‘The Flow of Nature’ at Carlton Gallery

Carlton Gallery continues its 30th anniversary commemoration with fine art exhibits of glass, wood, paintings, clay and sculpture by local, regional and national artists represented by the gallery.

“Fashionable fiber and wearable art in mobius shawls, silk ponchos, capelets in mixed blends and felted wool hats, along with bags and purses by the gallery’s innovative fiber artists ensures one a personal flair,” gallery owner Toni Carlton said.

The gallery also exhibits a varied selection of handcrafted jewelry in gold, precious and semi-precious gemstones, sterling silver, crystals, sculptural wrapped wire and multi-hued beads. Julie

Salvetti is a new jewelry designer in the gallery whose forte is Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea cultured pearls. Her pearl jewelry designs in necklaces, bracelets and earrings are handcrafted, using traditional metal work techniques in 18K, 14K gold and sterling silver.

Carlton Gallery is also exhibiting new works by Debbie Arnold, local standing gallery artist, whose visionary paintings are inspired by the High Country’s mountains with their serenity and unique beauty.

Arnold’s exhibit, “The Flow of Nature,” begins Sept. 22, with an artist reception from 2 to 5 p.m., and continues through Oct. 21. This exhibit and reception is a feature for the Avery Tour de Art on Saturday, Sept. 22, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The paintings in “The Flow of Nature” exhibit are the result of Arnold’s new process of pouring acrylic paint onto a canvas. In this process, which was developed throughout two years of trial and error, she uses the fluidity of the paint to reflect the organic forms of nature. Arnold said the flow of the paint inspires her to create each individual image – an intuitive process, which she described as a stream of consciousness merging the creative process with spirituality.

“Intuitive painting can be used as a tool of self-discovery and active meditation,” she said.

Arnold’s unique signature style of painting was developed from combining the fluidity and lightness from her years as a watercolorist with the capability of acrylics and oils to be layered. She uses extremely thin washes of paint with many layers of transparent washes in each painting. “The light shimmering through the many layers of warm and cool colors, along with the textures, makes her complex paintings glow,” Carlton said.

“My paintings end up not only being very subjective, but with images that I can strongly relate,” Arnold said. “They often mirror my life in a spiritual metaphor.”

Arnold has been a professional painter for more than 30 years, and her work can be found in many public, corporate and private collections. She has participated in one- and two-person shows and in numerous juried and invitational exhibitions. She also teaches intuitive painting in several workshops a year for beginners and professional painters. A “Follow Your Intuition” acrylic techniques workshop is planned for Nov. 3 and 4 at Carlton Gallery, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Carlton Gallery is located 10 miles south of Boone and seven miles north of Linville on N.C. 105 in the Grandfather Mountain community. For more information on artists, exhibitions or workshops, call (828) 963-4288 or visit http://www.carltonartgallery.com.

Gallery Times

Gallery Times is a weekly news feature of The Mountain Times, featuring short news items submitted by local galleries.

For more information or to make a submission, contact editor Frank Ruggiero at (frank@mountaintimes.com) or (828) 264-6397.