcelain pieces.
**********************************************************************************************
Andrew Eager
Growing up in the Eager house wasn’t typical, heck the house wasn’t even typical. My dad, Hoppy, built a passive solar house in the middle of the North Georgia
woods in 1980. Both of my parents taught high school at Lumpkin County. Mary, my mom, taught math while my dad taught woodworking and drafting. At a very
early age I started working with my dad at the high school shop on the weekends and summers. Now that I am older I have come to realize how much my dad
taught me about woodworking. Every year in high school I took at least one of my dad’s classes. I was able to build all kinds of stuff in the shop. Probably in
10th grade is when I got introduced to the lathe for the first time. Between bigger flatwork projects, I would find my way over to the lathe to turn pens, pencils, and
bowls. After graduation from Lumpkin County High in 1996, I went to Erskine College on a soccer scholarship.
While at Erskine College, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and majored in History and minored in secondary education. After college, I began to do some small
projects for my own use around the house. In 2004, I got my first lathe. I have been hooked ever since. I started with Christmas and birthday gifts. After a year
or so, I decided to try some arts and crafts shows to expand into a small business. I did it mainly to pay for the next tool or piece of wood. As my skills increased,
I began to try new techniques that were more challenging.
I like turning because it gives me a chance to be creative. I enjoy using wood because of the natural aspect. Each and every turn is different from the previous
one. The endless styles, forms, and woods give a wood turner plenty to keep them busy without becoming bored.
**********************************************************************************************
Jim Bell
Education:
The University Of Georgia
Masters Of Fine Arts, 1990, Georgia State University, Bachelor Of Fine Arts,1985
PROJECTS ( By no means a total list)
THE MAID AND THE JACK IN THE GREEN 2008
Veterans Memorial sculpture to Col. Ott
Osyka, Mississippi, 2007
THE SAINTS AT ST. MONICA
Catholic Church Of Saint Monica
Duluth, Georgia
1999-2004
**********************************************************************************************
Alice Stark is a self taught watercolor artist who began painting in her teens. She has taken classes from several other artists to improve her technique over the
years. Her work has won awards in Gwinnett and Barrow counties and is known as far up the east coast as Boston. She also enjoys designing beaded jewelry and
other artsy things.
*********************************************************************************************
Charleen Romine is a full-time veterinary technician in clinical Radiology at the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. There she helps teach the
senior veterinary students how to x-ray dogs & cats, horses & cows, birds & snakes, or what new patient comes through the door. Her artistic background was
originally in clay sculpture and woodworking. In 1991, she had the opportunity to learn stained glass and was hooked, giving up clay. In 1998 with a desire to
have more of a sculptural or 3-D effect in her flat panels, Charleen took her first class in slumping and fusing. Since then, she has used these techniques to
enhance her flat work, and has incorporated found natural objects (i.e. driftwood, shells) in her work as well. Eager to learn more about glass and all its
possibilities, Charleen has also learned micro-mosaic techniques in fused glass, lampworking borosilicate glass and beads, and glass blowing.
In January 2002, Charleen embarked on a new venue. Feeling the need to return to clay, but not give up glass, she has found a unique way to work them
together. Combined with driftwood which suggests a figure (usually an animal) she uses Raku glaze fired clay, and glass- whether fused, slumped or lampworked-
to complete the figure. This new direction of combining her love for both clay and glass is not only exciting for the artist, it is also personally rewarding. Future
projects depend only on what waits to be discovered in the wood , or what is inspired by the clay and glass.
**********************************************************************************************
SUSAN TILLMAN PELHAM
Painting Professionally since 1965, Susan’s work is represented in homes and businesses throughout the United States, and she is currently collected in
Sweden. Susan’s work has been featured in Southern Homes Magazine, and Lake Oconee Magazine. She has won may prizes and received much recognition in
the region. She was commissioned to do a painting of the Jimmy Carter Tribute (sculpture on the Capitol grounds) which was presented to President Carter and
is now on display at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
Susan Earned her A.B. in Fine Art at Florida State University, a Major in painting and a minor in Art history, studying with Karl Zerbe, and Fred Holschuh. She
later studied at Southeby’s in London. Her portraits hang at the National Forensic League in Ripon, Wisconsin, Appleby South headquarters in Madison,
Georgia, and in many public places in Monroe, Georgia. She currently lives in Monroe where she teaches and works in her studio.
