Lexington, KY - Michael Stutland, owner of Artique Gallery in Lexington Green and the Shops at Lexington Center, has earned a reputation for presenting special exhibits that showcase local and national artists. He has lined up two truly creative exhibits for this year.
The Enchanted Garden exhibit, which features the photography of California floral artist Elizabeth Shatner, opens May 7 at Stutland's Lexington Green location and runs until May 31.
Shatner describes her work as "Art by Nature." She creates it by focusing her camera on the shapes of flowers, usually with a macro lens. Then she uses digital technology to create the final image on canvas, tile, watercolor paper or other mediums.
Shatner's works bring to mind Georgia O'Keefe's large flower paintings. The abstract images are softer, though, and the use of light and shadow, as in backlit petals, makes the sun and unseen natural surroundings part of the work.
Shatner is married to the actor William Shatner of Star Trek and Boston Legal fame. The Shatners keep a home in rural Fayette County for their frequent visits related to the horse business.
It was during a stay in Lexington when Shatner, already an Artique customer, asked Stutland to look at her work. Stutland was immediately drawn to the pictures and knew that he wanted to exhibit them. Shatner had earlier exhibited her work in California.
A former horsewoman, Shatner still serves as an equine judge and that passion will carry over into her next art project, photographs of horses.
Accompanying Shatner's floral art will be the works of other artists whose projects are related to gardening and suitable for celebrating Mother's Day and the season.
Local landscape developer and gardening expert John Michler will provide Mother's Day baskets that "are little works of art," Stutland said. Michler will also display a shade garden and other garden concepts as part of the exhibit.
Bonnie Meyer Day's realistic and charming ceramic animals, especially the mother and baby sets, are popular with Artique's customers. The Ohio artist works from photographs of animals at the Cincinnati Zoo and on her farm.
Whimsical butterflies and flower bouquets by Bovanno of Cheshire, CT, are created of vitreous enamel (pulverized glass) applied by hand, layer upon layer, over solid copper. Then the art is heat fired, sometimes several times, to produce the desired vibrant colors.
Tea Cup Fairies look as though they're on their way back to a garden. These ceramic sculptures by artist Susan Snodgrass, like Day's animals, are appealing to both children and adults and beg to be collected.
Fountains and garden ponds draw dragonflies, which represent wisdom and enlightenment from other realms, bring dreams to reality, and show a joyous spirit. New Mexico artists Sara Creekmore and David Durham fashion these artistic Fragments with wafer-thin layers of glass framed in copper.
Water fountains by Charles White, water showers by Joe and Karen Hart, pottery by Louisville Stoneware, jewelry by Silver Seasons and Urban Links, and blown glass flowers by Loy Allen will also be part of The Enchanted Garden.
To see more of Elizabeth Shatner's art visit http://www.elizabethshatnersartbynature.com.
Looking ahead to late summer, Artique will present an extraordinary exhibit during the World Equestrian Games. Stutland has arranged for Damon Farmer, "the world class sandcastle artist from Versailles," to create a 100 ton unique sand sculpture in the parking lot at Lexington Green.
Farmer will spend six days creating a life size sculpture of horses and riders in each of the eight disciplines of the World Equestrian Games plus scenes of Kentucky. Anyone can watch the artist at work, from either the parking lot or a webcam that will be set up.
The sand is compressed to hold its shape. Having the sand dry out poses a greater problem than does rain, so the surface layer is sprayed with a nontoxic, biodegradeable layer of glue.
The sand sculpture will remain on display through October. Stutland decided to commission the work because he was "looking for something significant that a small store like mine could do and be heard in the crowd during WEG," he said.
For more information on Damon Farmer's art see http://www.damonfarmer.com.