Artsy Gift Ideas for the Holidays!!!

This year we stocked up on stocking stuffers! Here are some great gift ideas for the whole family...

Pair up a hand-turned wooden wine stopper with a couple of Celena Burnett's curvy stemmed wine goblets!

Sheila Carpenter ornaments are the perfect keepsake!

Small, original works on woodblock by Bethany Hadden can go anywhere in any home!

And don't forget that we have extended our Holiday Hours for the month of December. Our hours this month are Tues-Fri 11-7, Saturday 12-7, and Sunday 12-5, or by appointment. Stop by Green Rice and Shop Local this Holiday Season!

Green Rice is excited to Welcome three New Studio Artists to our gallery! Come on by and see their work in person or meet them during a gallery crawl...


Caroline Coolidge Brown

Caroline's paintings and collages explore the use of text, story and symbol. Several themes seem to have emerged and informed her work including the lovely organic shapes and bright colors of summer flowers which led her to explore floral compositions, which then drew her to focus on birds within the Annunciation paintings as symbols of the Holy Spirit; as well as other major themes which have been drawn from Mary and her Catholic history. Caroline combines a number of antique prints and photos and layers them with abstract and realistic painting and drawing to create a rich surface.

Cynthia Ryan

Cynitha is a curious and passionate student of life. She sees the genuine inner glow of everything, as if looking through a window at a hidden treasure within. Having spent years of studying art and photography as well as working in high-end commercial television before returning to her love of art and Italy. She now divides her time between North Carolina and Italy with her partner and fellow artist Domenico Romano.


Domenico Romano

Domenico has been perfecting the skill of miniature art painting for almost twenty years. It was in Positano, Italy that he discovered his love for "plein air" painting. He is one of a few, if not the only artist painting on a miniature scale "en plain air". His technique of using oil paintings in an almost transparent manner on archival quality paper board renders a most delicate and exquisite effect. A steady hand and a commitment to quality, growth and sincerity as an artist make a Romano miniature a true work of art to be treasured. Come see both his miniature and plein air work at Green Rice Gallery!

Explore your "Terrain"

For the month of August we have been featuring Kate Vassur's art in an incredible exhibit titled "Terrain". If you haven't seen it yet make sure you stop by before August 29th. Her ambiguous forms of faded tree lines and strokes of motion give the viewer a sense of connection to places they may have been long ago or places in their mind's eye they would like to go. Inspiration for the works in the series are the natural scapes that surround Kate as well as the wood grain on the panels which she paints.

Kate Vasseur grew up in Florida with her parents who spend many Saturdays looking for treasures in local flea markets and encouraged an artistic flair in their kids with daily art projects. After completing her degree at Elon University in Elon, NC, Kate moved out west to California to soak up experiences of life as a full-time artist. Kate has returned to NC and now resides in Charlotte where she has been working on her craft ever since.

Kate appreciates exploring many forms when painting. Landscapes have always been special to her and are the pieces that resonate most in her portfolio. She would like to invite you to the places she sees as she continues to explore in this form in vision. In emotion.

Green Rice Gallery Welcomes our two New Studios Aritists: Marybela Souder and Jessica Surles!

Marybela Souder

Marybela Souder has been creating since the age of three, refining her keen imagination to create abstract paintings and impressionistic landscapes. Marybela graduated Cum Laude from the International Academy of Design in Tampa with a degree in Advertising with concentrations in design, marketing and copywriting. Using her accumulated skills, she strives to create art that is creative, affordable and marketable while keeping her focus centered around the colorful imagination.

"Impressionism and abstract art come very easily to me, because my focus is color," states Marybela when describing her work.

Jessica Surles

Jessica Surles began creating at a young age; taking art classes, designing jewelery to sell locally and creating artistic murals from her own bedroom walls. Jessica pursued her BS in elementary education with a concentration in visual arts from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. After graduation, she moved to Charlotte to begin her teaching career.

