Woolworth Walking About
Alley Cats by John Nebraska/Andy Levine
I had a hometown friend visiting me in Asheville last week. Even though I was working every day, I did my best to show him around town. One of the spots I walked him through was Woolworth Walk, the art and craft gallery/old-fashioned soda fountain. I’m guilty of speed browsing these types of group galleries, but this time, for the first time probably, two artists’ work grabbed a hold of my short attention span.
First, there was John Nebraska’s gallery space. I don’t think I have it in me to wax poetic about his work, but to put it simply, it made me happy. I wasn’t sure of his methods or medium, but after looking him up online, I found he is a commercial illustrator. His commissioned work seems to be digital. His fine art, the pieces I was looking at, are a mix of acrylic paints, pastels, collages, and probably more.
Part of the joy of finding local art I love is knowing that the person who created it is part of the small world I’m living in. They are walking about, thinking about creating their pictures anonymously and quietly. I don’t know them, but they are puttering around town beside me.
And then pottery, for the first time ever, caught my eye. I don’t mean I don’t like or respect pottery. I absolutely do, but it’s not what usually pulls me. As a painter, I naturally enjoy looking at and inspecting the flat.
The cups and plates of Mud Stuffing Pottery really amused me. I think it was the clean shapes and whiteness, layered with what I assume is a collage and glaze type technique of found images. There are layers to the simplicity.
