Tag: Kimberly Varnadoe

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May 2024

May 2024 Artwork

ROOTED: Perspectives on Grounding
Don Green: My Nature Distilled
Nanu La Rosee: Homely Comforts
Kimberly Varnadoe: Searching for Center

Exhibition Dates: May 1 – June 1, 2024

Also open for:
Gallery Hop: Friday, May 3, 7-9 pm
Art Crush: Friday, May 17, 7 – 9 pm
Artist’s reception: Thursday, May 23, 5 – 7 pm

Artworks Gallery presents three artists, three perspectives. ROOTED: Perspectives on Grounding is a combination of the work of three artists exploring similar themes: how do we find grounding in an unstable world?

Don Green, “Untitled”

Don Green finds grounding by connecting with nature. In his work, My Nature Distilled, Green reflects on the stillness it takes to appreciate the influence of the natural world with attention on the subtle gifts we find when connecting to nature. His large paintings are inspired by the land, rocks, streams, and trees. His sculpture re-presents found and gifted wood, some considered special by their unique burels or knots, or contorted grains. The trees incorporated into his sculpture are repurposed and given another life to share.

Nanu La Rosee, “Poodle”

Nanu La Rosee, Homely Comforts, is a collection of small paintings that focus on the little things that bring comfort to people in dark times. While we all find comfort in various ways, such as spiritual sources or mindfully engaging in familiar household tasks, La Rosee finds a measure of comfort in a variety of animal figurines and dolls arounds the house that belonged first to her grandmother, then her mother, now her. These objects are a connection to prior generations and the trials that they endured. The figurines have expressive faces, seemingly in reaction to some terror or challenge they are confronted with. They wear their experience on their worn surfaces. The creation of these paintings has been an introspective process, reflecting on the intimacy of small-scale images that may serve as a portable talisman for hard times. The images have a strongly worked surfaces, lending a messy sort of vulnerability, with a touch of humor, which hints at the hope for the future.


Kimberly Varnadoe, “Greener Pastures”

Kimberly Varnadoe is Searching for Center. Centering is the practice of accessing an internal state of consciousness that is neutral, calm, steady, alert, active, and present. When we are out of Center, we can’t trust ourselves because we’re disconnected from our instincts and our true feelings.  Any approach that brings you to a state of “at-homeness” within yourself can be considered a centering practice. Painting is one of the most direct methods that Varnadoe employs to find Center. These paintings represent a way of working that is spontaneous and intuitive, staying focused on connecting with mind, body and spirit, remaining open to a healthy disenchantment with the finished painting, Engaging with art addresses the holistic interplay of mental and spiritual health. The paintings in this exhibition document Varnadoe’s Search for Center.

Don Green received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin in 1966, his BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois in 1964, and an Advertising Art Degree from the American Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois in 1956. Green has been a member of Artworks Gallery for 30 years.

Nanu La Rosee has been a member of Artworks Gallery since 1991. Her work as a librarian and passionate amateur musician informs her approach to making art; a combination of research and going where the ideas lead. She primarily makes small to medium size works using acrylic or oil paint, enhanced with collage, transfers and drawing. She attended UNCSA in Visual Arts and Music prior to receiving a BFA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Kimberly Varnadoe received her BFA in Painting from the University of South Alabama and her MFA in Printmaking from the University of Memphis. She currently works in oil painting as a meditation practice and explores automatic mark making. She enjoys experimentation and feels that art is most alive during the art creation — the final work of art is the record of the process. Varnadoe is a retired Art Professor from Salem College where she mentored artists for more than 25 years. She has been a member of Artworks Gallery since 2003, serving on the board and serves on the boards of Associated Artists of Winston-Salem and DADA, the Downtown Arts District Association. She is a Founding Artist of Artfolios, an online fine art gallery, where her work can be viewed online. She maintains a studio with the Culture WS collective in Winston-Salem.

This exhibit is free and open to the public.

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September, 2023

Artworks Gallery Presents:
Kimberly Varnadoe: “Contemplating the Elements”
and
James Gemma: “Exploring the BOLD in Abstraction”

Exhibition Dates: August 27-September 29, 2023

Artists’ Reception and Gallery Talk:
Sunday, September 17, 2-4 pm. Talk begins at 2:30.

Also open for:
Gallery Hop: Friday, September 1, 7-9 pm
Art Crush: Friday, September 21, 7-10 pm

James Gemma,” Exploring the Bold in Abstraction”, showcases digitally created art prints on archival paper and inks, as well as acrylic paintings on wood panels. His work is contemporary in nature and explores unique combinations of strong colors and bold shapes to express his abstract conceptions.  This work uses both hard edge and geometric approaches as well as a surprising diversion. This exhibition also includes two black and white prints, which express the ultimate in strong contrast.