**********************************************************************************************************************
About The Artist: Ellen Miles
As a young child I was always creative and inquisitive. My grandmother was the first to recognize and groom my abilities. She taught me how to create patterns
from newspaper for doll clothes and then how to hand sew. Grandma’s house became my second home. Below her stairway was an enclosed alcove that I
claimed as my special hideaway. I spent hours hidden away, creating doll clothes and drawing images of animals and cartoon characters from my Weekly Reader
and grandma’s magazines. She would often remark to others that I was the only grandchild she had, that could keep herself so well entertained. .
My love of art has continued over the years. Growing up on a farm provided me with many opportunities to develop an appreciation of nature. I would ride our
horses for hours through the countryside collecting wild flowers, leaves, unusual rocks and creatures. Much of my art today is inspired by nature and organic
forms found in our environment. I hike through the woods observing colors, shapes, textures and light. I often collect specimens to carry back to my studio for
further examination and sometimes to use in creating a piece. When I sit down to work on a project I sketch out ideas formed from my observations and
imagination. I will show different views and highlight embellishments and elements that might be included. I contemplate construction challenges and sketch out
potential approaches that I will try when I begin working with the medium I have selected for that piece.
I have dabbled in many types of media but have found jewelry design most rewarding. My jewelry is created from a variety of materials, including: precious
metals, dichroic and fused glass, low fire clay and recycled objects. I am always learning new techniques to add to my repertoire. I strongly believe in the practice
of life-long learning and continue to pursue my studies in the arts.
*******************************************************************************************************************************
Sheila Hibbert
I have loved art since I was very young. As a child, I can remember spending hours coloring, drawing, and working on paint-by-number kits. In high school I chose
art as an elective every year, and in my senior year, was elected President of the art club.
In the mid-1990s I began experimenting with oils and have been working with them almost exclusively since then. I have been studying under Barb Dickerson of
Snellville, GA since 1998.
In order to “loosen up” my style a bit I began painting with palette knives. They allow me to add texture to my paintings without sacrificing detail.
I have a love for birds, flowers, and nature, and they are generally the subject of my paintings. My work has been displayed and sold in shows and retail
establishments in the Lawrenceville, GA area.
Tiffany Whitfield
I received a B.F.A. in Ceramics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and now I’m currently working on my M.F.A at the University of Georgia. I have
spent the last few years teaching and showing my work, but my interest for a career in art began at an early age. As a child I loved all arts and crafts. When I
was 13 I was introduced to clay and I immediately fell in love with the material. Unlike the majority of high schools in America I was able to study ceramics,
however, it was a very limited program. During my summers of high school I would seek out community art centers to learn more about the techniques of clay.
Now I enjoy teaching others about this amazing material. The majority of my work is handbuilt sculpture that incorporates my passion for vessels and the history
of pottery.
Christina Sullo is a ceramic artist from the Atlanta, Georgia area. Christina studied sculpture under Greg Johnson; pottery on the wheel with Vicki Paulett, Arlene
Cohen, and Pam Kohler-Camp; and hand building with B.J. Barrett and Joan Macaluso at Hudgens Center for the Arts. Firing techniques including raku were
taught by Mike Garnes at Hudgens and Christine Tholl at Red Wall Studio.
Christina taught art at Suwanee Elementary for grades K-5 in Gwinnett County, GA; also, children's and adult clay classes at Blue Ridge Art Center in Seneca,
SC.
In 2005-2006 as part owner of Sharp Studio in Walhalla, SC, Christina taught adult wheel, handbuilding and sculpture classes as well as children’s classes.
Currently she works out of her Jefferson, GA studio and teaches adult classes at Georgia Piedmont Arts Center in Winder, GA.
