Wilkinson Studio | Art-Craft-Excursions

Jane Nodine began working with the encaustic process in 2006, and has quickly developed a national presence through her participation in exhibition conferences such as the National Encaustic Conference organized by Joanne Mattera, author of the highly acclaimed book “The Art of Encaustic Painting”. A series of her encaustic works were acquired by MUSC, the Medical University of South Carolina for the Ashley River Towers Contemporary Carolina Collection, the largest collection of contemporary art in the state.

Jane Allen Nodine is Professor of Art and Director of the Curtis R. Harley Art Gallery at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She exhibits widely in the United States and has been included in several exhibitions in Europe. Recognized with numerous awards, Jane received an NEA/SECCA Southeastern Seven IV Fellowship from the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, and two South Carolina Arts Commission Artist Fellowships. In 1999 she was selected by the South Carolina State Museum and the South Carolina Arts Commission as one of the one hundred most significant artists in South Carolina during the 20th Century.

For detailed information about Jane Allen Nodine, including bio, artist statement, exhibitions, honors and collections, and contact information, visit janenodine.com

Continued warm weather this February, more than any February I recall in recent years, keeps me from the computer and my interest in any blog has worn a bit thin. This is the time of year I do most of my yard and garden prep for the coming summer. Before the heat and humidity of June July and August kick in here in South Carolina, extended February warmth most certainly is a window of opportunity. This blog should pick up steam as the weather does, and as I head for the cover of the studio and office, and the sweet cool of indoors. In the studio I’ve been cutting and sealing panels for painting, looking forward to a long season of work before next November, when the studio chills beyond comfort. There’s much work to do.

February just gave me two good days for yard work, the 6th and 7th. Such days are few and a little far between, and when I get the chance I stay in the yard until sundown, I stick it out until it’s completely dark outside. I made a big mess pulling out ivy and other invasives, and it seems I never allow myself enough time to actually clean up the destruction when the sun suddenly drops out of the sky. I’ve decided to stop my fight against the wisteria, a very large root stock based in a neighboring yard for nearly fifty years, I don’t think it can be defeated at this point. Not by me armed with only pruners. Otherwise, a warm winter day is a great time for yard work and getting ahead of the things that overwhelm my will to work in the heat of July and August. Chilly weather has returned, time for mixing paint. This week I visit a painter to look at works for a show at the gallery. And so on it goes.

Our first white Christmas since about 1963 melted away quickly and the following day was business as usual. Soon afterward, on January 10, we would wake to about six to eight inches of snow that had begun at dusk on January 9 and lasted through the night. The fluffy flakes pretty much fell until late afternoon, then precipitation stopped for a little while. As usual, sleet and freezing rain started in and proceeded to coat the soft snow with a hard shell of ice. I ventured out only twice, to make sure the dog did his business, and then later stepped out to let the cat realize for herself that she really didn’t want to stay outside. She trudged about 15 feet and came back to the door. I attempted a few photos, then I retreated back to the house. This is a box I made for owls that hang around the backyard. I haven’t mounted the box, it just sits on a slab of concrete at the edge of some ornamental grass. I will get it up in the air for the owls soon, though I don’t know if they’ll go for it.

No paintings in progress in the main studio while it’s this cold and icy, however the commissioned landscape continues, I have it mounted on a large easel in the living room for working comfortably. Trying to push it to final, but this one requires a lot of care in layers that seem to go on forever. After this piece, no more commissions.

(Earlier posts from 2010)
December is nearly here. It’s Thanksgiving night as I write. November was busy for me, or perhaps distracting would be a better description. Thus, no blog posts in a while. A high point of November occurred just days ago, the installation of work and reception for artist Terry Jarrard-Dimond, at McDunn Gallery.

Terry Jarrard-Dimond is a native of South Carolina and resides in Clemson, South Carolina. BA / Winthrop University in Rock Hill; MFA / Clemson University. She worked for more than 15 years as a sculptor and taught at several colleges and universities. Her sculpture is represented in collections including Coca-Cola International, Atlanta, Georgia, The Federal Reserve Bank, Charlotte, North Carolina, and The State Museum of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. While working as a designer in the textile industry she became interested in quilts and began developing her own unique style of fabric construction.

Memoir of an Uncrowned Queen
44.75″ H x 55″ W
Hand-dyed fabric, machine pieced and machine
quilted, by Terry Jarrard-Dimond

The show at McDunn Gallery features a selection of small works from Dimond’s surface design series as well as select larger pieces. The bold colors of hand-dyed fabric in these works attract attention immediately when you enter the room, and the detailed stitching and surface work with its range of colored thread creates emotive response and provides shifts in color perception. The piece shown above, Memoir of an Uncrowned Queen, is stunning. I wish I could show here just how powerful the colors are, a visit to the gallery is required in order to get the idea of how rich the deep blues stand, and the red will knock you down. Again, the reds in this piece are hand-dyed, there likely is no red saturation of such strength commercially available, I believe I overheard that comment at the reception. The show remains on view technically through December 10, 2010, but likely will continue closer to the Christmas holiday, as there is no time for a new show to begin in the few remaining days before 2011. Did I just type 2011? It’s December, already. Where has the year gone?

(Earlier posts from 2010)
Open Studios is a tour of 142 Greenville area artists studios, it’s a free self-guided tour. Go at your own pace according to a catalog and map of studio locations. I’d like to invite you to tour the furniture and wood shop at Michael McDunn’s Studio shop. McDunn is a master studio furniture maker. This also is the gallery where I work. There are over 30 other crafters and artist in the gallery, so there’s plenty to see. Free to the public, bring your friends. Drop in whenever you want during Friday Nov 5 from 6-9pm, Saturday Nov 6, 10-6, and Sunday Nov 7 Noon-6pm.

Plenty of catalogs/maps available at the studio if you want to start here and tour the other studios. Below: a chest by Michael McDunn. Have friends who are into furniture? Grab them and bring them to see where high-end furniture is made by hand one piece at a time. You’ll be glad you did, this is not production line furniture.

Curly maple four-drawer dresser, hand-cut dovetails,
cedar drawer bottoms, hand-forged Japanese hardware.

(Earlier posts from 2010)

Shown: Carved Jar, Porcelain, 10″x10″x16″
Image copyright Emily Reason 2010

Heading to the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands on Sunday. I’ll be looking for ceramics by a few particular favorite potters, especially want to find something by Emily Reason, of Marshall, NC. I came across her work online while searching for small-to-mid-size pieces to add to my collection. Other pieces will be picked up as I see them, not familiar enough with most of the exhibiting potters, but getting there. Will need to return to the Penland / Toe River area ASAP to visit galleries and studios, I’m sure most will be closed on Sunday. Next time, I’ll head to Georgia for a look around.

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
October 21-24, 2010
Asheville Civic Center, 87 Haywood St, Asheville, NC
Thursday – Saturday: 10am to 6pm; Sunday: 10am to 5pm
Admission: $7, children under 12 free

(Earlier posts from 2010)
The Fine Art Ramblers gig at Penland School of Craft was Saturday, October 16. Instead of driving by myself, I rode up with Greenville painter and band mate Glen Miller. Arrived in the late afternoon, it was absolutely a beautiful day, the sky was so blue it didn’t look real. Not a cloud to be seen. I’m the drummer, so as usual, in most photos of the band I’m hidden behind the front line and can’t be seen.

As shown left to right, The Fine Art Ramblers are: David McCurry, Joel Wilkinson (me, hidden), Phillip M Garrett, Patti Brady, Bob Chance, Jim Campbell, Rosie the Cattle Dog (hidden), Glen Miller.