Village Arts Hosts Newest Exhibit: ‘The Same As Yesterday’

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 20, 2024
- 7:18 am

Scene from ‘The Same As Yesterday’ exhibit underway through Jan. 10, 2025 at Village Arts. Courtesy/VA

VILLAGE ARTS News:

As the year comes to a close, Village Arts asked artists to look to the past for their present inspiration, and to find motivation in the repetition of the every day and ordinary. This prompt resulted in more than 30 pieces of work with such a variety of responses, all of which are on exhibit at Village Arts through Jan. 10, 2025.

Pastel Artist Phyllisha Hamrick took a personal journey into the past with works showing her best friend and a view from the house where she grew up. Melissa Alexander’s personal take is a scarf entitled “Hand Me Down Yarn” knits her creative inspiration with the memories of the people who provided the materials. Sue Ellen Hains and Stephen Ledoux both evoke memories as well through layers of collage in Hains’ “From the Past” and Ledoux’s photographs of warm quilted patterns and idyllic landscapes.

Beading artist, Ann Greene, encompassed the big picture through examining the passage of time and the idea of timelessness in her beaded rock art pieces and her “Comets Now and Then”, and Liz Aicher took on the galaxy in her watercolor entitled “Stardust”. Fran Stovall explored a more literal expression of time with her mosaic aspen forest clock, and a Black Mesa Sunrise piece that is so locally iconic. Artist Seth Dustin also took on local icons that have been around for ages in his series of block prints and cards of local sights and sites like Camel Rock, Taos Pueblo and Santuario de Chimayo.

Along the same lines, several artists used this opportunity to create a series of artwork where they revisited materials and themes as a way of delving in just a little deeper. Oil painter Bonnie Dickman created a series of extremely punny dance vignettes, while Jerry Beguin invites us to explore secrets in his multi-media dimensional paintings layered over tile cutting boards. Abstract pour painter, Eileen Lime created a series of coasters using a spider spin technique to great effect.

“Looking back is a great personal tour,” said batik artist Gloria Sharp, who spent some time in her archives of artwork. “As my lifetime of creative work approaches more than 50 years, I can observe where I was back at the start and where I am today. As I think about my early work and actually see it in person, I am certain that I have grown all along in exciting and colorful directions as well as a few interesting detours.”

The chronicles of all of these journeys are both compelling and inspiring, and the staff at Village Arts hopes the community will stop by to cheer on these amazing artists, vote on a favorite piece, and perhaps find a treasure to take home.

Village Arts is at 216 DP Road, and construction has ended for the season making it easy to access. The space is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, and will be open regular hours excluding Christmas.

Village Arts specializes in custom framing and supporting this amazing community of creatives and students by carrying a variety of art supplies, kits and gifts.

Village Arts plans to host 9 themed exhibits throughout the next year, and everyone of any age or ability is welcome to share or sell their work. A list of upcoming exhibits and highlights of past shows is available at www.villageartsframing.com.