June-July Exhibit at the Shiawassee Arts Center

The Shiawassee Arts Center presents Joan Larsen, monoprints Lenore Crawford, fiber Ashley Wightman, fiber June 9 - July 19, 2009 Tuesday-Sunday, 1-5pm Opening reception June 12, 6-8pm This exhibit is sponsored by Joyce Fox, Elly & Dale Wightman, Anonymous

Three Michigan Women Artists Exhibiting at SAC

Joan Larsen (monoprints), Lenore Crawford (fiber), and Ashley Wightman (fiber) are displaying their artwork at the Shiawassee Arts Center June 9 through July 19. The opening reception to meet the artists is Friday, June 12, 6-8pm. The show is sponsored by Joyce Fox, Elly & Dale Wightman and an anonymous donor.

Since the early 90's, Joan Larsen has pursued a career as a fine artist, working mainly with watermedia and water based monotypes. She states, "At first glance my work might look like pretty pictures of fruit and flowers. My "not so still life" paintings deal with the brevity of life --- each painting is a celebration of life. Each is a call to the viewer to inhale every precious moment, take nothing for granted, not even a simple piece of fruit."

Larsen was born and raised in rural Saginaw County and now lives in Spring Arbor. She received her degree in Art Education from Western Michigan University. Her work is represented in many mid-Michigan galleries and is in many private collections including the Consumers Energy World Headquarters in Jackson and she was chosen to design an ornament for the 2008 White House Christmas Tree.

After working in chemical research and a hospital lab for many years, Lenore Crawford wanted to pursue her passion for art as a full-time endeavor. Working in many different mediums she became intrigued with fabric and a technique called "water quilting." This involves the blending of small squares of fabrics like watercolor painting. Currently her technique includes fabric painting and thread painting on fused fabrics. She states, "My love of France, its architecture and flower gardens became the inspiration for my art using an "impressionistic" technique. The finished art quilts are my interpretation, in fabric, of places to escape to and dream about."

A native of Midland, Crawford lectures and teaches her technique and she has won numerous prizes at art and quilt shows across the country. She has been published in Quilter Magazines and her electronic book "Impressionist Fabric Blending --- Create Your Own Art Quilt" has been well received. Crawford has also been featured in the PBS program Kaye Wood's Quilting Friends.

Welcome Home is the title of Ashley Wightman's show. Born and raised in Owosso, Wightman spent a lot of time growing up with her grandmother, a landscape painter and quilter, who introduced her to many different art mediums. Wightman is a recent graduate of College for Creative Studies in Detroit receiving a BFA, focusing on fiber, sculpture and painting. She has exhibited at the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit, Scrummage University of Detroit, Flint Street Gallery in Lake Orion and the U245 in Detroit.

The work in this show was inspired by a documentary on elephants. Welcome Home tells the story of an elephant that is forced from her home to perform. Wightman says, "After seeing the documentary it has lead me to believe that elephants never forget. When one member of the elephant family died, one year later the remaining family members visited her remains and mourned their lost family member." Luckily for Wightman's elephant, after living a hard life as a performer, she is able to retire and be home once again.

The Shiawassee Arts Center is located at 206 Curwood Castle Drive in Owosso and is open Tuesday through Sunday, 1-5pm. The Arts Center features the artwork of local and statewide artists in eight galleries including the Frieseke Gallery and a specialty Gift Shop. The public is welcome and there is no admission charge. The Shiawassee Arts Council, celebrating its 37th anniversary in 2009, is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to encourage participation and appreciation of the arts. For more information about the exhibit call the Arts Center at 989.723.8354 or visit www.shiawasseearts.org.