“Impressions”
with Sid Freeman, Jamalee Moret and Bernie Lopez
The Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery is pleased to present, “Impressions,” a three-member Featured Artist Show with a reception for the artists during Jerome’s First Saturday Art & Wine Walk - August 3 from 4-7:30 pm. The Co-op is located on the ground level of the old Hotel Jerome at 502 N Main Street in Jerome. The show runs through Sept 30.
“Impressions” are both literal and figurative in the ceramic work of Jamalee Moret. She uses actual plant matter from her garden as impressions for her work in this show. “Nature is all around us,” she states, “and it leaves me with a sense of wonder. When I press the leaf or flower into the clay, I learn so much more about the plant; the glazes I use accentuate these details. It reminds me of the importance of looking deeper at an object in the same way one might dig deeper and ask questions of another person. There is always more to learn beneath the surface.”
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“Whimsical and functional,” she continues, “best describe my high and mid-range fired ceramic pieces. I have been working with clay, both throwing and hand-building, for the past 20 years. All my pieces are created for daily use—for a morning cup of tea or espresso, as a bowl for soup or a dish to serve a treat—with the intention of adding a slice of beauty to everyday life.”
After twenty years as a professional calligrapher, Sid Freeman is working her way back to her roots as a painter, but this time she is incorporating words and “sound symbols” that make up our speech. Her love of letterforms and quotations continues to inspire her work in a way where they lean towards creating their own meaningful expressions. The art itself is the common language using letterforms as the means of expression. Sid contemplates, “Can we build bridges back to our ancestors’ basic unity with the earth, before the time when language was only connected with specific cultures? And can it be done in today’s technological world of sound bites? I would like to try.”
In this show, Sid Freeman presents one of her largest calligraphic works based on the poem, “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” by Lewis Carroll. Sid notes, “I have always loved Lewis Carroll’s adventures with Alice. This poem became important to me when I made a presentation of it in my high school speech class. Later, while working in a chaotic restaurant, I recited the poem to myself to help me keep calm. Now, after rereading Carroll’s whole series, I decided to give the characters their own calligraphic voices of the poem. This included 18 stanzas of the poem using calligraphy in with a mix of mediums: acrylic, watercolor and colored pencil.”
Fine Art acrylic painter Bernie Lopez creates original art inspired by his adventures throughout Arizona’s spectacular destinations. Some of his works are inspired by the photos he has taken during his trips which serve as a reference; Others are inspired by the feelings and memories of a specific place and time he has experienced. Lopez describes, “I work in series including Sunset, Silhouettes, and Clouds, and I use a minimum color palette to focus on contrast of color.” Painting in this way, Lopez creates a broader view of the sometimes stark, but always impactful, Western Landscape.
“Impressions” is an opportunity to visit the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery and meet the artists during a reception on Jerome’s First Saturday Art & Wine Walk ~ Saturday, Aug 3 from 4–7:30 pm. Snacks, beverages and live music are provided for an evening of fun & entertainment.
Open to the public. Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery 502 N Main St, Jerome www.jeromecoop.com 928-639-4276 Currently accepting applications for membership.