**********************************************************************************************
Terry Scopelliti received his first camera as a birthday gift in 1975 and began creating images with a passion. He exhibited this early work and quickly won
awards and acclaim. Attending The Art Institute of Atlanta he earned an Associates Degree in Photography. Gaining experience in retail portrait studios and labs
throughout his high school and college years he move to New York after graduation. Working as an assistant to many top fashion and still life photographers he
gained the skills to become manager of 15 photographers in a commercial catalog production Company. Returning to Atlanta in late 1988 he has continued his
exploration of the photographic medium, both commercial and fine art. Known for his finely crafted black and white images his work has been featured in two solo
exhibits, numerous group exhibits and featured in national advertising. His work is proudly owner by many private collectors.
**********************************************************************************************
Brenda K. Mc Daniel:
“I do not handle watercolor in the traditional way, as most watercolorists do. Starting out painting with oils, then acrylics, and in 1979, watercolor, I made the
transition the only way I knew, so I tend to paint with watercolors the way most artist paint with oils. I believe I was born an artist. As far back as I can remember I
have created my art on anything, even the bottom of tables as a child. My paintings are neither photo realism nor impressionistic. They are somewhere in the
middle. I tend to spend more time and energy on the main subject than the rest of the painting. That is just my style.
**********************************************************************************************
Jo Cooper received her B.S. Degree in education and art from the University of West Georgia and engaged in graduate studies at East Texas State University
and the University of Georgia. She taught Science and Art in the Gwinnett County School System. She also taught Art in the Carrollton Head Start Program and in
children’s art programs both in Texas and in Georgia. Her work has been shown at GPAC in Winder, Of W.G., Carroll County annual Fair, and other locations.
Awards of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and Honorable Mention have been earned. Her interest in art began as a child with chalk, crayons, and pencil drawing and
progressed to charcoal drawing and oil pastels in high school and college; then on to oils, acrylics, and watercolors. Most recently she began hand building clay,
primarily using under glaze firing for the brilliant colors and Raku firing for the variation and excitement gas firing brings.
**********************************************************************************************
Bill Cooper received his B.B.A. Degree in marketing and management from the University of West Georgia. He is the owner of William H, Cooper III, and
Associates, Inc., a marketing firm. Having been in the business world full time until recently, the extent of his “hand-work” has been home repairs, home
improvements, and designing and implementing small building projects. About 1&1/2 years ago, he became familiar with GPAC in Winder through his wife, Jo, and
began throwing clay. Since then, his work has been displayed at GPAC Gallery and at various shows and festivals in the area. He enjoys high firing with
traditional glazes as well as low firing with under glazes. He recently constructed a Raku kiln and you can now find him firing outside his studio, Studio 23, in
Hoschton. Just follow the smoke.
**********************************************************************************************
For almost twenty years Rozelle Morton- Bush has been creating sensuous and colorful works of art from glass. Her work has organic, flowing lines with lush,
translucent colors. She also enjoys adding ribbons, copper, blown glass and pottery to bring color, movement and life to her work.
Rozelle sees her work as a diary of her concerns, moods and experiences. As an artist, she feels a person has a chance to change their life by acts of will: to
share and give to others parts of themselves. She especially enjoys the contact and communication with her clients.
The ability to maintain a high level of excellence gives her much pride, but the aesthetic experience and viewing pleasure are the most satisfying. In her studio,
she finds the ultimate freedom to design and explore the subtle, sensuous, and sometimes disquieting areas of self.
The goal of Rozelle's work is to create art that speaks to the hearts of women. Much of her work addresses the varied and changing conditions of women at
different stages of their lives.
**********************************************************************************************
Rebecca McCartt has walked many career paths in her life. She has earned a B. S. in Studio Arts and minor in Art History from Oneonta State University. She
spent her senior year , at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan to receive an A. A. S. in Fashion Buying, Merchandising and Display. To pay for her
education, she was a model for the Chelsea Model Agency, where she was exposed to professional photographers, visual artists, sculptors and gallery dealers.
Upon graduation, she was a manager in a department store, in her hometown of Fairport, New York. After three months, she moved back to NYC to study and
work as a professional artist. She has studied; classical figure drawing, sculpture and perspective at the National Academy of Art, painting ,figure drawing at
the Art League, and printmaking and sculpture at SUNY Purchase. Her encaustic paintings, mixed media collage and photography has been shown in several
SOHO galleries.
