‘From Rust to Dust’ presented at Gallery
The East Arkansas Community College Gallery in Forrest City presents “From Rust to Dust,” an exhibition by contemporary folk artist Cheryl McMickle of Marianna.
The exhibit will run through Friday, Oct. 7. The public is invited to meet the artist in the Gallery on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m., before Trace Adkins’ performance in the Fine Arts Center.
A native of western Arkansas, McMickle is primarily a landscape painter, but loves exploring different media and subjects in her work. She has been living, teaching and creating in Eastern Arkansas for over 25 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in art design and teacher certification from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Education degree in administration, curriculum and supervision from the University of Oklahoma. She has taught art in the Lee County and Forrest City school districts.
The “From Rust to Dust” exhibit explores the narrative of McMickle’s surroundings, especially the nostalgia of scenes and objects that have lived a useful, purposeful existence, but are now entering a different stage of their existence.
“Rust and decay hold a special nostalgic beauty for me. Maybe it’s because I have been married to a restorer of old cars and trucks for nearly 20 years,” said McMickle. “The textures, colors and the stories told by well-used objects have been an interest of mine for several years.”
The exhibit features the art medium of charcoal, which McMickle uses to create a vast range of shadows and textures.
“Charcoal’s smudginess and ‘dust’ can play a huge role in conveying that feeling of the well-worn while remaining almost beloved,” said McMickle.
She also combines charcoal with acrylic and other media while introducing color through many of the pieces. “This process provides new avenues of creating, and brings whole new opportunities to communicate feelings of nostalgia, memory and the past through the exhibit,” she said.
McMickle is a member of the Arkansas Artist Registry through the Arkansas Arts Council, and her work has been displayed and featured in numerous exhibits throughout Arkansas including the Arts Council’s Small Works on Paper exhibit, Delta Des Refuses exhibits, the William F. Layman Argenta Branch Gallery Art Educator exhibits, the Eastern Region Art Educator exhibits, and more.
The EACC Gallery is located at 1700 Newcastle Road in Forrest City. Daily hours for the Gallery are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or as scheduled for special group tours. There is no charge for admission.
For more information, call 870-633-4480 or visit the website at www.eacc.edu.