Conveying their observations of nature and sharing a concern for the environment, landscape painter D.P. Warner and ceramicist Cheri Anderton-Yarnell present works that reflect the sights, sounds and moods of northwestern Pennsylvania’s natural beauty in an exhibit that runs seven weekends from Friday, August 16 through September 29.
Gallery hours are Fridays, 1-6 PM; Saturdays, 11 AM to 7 PM; and Sundays, 12 noon to 5 PM. The RBG is located at 17 Main Street, Foxburg, PA 16036.
Meet the artists at the exhibit’s opening wine & cheese reception on Sunday, August 18, from 4 to 6 PM in the Upstairs Gallery of the Red Brick Gallery. There is no admission for the opening reception - which follows the 2 PM concert in Lincoln Hall featuring virtuoso Kenny Broberg, top prize winner in the Van Cliburn and Tchaikovsky International piano competitions and the American Pianist Award winner.
The concert also celebrates the 90th Birthday of ARCA founder and Board President, Dr. Arthur Steffee, for whom there will be a tribute and champagne toast at the intermission of the concert. Concert tickets are Adults $30, Members $25, and Students $5. To reserve concert tickets, you may call 724-659-3153 to pay by cash or check at the door. You may buy online at www.allegheny riverstone.org.
Ceramicist Cheri Anderton-Yarnell’s 50 years of working with clay has been an intriguing and delightful journey leading her to pursue many possibilities, expressing observations of nature and reflecting her spiritual path. Her designs and color choices are influenced by her rural lifestyle as well as her interest in and concern for our natural environment.
Cheri Yarnell said, “For 25 years I have made 20 pieces each year called ‘On The Edge’ that address my abiding concern for our natural environment and endangered or imperiled species. These pieces are adorned with humpback whales, amphibians, wolves, etc. Some pieces are quite whimsical, especially my mugs which feature playful botanical and animal imagery.
My work is always changing but there are a few constants: I work in porcelain and white stoneware and create each piece individually, from wedging the clay in preparation to forming each vessel on the potter’s wheel or hand building. Some pieces receive surface treatment using handmade stamps or the use of crochet or tatting for texture. Much of the work involves alteration through manipulating and through sculpting.
My work is primarily high fired porcelain or stoneware which receives two firings, one to harden and toughen the clay for further application of color. Color is achieved through painting or airbrushing with glazes which I have formulated myself from raw glaze material. My glazes reflect 3 decades of experimentation and most pieces receive multiple applications of color through a layering process in order to achieve vibrancy. Each year I create a smaller line of earthenware prices, a low fire clay, finished with glazes or smoke fired which is a more primitive process.”
Cheri lives in Northwestern Pennsylvania and shows her work in several galleries and annual shows. Her work has been published in the Lark books, 500 Animals and 500 Teapots.
D.P. Warner said of his artistic vision and process: “Primarily a landscape painter, I wish to convey my sense of beauty that I observe in nature. My primary medium is oil paints. I seek to capture the mood of a subject that has caught my eye, just as a musician tries to interpret the feel of a piece of music. The subject observed could be from our surroundings, something that may go unnoticed, or an intimate setting which has grabbed my attention. Whether it’s in the lighting, contrast, color or atmosphere, I try to capture that moment’s imprint.
I enjoy communing with nature, being in her presence and contemplating her influences. The act of painting sketches outdoors, en plein air, sparks a collaboration and is usually finished on location within a few hours. If worthy, this information may be subtly tweaked later in the studio. At another time, the study might influence a larger painting aided by my memories of the moment. Photographs can be helpful but are not a substitute for the original experience.”
In his early years, DP Warner spent long hours outdoors, learning about the environment and nature. As his family moved from CT and PA to FL in his youth, he started to draw and paint during alone times, with a focus on the landscape when studying watercolors. Camping and canoeing in Vermont brought him to identify trees, plants and birds. He made images of them through school: “My class notes were mostly doodles of imagined scenes.”
A drummer in bands in high school, D.P. overrode his intent to study music, graduating with a degree in Visual Arts from Roanoke College in Virginia. After college, DP played in bands while living in a dozen states from the east to the west coast, working in a series of art galleries. Becoming a resident artist for a large greenhouse and nursery was his return to nature and the outdoors. His active involvement in environmental concerns became a major theme in his early artwork as a professional and remains a residual influence in his paintings today.
While raising a family, DP returned to school, earning a M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Arizona. Then he embarked on a 30-year career in teaching Art at the University of Arizona, University of Montana and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
DP’s paintings, drawings and installations have received awards from juried and group exhibitions around the country. His work has found homes in many corporate and private collections. Now retired from teaching, DP lives in Meadville, Pennsylvania and works from his studio there.
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