“Life Is Art” for September at Asheville Gallery of Art
Asheville Gallery of Art’s September show, “Life Is Art,” will feature the work of Michelle Hamilton. Her colorful encaustics use the textural capabilities of the medium to give meaning to abstraction. The show runs September 1-30 during gallery hours, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. The gallery, located at 82 Patton Avenue in Asheville, across from Pritchard Park, will host a reception for the artist on Friday, September 7, 5-8 p.m. Everyone is cordially invited to stop by.
Of the title of her show the artist says, “Art can be what you do. How you dress, start a business, decorate your home, how you prepare a meal or host a dinner party. Even how you love someone. That is how I’ve always felt about my life. When I create, especially my encaustic work, it brings out a deeper sense of myself. One where I can truly be me without any hesitations. To be insentient of time even. It is truly a gift from the universe.”
Hamilton says that her art education has been varied, but mostly self-taught. “Traveling and observing different cultures and their art has been very inspiring to me. Everything from Japanese fashion to Tim Burton has influenced my work, but my primary muse is nature (not surprising, considering the breathtaking beauty here in the Appalachian Mountains). I don’t limit myself to one particular theme because it’s good to be mutable in creativity, always growing and changing along with the work and proficiency with the materials.”
Michelle explored many different mediums before trying encaustics. She describes this discovery, “like falling in love for the first time all over again; the versatile nature of encaustics allows me to delve into mixed media and texture, which opens my mind and makes me even more passionate about art.”
Hamilton’s work, as well as the paintings of the other 30 gallery members, will be on display and for sale through the month of September. For further information about this show, you can contact Asheville Gallery of Art at (828) 251-5796, visit the gallery website at www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com, or go to the gallery Facebook page.