Rebecca worked in retail management for eight years, than went back to college at Florida State University. After she obtained a B. S. in Nursing, she found
herself working as a registered nurse in the Winder emergency room for four years.
When her daughter was born in 1999, Rebecca developed a rare form of dystonia (movement disorder), that weakened her left arm and leg. As the door to a
nursing career closed, she found the Georgia Piedmont Arts Center door, was wide open.
It is here, where she has taught the Summer Kids Art Camps for five years. She has won numerous awards at the juried at shows for her linocut/woodcut prints,
mixed media paintings, photographs and gourds. She has participated in many art festivals including the Sunflower Farm Fest in Rutledge,GA and the
Celebration of the Arts in Winder, GA.
“I believe all forms of the Arts teach children and adults self-expression, problem-solving, individualism, tolerance for others and self- confidence.”-Rebecca
McCartt.
“Spirit is an invisible force made visible in all life.”-Maya Angelou
**********************************************************************************************
Lisa Doster: Graduated from UGA with a degree in interior design and horticulture.
Began drawing on the walls at an early age when it was not so in vogue...walls do make the greatest canvas. She taught ballet to three four and five year olds
with the Athens School of Ballet and also taught Sunday school at that time. Lisa works with acrylics mostly, but does love china painting. She studied under Pat
Mercer of Watkinsville, where she learned the art of painting on porcelain as well as pouring, firing and glazing the porcelain pieces.
**********************************************************************************************
Andrew Eager
Growing up in the Eager house wasn’t typical, heck the house wasn’t even typical. My dad, Hoppy, built a passive solar house in the middle of the North Georgia
woods in 1980. Both of my parents taught high school at Lumpkin County. Mary, my mom, taught math while my dad taught woodworking and drafting. At a very
early age I started working with my dad at the high school shop on the weekends and summers. Now that I am older I have come to realize how much my dad
taught me about woodworking. Every year in high school I took at least one of my dad’s classes. I was able to build all kinds of stuff in the shop. Probably in
10th grade is when I got introduced to the lathe for the first time. Between bigger flatwork projects, I would find my way over to the lathe to turn pens, pencils, and
bowls. After graduation from Lumpkin County High in 1996, I went to Erskine College on a soccer scholarship.
While at Erskine College, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and majored in History and minored in secondary education. After college, I began to do some small
projects for my own use around the house. In 2004, I got my first lathe. I have been hooked ever since. I started with Christmas and birthday gifts. After a year
or so, I decided to try some arts and crafts shows to expand into a small business. I did it mainly to pay for the next tool or piece of wood. As my skills increased,
I began to try new techniques that were more challenging.
I like turning because it gives me a chance to be creative. I enjoy using wood because of the natural aspect. Each and every turn is different from the previous
one. The endless styles, forms, and woods give a wood turner plenty to keep them busy without becoming bored.
**********************************************************************************************
Jim Bell
Education:
The University Of Georgia
Masters Of Fine Arts, 1990, Georgia State University, Bachelor Of Fine Arts,1985
PROJECTS ( By no means a total list)
THE MAID AND THE JACK IN THE GREEN 2008
Veterans Memorial sculpture to Col. Ott
Osyka, Mississippi, 2007
THE SAINTS AT ST. MONICA
Catholic Church Of Saint Monica
Duluth, Georgia
1999-2004
**********************************************************************************************
Alice Stark is a self taught watercolor artist who began painting in her teens. She has taken classes from several other artists to improve her technique over the
years. Her work has won awards in Gwinnett and Barrow counties and is known as far up the east coast as Boston. She also enjoys designing beaded jewelry and
other artsy things.
