 The Upstate Quilt Trail delivered a workshop at the Art Center March 12-13, teaching a dozen local students how to paint quilt patterns on wood blocks.  Workshop participants learn to paint quilt patterns on boards. The Art Center is spearheading the effort to bring the heritage quilt trail to Ridge Spring. We will paint quilt
squares on boards to go on barns, businesses, and homes in Saluda county. This
trail started in the upper part of the state and is presently as far as
McCormick, as it winds its way down and across South
Carolina. We would like the squares that are painted to be linked in some way (usually the name of the block), to the history of the site, the family hosting the block, or the county. The quilt block you choose for your site could come from a quilt made by someone in your family. Maybe you would like to honor someone in your family with a block, one for your business with your logo colors, or one for your home, just because they are so beautiful. We would like it to be a traditional quilt block, and we will be trying to avoid duplicating blocks, so if you have a preference, let us know. You may contact Barbara Yon at 685-5386 for more information.  Celebrating Agriculture
 Agriculture is an important part of our Ridge heritage, and our artists are at work preserving that heritage through paintings, mosaics, photography, drawings, and gourds.
Several years ago Barbara Yon led a community project to mosaic an old farm tractor. The Town of Ridge Spring has this tractor on roadside display near the gazebo and caboose. Thanks to an award by the Saluda County Council, the Art Association has been able to repair the mosaics. The tractor was featured on tee shirts for the Ridge Spring Harvest Festival in October 2011.
 Purciarele Now at the Gallery
 The gallery in the Art Center in Ridge Spring now offers original paintings by Conni Y. Purciarele. As Conni grew up on the coastal island of St. Simons, Georgia, she developed a deep, abiding love for horses. Now retired and living in Trenton, SC, she paints horses, dogs, cats,exotic animals, old barns and deserted homesteads. Conni says, "I am inspired by the wonderful world of endless beauty that God has given us."
|  Coming Events May 19, Magnolia Ridge Antiques & Art Sale May 26 at 10:30 a.m., Ridge Quilt Trail reception and unveiling of the first 3 quilt blocks at the Art Center July/August duo Exhibitions - Ron Buttler and Donna Minor Classes
May 17 and May 24th 6-8 p.m., Beginning Oil Painting, ages 12 and up, Cost $60 includes instruction, set of oils and an 8 x 10 canvas. Instructor-Ron Buttler June 16th - Airbrush Painting 9am to 5pm. ages 12 and up. Instructor Danny O' Driscoll. Cost $75 June 20th - 22nd - Children's Art Camp - Cost $50. 3 day camp from 9am to 12pm. Art reception will follow on Sat the 23rd from 10am to 12pm. Ages 7 to 12. Instructors to include Joanne Crouch, Danny O'Driscoll, and Donna Minor. Camp Coordinator - Donna Minor -# 803-685-5783. Camp form is printable from Document at the bottom of this page. July 20th and 21st - Acrylic painting on masonite board. 2 day class from 10am to 4pm. Ages 12 and up. Instructor - Danny O' Driscoll. Cost $200   In February Ron Buttler was awarded third place for his oil painting, titled "Ridge Spring Reflections," at the Ketura 12th annual Juried Exhibiton sponsored by the McCormick Arts Council.  Crouch and Minor Each Garner Two Awards
At the South Carolina State Fair in October, Donna Minor received second place for gourd art (see photo above) and also for small pine needle basketry. Joanne Crouch received second place for her rope basketry and for her natural door decoration.
Experience Art on the Ridge  Our new "Art on the Ridge" program offers one-day experiences for groups of six to thirty. The day is tailored to each group's interest and includes a tour, lunch, brunch, and/or dinner at a local restaurant, along with one or more "make-and-take" workshops at the Art Center. Some of the possible tours include a spring tour of peach orchards in blossom, early summer tour to see hundreds of varieties of daylilies in bloom at the Daylily Depot, fall tour of the Yonce gourd field, and the Christmas tour of homes and churches sponsored by the Green Thumb Garden Club of Ridge Spring.
 Depending on the group's interest, their workshop could be making a gourd into art, mosaic stepping stones, watercolor painting, drawing, collages, or nature photography related to the theme of the tour. One, two, or three different workshops can be run simultaneously, depending on the size of the group. Also, time can be reserved before or after lunch for a walking tours of the unique shops in Ridge Spring.  If you know of a group that might be interested in such a tour, pass along our email address to them: artassociationridgespring@gmail.com. We'll design a fun learning experience that fits that group's interests. The Art Center will provide all the instruction, equipment, and supplies so that the group can experience creativity without any hassles.  Our mission: Give our community opportunities to enjoy, create and market art. Our vision: Ridge Spring will be a mecca for people who create, enjoy and buy art. Our citizens will enjoy the cultural and economic benefits of a thriving art community.
|
