NEWFANE — During September, the Crowell Art Gallery, 23 West Street, will be exhibiting the work of two artists; oil painter Kris Stewart and potter Billie Stark. A reception with the artists will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Stewart will display with her representational paintings of the natural world she sees as filled with light, color, and texture.
“My goal is to extend an invitation to experience our natural world emotionally as well as visually,” she said. Through her work, she “hopes to conjure feelings of sympathy for, and appreciation of nature's beauty and diversity.”
Stark has had a long relationship with clay. She said she finds it balances her logical and ordered life, allowing her to focus totally on the clay body and the evolving creative process.
“My work in clay reflects a basic part of me - the logical, ordered part of me, while at the same time allows me the freedom to try new things and experiment a bit,” Stark said.
Like Stewart, Stark's pottery reflects her love of nature, from bird feeders to hand-etched plant pots or plant-imprinted platters. Expect to see functional pieces for the most part, but part of the beauty of clay is its flexibility.
The gallery is free and open to the public during the Moore Free Library's operating hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.