LINDA PARKS Linda was drawn at a young age to the Arts. The imagination and what it can do was always a part of her early childhood. She and her twin sister started a thriving puppet-show business at the early age of eleven, hand making all the puppets, sets, costumes, and scripts.
She was educated and raised in an engineer’s family graduated with an Electrical Engineers Degree she began work in the corporate world. The imagination of art never left her heart. After 15 years, she left the world of Corporate America to start her own woodworking business building and restoring antique furniture. It was very rewarding to her to save pieces of art and history. This slowly changed over the next 20 years to become a high-end custom cabinet business.
Linda saw a lot of scrap wood from her business. One winter evenings Linda grabbed some paint and a brush on a scrap of that plywood and began her very first painting. It was a tall lady looking out of a doorway. She stepped back when it was finished to admire her work, then set it aside without a thought more. A friend, the next week, loved the painting- in fact, so much so that she asked to purchase it. And thus began her artistry. What started as painting a few pieces for her home soon had friends and neighbors asking for pieces of her work.
She uses a very bright and eclectic style using vibrant colors as her trademark, as well as themes from her own travels and experience. Married to a Porsche enthusiast, she soon found herself painting portraits of her husband’s cars and again other people started asking her to paint their cars and now Linda has developed a strong base of art around vintage Porsche and cars of all types.
created through deep self-exploration and her own spiritual journey. Her art, like life, is full of a
variety, color, and science. Stacey began experimenting with new ways to
create her own type of art. Although she is not formally educated in art she has had the opportunity to be mentored by several great artists, such as Aaron Tate, Brad Abrams, Polly Gessell, Soon Y Warren, and many others. She currently is a student of the famous glass artist Aaron Tate. These artists have influenced her enthusiasm to experiment. “I truly love learning and experimenting with new ways to create my next piece of art.” She set no
boundaries when it comes to the use of mediums ranging from blowing and hot sculpting glass, metal, paint, and resin. Most often she combines these mediums with resin impregnated with blends of phosphorescent pigment. This medium is unique as it absorbs UV light to glow in the dark with bright contrasting vibrant colors. This technique creates a dynamic work of art that visually evolves and is re-born with each new day. Stacey’s artwork is true expression of
continuing life in its ability to change visually and create dialogue with the viewer. “I
like for people to be able to look at my art and see something that may strike a spark in
their imagination and give them a feeling of the Lord’s presents. I want them to start to
create their own stories more personal to themselves with my artwork, by doing this my
audience can open doors into their imaginations and let their own creativity take them
on endless journeys.” “My goal is for my art to not only lead my viewers on a creative
and spirit filled journey, but to also to lead myself too. Each piece of art the Lord allows
me to create I learn something new from his glory. I am always amazed! I want to share
my amazement I feel with anyone who views my art.”
Since a child Stacey always had a true love of art. Stacey studied biology at North Texas
University and pursued a career in dentistry. In both of the situations she found her
favorite place to be was in the lab making things and continuously creating art.
Intrigued by both, the only thing to do was to experiment and use the two together.
Leaving dentistry behind, she began creating art fulltime and started a decorative
painting business painting the interiors of people’s homes. Stacey dreams of art kept
growing until she finally decided to open an art gallery, Your Private Collection Art
Gallery, where she now sells her own art along with many other of the top artist in the
US.
Sculptor and retired educator Michael Boles is an artist who has exhibited throughout the southeastern United States, winning numerous awards for his drawing, relief sculpture, as well as for his free standing sculptural compositions. The current thrust of his work entails utilizing digital technology to produce intricate free form metal and stone wall sculpture, as well as archival ink jet prints. Boles received his Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, studying under renowned Texas sculptor Charles Pebworth. His thesis emphasis was in fused and colloidal silica shell bronze casting techniques. After a three year college teaching job in northeast Texas, he moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1980. Boles’s work is in the collections of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, The Office of the Governor of the State of Florida, The United States Naval Aviation Museum, The University of West Florida, and numerous private collections. He is also a recent recipient of an Art in State Buildings Award for the State of Florida. His work is also published in A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas, by Carol Morris Little, as well as being listed in the Smithsonian Institution’s Inventory of American Painting and Sculpture. His work was recently published in the book, Cast, by Shiffer Publishing. In 2015 Boles completed a solo exhibition at Pensacola Museum of Art entitled, “OBJECT: Sculptures, Prints and Drawings by Michael Boles.”He has recently completed installation of a 25 foot tall concrete, bronze and stainless steel form, “Triple Up,” commemorating the 50th year of incorporation of the city of Gulf Breeze, Florida. Boles was formerly Professor of Art at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts in Pensacola, Florida, where he taught sculpture and design, and completed a three year term as the Center’s Endowed Teaching Chair in 2009. Images of his work can be viewed at: http://www.mboles.blogspot.com, Instagram (bildhauer48), as well as by contacting him directly by email at: mfboles@cox.net.
