“Versions of Arizona”
comes to Jerome Artists Cooperative
New Show Celebrates Startling Beauty of the State
There is no denying the power Arizona has to attract and motivate artists with its scenic beauty, endless diversity, and magnificent sunsets. That inspiration is on display at the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery in a vibrant new show called “Versions of Arizona.” It opens on October 5.
The exhibition presents the work of
two women from vastly different backgrounds who come together to
celebrate the wonders of the state. Michele Cokl Naylor grew up in a
small Indiana town, moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she continued
making art before landing on the other side of the country. Here the
vivid Arizona landscapes enhanced her passion for colorful paintings
and mixed media canvases.
Birgitta Lapides traveled halfway around the world, drawn to Arizona’s shining light. Born in Sweden, Lapides lived and worked for many years in southern France on the Mediterranean producing and selling her hand-woven and hand-painted garments. By 1996, she was living in Arizona and creating stunning collage paintings.
“Versions of Arizona” proves to be as diverse as the state itself. The rich layers of the show reveal the beauty and drama found amid the surrounding landscape and interpreted by two talented artists who are both devoted to color.
Lapides never works from photos or sketches while creating images that are familiar yet fanciful, tugging at the corners of the viewer’s imagination. They are brightly-hued worlds of rolling mountains, moody skies, and seductive horizons. Along with the vivid collages on hand-painted papers, Lapides will also display abstracts, alcohol ink paintings, and lovely heavy-paper earrings.
“I am an intuitive painter,” says Lapides. “I don’t want to know the result before I start. For me, art is a discovery, and it’s the journey to create and to be open to surprises that makes it fun and fulfilling.”
Naylor has focused on an Arizona icon for the show. She has created an entirely new collection of mixed media saguaros, more than 60 in all. Working from her usual bold and colorful palette, Naylor reimagines the stately saguaros in simple desert settings. She experiments with patterns, textures, and added bits of ephemera. The tall cacti are created from paint, buttons, bottle tops, bits of glass, pieces from board games, and hardware. She’ll also have original 5x7 inch saguaros, matted but unframed, and saguaro magnets available.
Naylor and Lapides are longtime members of the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery and both reside in Cottonwood. Naylor lives with her husband and a herd of color-coordinated shelter cats. Lapides also lives with her husband and their big, sweet rescue dog.
Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery is located at 502 N. Main St.
The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 928-639-4276, or visit www.jeromecoop.com.
To learn more about the featured artists, visit www.michelecoklnaylor.com, or www.birgittalapides.com.