After graduating with advanced degrees from The Ohio State University and careers as a university professor and consumer research professional, Mr. Gemma studied art and printmaking at Salem College (under Kimberly Varnadoe), and at Wake Forest University. He also has participated in multiple art workshops at Penland, the Huntington Museum of Art, and the Sawtooth Center for Visual Art. Mr. Gemma served four years as board member of Associated Artists of Winston Salem. As Marketing Chairperson of that group, he created the Practicing Artist Series of lectures and critiques, bringing the participation of nationally known artists to Winston-Salem. He is currently a practicing artist and has been a member of Artworks Gallery in downtown Winston-Salem since 2009.

Jim Gemma, “Strata Various” and “Converging/Diverging”

Throughout history, the Elements of fire, earth, air, and water have been used as powerful symbols to convey ideas, emotions, and narratives. Depicted in a wide range of artistic styles, the elements provide inspiration and are used to explore themes such as love, loss, transformation, and the passage of time.

Kimberly Varnadoe, “Contemplating the Elements”, utilizes oil painting as a direct response to a personal passage through emotionally conflicting times. Creating spontaneously as a meditation process, Varnadoe focuses on the natural elements as a basis for understanding oneself, the natural world, and the human experience. The Elements remind us of the natural world’s beautiful complexity, and recognizing the interconnectedness of the elements can inspire a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. By appreciating and respecting these elemental forces, we can cultivate a sense of wonder, curiosity, and reverence for our world, enriching our lives and inspiring us to forge meaningful connections with the people, places, and ideas surrounding us.

Kimberly Varnadoe received her BFA in Painting from the University of South Alabama and her MFA in Printmaking from the University of Memphis. She currently works in oil painting as a meditation practice and explores automatic mark making. She enjoys experimentation and feels that art is most alive during the art creation — the final work of art is the record of the process. Varnadoe is a retired Art Professor from Salem College where she mentored artists for more than 25 years. She has been a member of Artworks Gallery since 2003, serving on the board and serves on the boards of Associated Artists of Winston-Salem and DADA, the Downtown Arts District Association. She is a Founding Artist of Artfolios, an online fine art gallery, where her work can be viewed online. She maintains a studio with the Culture WS collective in Winston-Salem.

Kimberly Varnadoe, “LIVE•GROW•FEEL•CARE” and “FLOW”

This exhibit is free and open to the public.

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Q&A with Kimberly Varnadoe

How would you describe your art?

I work in various mediums, choosing what I feel best suits the emotional connection I want my audience to experience when viewing my work.

How have you changed as an artist over the years?

I have transitioned from being a student to a professor and am now a full-time Artist. I have taught art at the college level for more than 30 years. I have been exposed to various art forms and feel grateful that I’ve had experiences engaging with my students as they learn to express themselves through art. At this point in my life, I am practicing what I’ve preached and engaging with life through an artist’s eyes.

What artists have influenced your work?

There are so many I couldn’t possibly name them all. I am influenced by art and life from many different perspectives. I have always been drawn to the drama and mystery in Caravaggio’s Baroque lighting. More recently, I have engaged with the women artists of the Abstract Expressionist phase of the mid-20th century, especially Joan Mitchell.

Do you have a favorite medium?

I enjoy choosing, using, and experimenting with a variety of mediums. I have been formally trained as a painter, printmaker, and photographer, and I often combine these mediums in my work. I have recently engaged with oil painting, which I have not practiced for decades, although I have taught painting for many years.

What does making art mean in your life?

Making art is ingrained in my soul. I choose to live artful life every day. Art, Life, Love…all merge together.

Anything else you think is important?

“Life is short”, as the saying goes. I believe life is an exciting journey filled with adventures to embrace. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. My philosophy is to live an authentic life and take care of ourselves and others as we can.

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Nov 2021: Myers, Lackey-Zachmann, Varnadoe

  • Lea-Lackey-Zachmann, Dogwood Knows Temporary and Perpetual
  • Lea-Lackey-Zachmann, Holly Knows Paradox
  • Lea-Lackey-Zachmann, Pecan Knows
  • Lea-Lackey-Zachmann, Above and Below
  • Lea-Lackey-Zachmann, Leave Love l
  • Wendell Myers, Enchanted Forest
  • Wendell Myers, Trees of Gold

Artworks Gallery Presents:
Wendell Myers, Enchanted Forests
Lea Lackey-Zachmann, Tree Translations III
Kimberly Varnadoe, In a Dark Time

And showing in the members gallery: Tribute to Pamela Howland

Exhibition dates: October 31- November 27, 2021
Reception: Sunday, November 14, 2-4 pm

Take a Video Tour!


