Above Elite Studios Resident Artists
Laura Gaffke
Laura Gaffke
Painting/Mixed Media/Printmaking
New artwork from Laura will be available at this event along with the very first giclee prints of her favorite pieces. She will also feature some of her collaborative artwork with artist & friend, Tina Hirsig. You can find her full bio in the about section of this website. Her collaborative art can be viewed on her blog http://lauratwotina.com.
Millie Donovan
Millie Donovan
Painter/Graphic Designer
“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on” - Henry Ellis
Our lives are defined by the combination of little moments whose significance is different from one person to another. We hold on to little treasures: marbles from our youth, sea glass collected at the beach, dandelion bouquets picked by a child, bits of fabric saved for no reason. Photographs help us retain those moments so that we can reminisce when we have forgotten the details recreating the exact color of the ocean when he proposed, a friend’s embrace or the chubbiness of a baby’s cheek at birth. Our conversations retell stories that we deem important enough to share: our life’s stories. I choose to hold on to these moments using paint, brush and various other media, hopefully capturing the importance of these little moments, fragments marking time, little pieces of me before I have to let go.
I have recently moved to Above Elite Studios (181 Main Street, Westerly, RI) and continue to work as a fine artist. With an M.F.A. in graphic design, I am most inspired by how differing media can come together to create one richly textured image. As an artist it has been exciting to combine typography, photography, found objects with traditional media like acrylic and watercolor paints. I am always learning new techniques and look forward to increasing my toolkit. The only wish that I have is that my work continues to initiate conversations about contemporary work and expression and that it inspires others to look beyond what the eye can see.
BLOG: http://milliedonovan.blogspot.com
e-mail: milliedonovan@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (860) 334-3826
Charles Estabrooks
Photography
Groovy Guest Artists
Serena Bates
Serena Bates
Serena G. Bates, born 1965, in Quonset, RI. From childhood, Bates had an inquisitive nature and keen interest in anything artistic. She was classically educated at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts (CT) and the Rhode Island School of Design (RI). She studied sculpting with renowned sculptors Elizabeth Gordon Chandler, Laci deGerenday and Don Gale, as well as painting with painters Aaron Shikler, Dean Keller and Dan Gheno. Bates is an artist member of the Salmagundi Club (NY) the National Sculpture Society (NY), the Catherine Lorillard Wolf Art Club (NY), the New England Sculpture Society, the CT Academy of Fine Artists, the Mystic Art Center (CT) and a member of the Artists Cooperative Gallery of Westerly (RI).
Whether it be sculpting or painting, her work is primarily done in the field or with a live subject, where she feels her works are the result of \"experience and keen observation\". Bates feels you can\'t breathe true life into your creations unless you have gotten to know your subjects on a personal and more intimate level. She is well known in the southern New England community, and her work can be found in many private collections throughout the United States.
Sarah Martin
Sarah Martin
Printmaking
Carol Watston
Carol Watson
Mixed Media/Collage
I’ve always loved nature, sunshine, horses and feathers. It wasn’t until my mid-40's that I suddenly began developing a talent for expressing those passions in art. After taking a one-night creative workshop, a dormant seed was germinated and I started drawing the things I loved. Then I tried watercolor pencils, then watercolor paint which cascaded onto acrylic and collage - constantly experimenting and playing. The key, though, was giving myself permission not to be perfect which opened the door to exciting creative possibilities. I am a self taught artist.
In a college Nature Writing class the professor recommended to write about what I knew. Following that advice for art by concentrating on subjects that I’m drawn to, the journey has been a delightful unfolding of growth and deeper love for those things, especially horses. At times when I look at what I’ve created I am joyfully amazed. That joy is compounded when a piece I’ve done also speaks to someone else.
My art is stylized, capturing the spirit or essence of the subject instead of emulating realism. I gravitate to art that evokes feeling, stirs a longing, conjures a “wow”. Prone to using warm earth tones since they warm my spirit, it’s possible that being an Autumn in personal coloration coupled with having a September birthday may be other factors that explain my bent. Frank Howell, Sarah Rogers, Carrie Fell and William Matthews are artists whose work I admire because of their simplistic, evocative style.
I relish the uncertainty of using a wet-in-wet watercolor technique which creates pools of color and hard edges that add texture and visual spice. The more abstract and puzzle-like nature of collage invites me to play and evoke the art through a process of repeated trial and elimination, seeing what works best without specific pre-determination. It’s an aesthetic eye exercise, excavating and evaluating in search of the ideal combination of elements to bring the piece together.
My equine collages come to life by painting blank acid-free paper with acrylic then manipulating the paint using sponges and tissues, lifting, running and smearing to create various values, hues and patterns. Next I decide what shapes to cut from which of the myriad painted papers to give the piece its structure. It’s an ongoing process, a hunt for specific colors or values that ultimately define the piece. When I adhere the paper to canvas the paper sometimes becomes crinkled creating random areas of texture that add visual excitement.
http://www.carolawatson.com/Carol_A._Watson.html
Jaclyn Murphy
Jewelry Designer/Photographer
Jaclyn Murphy is a local jewelry designer/aspiring photographer/creative enthusiast! She’s a jack of all trades type of gal, and is so excited to exhibit her LuniacStyle Jewelry Collection. Her jewelry is loud, fashionable and unstoppable. Creating accessories is a passion that has been bred in Jaclyn since she was 6 years old. It’s important for women to look their best and present themselves in a way that makes them feel confident, beautiful and amazing…to say the least. Jaclyn’s jewelry is inspired by the colorful world we live in, fashionistas, pop/iconic culture, music and most of all she’s inspired by love in all forms. LuniacStyle jewelry is all hand made, 100% one of a kind, and fabulous!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/luniacstyle
