Art and Nature at GRACE's Fall Focus Exhibition

Four artists whose creations show the symbiotic relationship between man and nature will have works on display at through De.c 23.

GRACE's 2011 Fall Focus exhibitions featuring works by Heidi Fowler, Sheep Jones, Novie Trump, and Millicent Young. The artists were chosen by a competitive process to artists from the mid-Atlantic region. 

Here's a look at the aritists and their works:

Constructing Haiku by Heidi Fowler 

Constructing Haiku is an exhibition of finely crafted paintings and mixed media works by Reston-based artist, Heidi Fowler. Influenced by her study of Chinese and Japanese artwork, Fowler paints seemingly serene landscapes, juxtaposed with observations of the recent land transformations taking place in our area due to the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

Fowler’s work will be accompanied by a recording of construction sounds altered by musician Steve Fowler to create a contemplative atmosphere similar to a Japanese Tea Room. Fowler’s paintings were inspired by photographs she took of the construction taking place on I-495 and at the soon-to-be Metro stations at Tysons and Reston. Using these photographs as a point of departure Fowler says, “I am intrigued by the tension between the beauty of creation and the priorities of man. My artwork depicts this intersection.”

Hidden Worlds by Sheep Jones and Novie Trump

Hidden Worlds is a collaborative exhibition of works by painter Sheep Jones, resident artist at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA, and sculptor Novie Trump, founder of Flux Studios in Mt. Rainier, MD. Based on their common interest in exploring issues related to the world of bees and other winged creatures, they examine nature’s mysteries by investigating honeycombs, nests, and roots. 

Trump “explores timeless themes of love, loss, birth, courage and transformation” through her ceramic reliquaries. Jones layers dense swatches of oil paint and wax on panels to create intimate portraits of drone bees and their hives, and birds collecting grasses for their nests.  Jones says that her paintings are “tidbits for the imagination” and invites the viewer to recognize their own stories and dreams within the works.

Vehicles and Vessels by Millicent Young

Vehicles and Vessels features work by well known sculptor and resident of Charlottesville, VA, Millicent Young. The exhibition comprises six beautifully crafted, sensitive three-dimensional pieces that transport the viewer into a place beyond knowing. Young’s sculptures are derived from materials she finds on her farm, which she manipulates and removes from their original context in the natural world resulting in a hybrid piece that seems other worldly. Young explains “the love that I have for these materials and the processes associated with transforming them is about polishing the beauty of the mundane; about finding the sacredness in the profane; and about the practice of change.”

Want to meet the artists? Attend one of these events. Contact Reston Community Center 703.476.4500 for fees and registration

Appetite for Art – Dialogue with Exhibiting Artists

Mondays 10am - noon

November 28 – Sheep Jones

December 5 – Heidi Fowler

December 12 – Novie Trump