I grew up in Grapevine Texas and I had my first art show there at age of 12. That was a true education on selling me and my talents. I moved to Rochester, New York to further my Art education and began doing shows in and around Rochester. I also successfully exhibited in several galleries and then opened two of my own. Later, I moved To Hammondsport, NY and became the In-house Artist on Keuka lake for their rather large winery. This was followed by becoming the Featured Artist at both the Corn Hill Arts and Fingers Lakes International Wine Festival. I received “Best in Class” at the Churchville Art Festival in Rochester and the Rochester Grape Festival as I continue to add to my awards list. My work has been featured in Home and Garden Magazine, which is a huge accomplishment in my book. I returned to Texas. I chose Winnsboro because of its Art Enthusiasm that lead me to EAE as I continue on my journey.
I have always been fascinated by how color, animate objects and creatures have held representational “meanings” for people throughout time and geographical locations; be it flowers in the Victorian era or totem animals within Native American tribes. I use subtle symbols within every canvas story I paint. I am intrigued with the idea that objects holding superstitious qualities can be found to have similar meanings with cultures far removed by time and land. I tend to work in themed suites, series of five to twelve paintings. While I don’t exhibit my work as self portraits, they are based in the concept of capturing the world around me; as well as, within me. My paintings are motivated by what it is like to be a woman in contemporary culture and my interests in where we have come from – the cultural traditions that continue and morph over time. More recently, my themes have become reflective of my personal journey through life – aging, loss, memories.
NANCY BEAUCHAMP Nancy always wanted to be an artist, even at five years old. She attended Principia College in Elsah, Illinois and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, both Studio and Art History. The highlight of her art studies was a European trip to study art, architecture, and sculpture. Pastels are her medium of choice in landscapes, still life’s and animal portraits. She teaches workshops and weekly classes in pastels. And she has been blessed with numerous awards in art competitions. Her inspiration comes from the countryside surroundings just outside of Winnsboro, Texas, where she lives with her four dogs. Artist’s Statement: “Too much of a good thing can be repetitious. I enjoy painting a variety of genres, so my subject matter rotates. Humor is often evident in my work. There’s a story behind every one of my paintings, but it’s not always my story. What story do you see?”
DEBBI ELMER Debbi has played in multiple art mediums….drawing, ceramics, weaving, woodcarving, and jewelry….but found glass in 1998 and has devoted almost 24 years to the study and development of techniques in fused and cast glass art. She studied art at the University of Texas at El Paso and has continued her glass education with multiple internationally known glass artists. She now teaches glass classes across the United States sharing techniques she developed and is often asked to present her techniques at glass art forums. Timberidge Glassworks was established in 2013 when Debbi retired from a corporate career. She adores having a glass studio she had built and finds herself in it at all hours of the day and night. Glass indulges her lifelong fascination with light, color, and texture. She is drawn to many themes but frequently finds her way back to her Texas roots in her art. Debbi’s work has been exhibited at the National Glass Show in Las Vegas several times. She has developed techniques and processes in glass that have been introduced and demonstrated at the show. For many years, she traveled and exhibited work at art festivals, garnering multiple show and people’s choice awards. Her work is represented in many private collections across the country. It ranges from large wall installations up to fourteen feet across to large bowls and sculptures to very small pieces only three to six inches across.
PHYLLIS GUNDERSON
I have always been on the move. Growing up, we moved often as my father was an Air Force officer. This gave me a wonderful exposure to the many beautiful cultures and places. My parents gave the the gift of gratitude.I think my appreciation of the beauty of the landscape had that early origin. Everywhere you look, there is beauty both seen and felt. My art training has been untraditional. I pursed my art studies outside my academic training in Public Administration and Systems Engineering. I had a rich and varied career ranging from Law Enforcement to Executive Management in High Tech. I was able to return to my first love of painting about 12 years ago and have been exhibiting nationally for 9 years. My work has forever homes in the US, Canada and UK. My work seeks to take you on the journey to love and aprreciate the seen and the often unseen in our world. This journey is either with the beautiul landscape directly with the Spirit. I often represent the messages from God and his angels in my feather paintings. Feathers floating in the moonlight are gifts of direction, encouragement and peace. Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to be challenged to try painting en plein air. Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to be challenged to try painting en plein air. Wow, what a wonderful door to open and explore. Outdoor painting has completely changed the way I see and understand the world. It had forced me to essentially start over and appreciate anew this beautiful world. What better place than in the singular beauty that is New Mexico. Yes, I’m hooked. My husband and I now reside outside Pecos, New Mexico.
Mike Tate I have always been attracted to wood working activity but never really got involved in “creative” wood working until after retirement. I got my first taste of wood turning while visiting a friend in Florida. He suggested I try my hand at turning a pen. That went pretty well. A year later the same person invited me to turn a bottle stopper. After that I was hooked on wood turning. I purchased a midi lathe and set to work learning the art of wood turning. I also joined the East Texas Wood Turners Club of Tyler. Like most folks I started with pens, bottle stoppers and small bowls. After a few months I moved up to a full size lathe and began turning out larger items. At some point I was invited to take part in a local craft fair and I was gratified to find that people liked my work enough to pay money for my turnings.
Most of the wood I use comes from trees in the local area which have been brought down in storms, taken down by home owners or just died of some cause. I will purchase unusual woods from time to time that cannot be sourced in the local ares.
I think there is something almost magical in being able to take a chunk of nondescript wood and turning into a thing of beauty. Wood turning is a never ending process of trial, error and learning. I intend to continue wood turning as long as health, age and the Lord allow me too.
Edom Art Emporium 