*********************************************************************************************
Charleen Romine is a full-time veterinary technician in clinical Radiology at the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. There she helps teach the
senior veterinary students how to x-ray dogs & cats, horses & cows, birds & snakes, or what new patient comes through the door. Her artistic background was
originally in clay sculpture and woodworking. In 1991, she had the opportunity to learn stained glass and was hooked, giving up clay. In 1998 with a desire to
have more of a sculptural or 3-D effect in her flat panels, Charleen took her first class in slumping and fusing. Since then, she has used these techniques to
enhance her flat work, and has incorporated found natural objects (i.e. driftwood, shells) in her work as well. Eager to learn more about glass and all its
possibilities, Charleen has also learned micro-mosaic techniques in fused glass, lampworking borosilicate glass and beads, and glass blowing.
In January 2002, Charleen embarked on a new venue. Feeling the need to return to clay, but not give up glass, she has found a unique way to work them
together. Combined with driftwood which suggests a figure (usually an animal) she uses Raku glaze fired clay, and glass- whether fused, slumped or lampworked-
to complete the figure. This new direction of combining her love for both clay and glass is not only exciting for the artist, it is also personally rewarding. Future
projects depend only on what waits to be discovered in the wood , or what is inspired by the clay and glass.
**********************************************************************************************
SUSAN TILLMAN PELHAM
Painting Professionally since 1965, Susan’s work is represented in homes and businesses throughout the United States, and she is currently collected in
Sweden. Susan’s work has been featured in Southern Homes Magazine, and Lake Oconee Magazine. She has won may prizes and received much recognition in
the region. She was commissioned to do a painting of the Jimmy Carter Tribute (sculpture on the Capitol grounds) which was presented to President Carter and
is now on display at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
Susan Earned her A.B. in Fine Art at Florida State University, a Major in painting and a minor in Art history, studying with Karl Zerbe, and Fred Holschuh. She
later studied at Southeby’s in London. Her portraits hang at the National Forensic League in Ripon, Wisconsin, Appleby South headquarters in Madison,
Georgia, and in many public places in Monroe, Georgia. She currently lives in Monroe where she teaches and works in her studio.
**********************************************************************************************************************
About The Artist: Ellen Miles
As a young child I was always creative and inquisitive. My grandmother was the first to recognize and groom my abilities. She taught me how to create patterns
from newspaper for doll clothes and then how to hand sew. Grandma’s house became my second home. Below her stairway was an enclosed alcove that I
claimed as my special hideaway. I spent hours hidden away, creating doll clothes and drawing images of animals and cartoon characters from my Weekly Reader
and grandma’s magazines. She would often remark to others that I was the only grandchild she had, that could keep herself so well entertained. .
My love of art has continued over the years. Growing up on a farm provided me with many opportunities to develop an appreciation of nature. I would ride our
horses for hours through the countryside collecting wild flowers, leaves, unusual rocks and creatures. Much of my art today is inspired by nature and organic
forms found in our environment. I hike through the woods observing colors, shapes, textures and light. I often collect specimens to carry back to my studio for
further examination and sometimes to use in creating a piece. When I sit down to work on a project I sketch out ideas formed from my observations and
imagination. I will show different views and highlight embellishments and elements that might be included. I contemplate construction challenges and sketch out
potential approaches that I will try when I begin working with the medium I have selected for that piece.
I have dabbled in many types of media but have found jewelry design most rewarding. My jewelry is created from a variety of materials, including: precious
metals, dichroic and fused glass, low fire clay and recycled objects. I am always learning new techniques to add to my repertoire. I strongly believe in the practice
of life-long learning and continue to pursue my studies in the arts.
*******************************************************************************************************************************
Sheila Hibbert
I have loved art since I was very young. As a child, I can remember spending hours coloring, drawing, and working on paint-by-number kits. In high school I chose
art as an elective every year, and in my senior year, was elected President of the art club.
In the mid-1990s I began experimenting with oils and have been working with them almost exclusively since then. I have been studying under Barb Dickerson of
Snellville, GA since 1998.
In order to “loosen up” my style a bit I began painting with palette knives. They allow me to add texture to my paintings without sacrificing detail.
I have a love for birds, flowers, and nature, and they are generally the subject of my paintings. My work has been displayed and sold in shows and retail
establishments in the Lawrenceville, GA area.
| 120 N. Wayne St Monroe Ga 770-266-7437 Tue- Sat 10am - 6pm |
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