Wendell Myers, “Trees of Gold”
Wendell Myers | Enchanted Forest

The paintings of Wendell Myers are abstract landscapes, based on memories of the places he’s lived and visited; the great plains, north woods and lake country of his youth, the Carolina mountains and seascapes of adult life, and the desert Southwest where he has frequently vacationed. The works in this show, “Enchanted Forests” are inspired by the countryside of Poland, where he and his wife have spent a great deal of time over the past 15 years. The series is also influenced by the works of Wolf Kahn and Mark Rothko, referring to it as a “Rothkovian lozenge of color.”

Wendell Myers holds a BFA from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Early In his career, he worked as a studio potter, selling directly to the public out of his studio, at art fairs and shows in the Midwest and Northeast. Eventually, accompanying his wife, Pamela Howland, to Winston-Salem, he earned his MD from Wake Forest School of Medicine. He has been a practicing radiologist in the area for over 25 years. 12 years ago Myers returned to making art, this time choosing to focus on acrylic painting.

Wendell Myers, “Enchanted Forest”
Lea Lackey-Zachmann, “Dogwood Knows Temporary and Perpetual”
Lea Lackey-Zachmann | Dogwood Knows Temporary and Perpetual

The large paintings in this exhibit depict trees Lea Lackey-Zachmann walks past daily. The central painted rectangle in each work represents a tree as we might view it. The smaller painted rectangles above, below, and beside, represent the tree abstractly or symbolically. Most of the artist’s painting career has focused on the tension between Realism and Abstraction. Asking which best expresses the tree’s true nature? All these depictions are a visual language that seeks to evoke a feeling or insight into the identity and nature of the trees shown here.

The artist reveals, “This exhibit was inspired by my knowing that trees are essential to our life and happiness on earth. Our appreciation of them helps determine our future.”

Lea Lackey-Zachmann holds an MFA in painting from the University of NC at Greensboro, along with a graduate teacher’s certificate in Art Education. She received a BA in Art from Winthrop University and is now retired after having taught at High Point University for 29 years and Salem College for 10 years.
She has been an instructor of various classes at WFU, Guilford College, and Elon University as well as having taught and served on the board of the Sawtooth Center for Visual Art. She is dedicated to community arts endeavors of all kinds. Her paintings, prints, and drawings are in various collections on the east coast of the US. She is a founding member of Artworks Gallery.

Lea Lackey-Zachmann, “Pecan Knows”
Kimberly Varnadoe, “Tropisms”
Kimberly Varnadoe | In a Dark Time

Kimberly Varnadoe’s current work represents a passage through conflicting times. She reflects, “We all have had to adjust to a different way of life during 2020-21. Some of us have gone or are going through other adjustments that are more personal.” These works reflect thoughts, memories, stress, and therefore are a bit chaotic. They are personal to Varnadoe, yet they speak to what many of us think and feel during life’s tumultuous changes. These works were created with a wide variety of media throughout each piece. The meshing together of these materials is a reflection on the many layers of overlap we experience emotionally as we adjust to challenges faced day to day, embracing the complex and contemplative.

Kimberly Varnadoe received her BFA in Painting from the University of South Alabama and her MFA in Printmaking from the University of Memphis. She works with experimental photography and a variety of printmaking techniques, often combining the processes. She enjoys experimentation and feels that art is most alive during the art-making — the final work of art is the record of the art process. She has been a member of Artworks Gallery, in Winston-Salem, since 2003.

Kimberly Varnadoe, “After Life”
A piece by Jessica Tefft inspired by Pamela Howland’s music.
Tribute to Pamela Howland

The artists of Artworks Gallery will be paying tribute to the wife of one of their own, who died in September. Gallery members will show a unique collection of tribute works created to honor the music of pianist Pamela Howland. She was the wife of Artworks’ member Wendell Myers. As an accomplished pianist, she taught for many years in the Wake Forest University music department. Howland also recorded 19 albums consisting of composers Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel. She performed nationally and internationally, was a Steinway Artist, a 2017-2018 Fulbright Scholar to Poland, and a Chopin specialist.
A percentage of sales will go to the Poland Fulbright Assistance Fund at https://en.fulbright.edu.pl/support-us/


Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 11-5; Sunday 1-4
Exhibition dates: October 31- November 27, 2021
Reception: Sunday, November 14, 2-4 pm

The exhibit is free and open to the public.
For information about this press release, contact pr@artworks-gallery.org

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