Exhibit showcases local artists, artwork

Art will come alive at the John Waldron Arts Center for one and all to enjoy during an exhibit featuring only local artists. At 5:30 p.m. Today, the Bloomington community will be able to view feature works of art from South Central Indiana artists in two different exhibits. \nThe exhibits will be held in The Rosemary P. Miller Gallery and the Flashlight Gallery of the JWA. The five artists being featured are Lynne Gilliatt, Connie Brorson, Ruth Conway and Linda Knudsen, and Jeff Jackson, who will be displaying his abstract drawings that explore unity and order through complex patterns.\nConnie Brorson, a member of the Watercolor Society of Indiana and recipient of the Award of Excellence at the Indiana Heritage Arts 25th Anniversary Exhibition, will be the featured watercolor artist. Through her artwork, the people of Bloomington will see bold colors and curving, swaying forms to represent familiar images. Her paintings are known to capture a sense of cheerful and humorous spontaneity.\n"Connie Brorson's watercolor artwork is very flowing and whimsical, and she uses a variety of styles and very intense colors. Her artwork can also be seen as being humorous, that I believe people will definitely enjoy," said Miah Michaelsen, BAAC gallery director.\nLynne Gilliatt, pastel artist, will be exhibiting her shared experiences, travel vistas and the important people in her life through pastel artwork. Through her artwork, people will have a sense of place and the familiarity of daily life, and see how she explores different materials and experiments with light.\n"Lynne's work is very willing to share to the public and very intimate; you really become familiar with routines of daily life," Michaelsen said.\nRuth Conway and Linda Knudsen will exhibit their collaborative art lamps as a team. Conway crafted the bases and Knudsen created the lamp shades. Ruth Conway's crafted bases are fired in a wood kiln, and she creates designs on each base that are unique. Meanwhile, Linda Knudsen creates lamp shades with combinations of intense colors and patterns, giving them a sense of depth and movement. Together their Silk and Fire Handmade lamps combine form and function with the light inside as a bonus effect to each lamp.\n"I believe that this opening reception will be a great turnout and will really benefit the artists and allow them to have their artwork displayed to the residents of Bloomington," said Diana Corrigan, Bloomington Area Arts Council development director. "And I see a diverse attraction to these exhibits from those of downtown Bloomington, but not just on this night, on all the days these artists artworks will be displayed."\nJunior Meredith Strathmeyer said she believes the artists will get a strong response from the Bloomington community because they are local. \n"To be able to go and see their artwork will bring much joy and allow me to really become acquainted with the artists," Strathmeyer said. "Also, whenever these artists' works are featured outside of Bloomington, it will be nice to be able to say that I have seen their art before and (am) familiar with each artist's style of work," \nThe artists' works will remain on display from through Nov. 13.\n-- Contact Staff writer Rosemary Forte at rforte@indiana.edu.