Jessica is now cultivating her love for the arts and education, recently becoming involved in two local non-profit organizations: Equitas and A Better World; both provide opportunities for children lacking in resources for equal -opportunity education.
Jessica uses her art to raise money for education funds both locally and internationally.

Come experience these amazing artists' work at Green Rice Gallery, located in the historic district of Charlotte, NC.

Jay Bird in July!

Kia Ora (Welcome) to a New Zealand experience! Created by Artist Jay (Bird) Thompson, this show invites you to feel, taste, see and learn about the newest country in the world. From adrenaline extreme activites...to gobsmacking scenic views...to a proud culture... to genuine people...to just being...this journey will take you 8000 miles away to Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud.

After a 7 month adventure in New Zealand, arguably one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Jay returned to the Carolinas inspired and ready to create! Geothermal hotsprings and volcanoes, gorgeous beaches, rugged stunning coastline, snowcapped mountains, glaciers, glowworms, rainforests, culture... skiing, surfing, kayaking, skydiving, adrenaline. What better inspiration for an artist!

Jay now shares his worldly experiences and strives to inspire others to live like the kiwis...genuine, real and alive! Aotearoa opens tonite, Friday July 2nd with a Meet the Artist Reception from 7-9pm and will be on exhibit until Sunday, August 1st. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in New Zealand culture!

Borrow an Artist from Green Rice!

If you have ever wondered what our Borrow an Artist Program here at the gallery is, just click on the link and find out! We were so excited when photographer and blogger Neil Cowley visited Green Rice with his camera and microphone to chat about one of our many outside activities - Borrow an Artist. Take a look and a listen!!!
http://makelovereal.net/borrow-an-artist/

Coming June 4th to a Gallery near you!!!

We are delighted to have Isaac Payne as our Featured Artist at Green Rice Gallery in our newest exhibition entitled: Charcoal Cities: Drawings of People and Places, which will be up for month of June.

Isaac gathers his inspiration from childhood memories and photographs taken from his travels and places he has lived, then creates the subject matter using a process of reflection and invention.

Carefully choosen colors amongst a muted color pallette add to the visually alluring images; creating a sense of mystery that can represent scenes everywhere in general yet nowhere specific.

We especially enjoy the larger scale of most of his pieces that create a strong pressence; exciting the viewer. The often imposing angles of the city/landspaces have a dramatic effect, making you feel pulled into each scene in a powerful way. His figuarative drawings remain aloof

Meet Olive!

This is Olive, she is an original metal sculpture by Rich Nossel and currently lives here at Green Rice. However, she is looking for a new home; either indoor OR outdoor works just fine. She is about 5 1/2 feet tall and 5 feet long (including the bicycle). Made entirely of metal, her bike is created from recycled metal parts, and her body is constructed of hundreds of metal washers. She is coated with an olive green paint and she is designed to naturally rust for that aged petina. If you would like to see Olive in person, visit us at Green Rice Gallery or call/e-mail for pricing information at 704.344.0300 or art@green-rice.com.

Seasons Change...

And so does our featured exhibit once a month! This month we are excited to showcase the work of one of our very own resident artists; Holt McLean! It has been almost a full 2 years since her last solo show here, and I can assure you, it was worth the wait. Her palette knife oil paintings of NC treescapes are the featured subject matter this year. Portrayed in winter, spring, summer and fall, her seasonally inspired creations are a beautiful sight to behold. Enticing pathways wind their way through many of her pieces, inviting you to take a leisurely stroll through the forest. Mother Nature can't even compete with the beauty and serenity of Holt's Changing of the Seasons exhibit. Come out tonight and feel the excitement as we celebrate Holt's Opening Meet the Artist Reception from 7-9pm at Green Rice Gallery! The show will run from May 7th - 30th. Don't miss your chance to own an original painting created by Artist Holt McLean!!!

What a Party!!!

We want to thank the wonderful folks at Yoga One for choosing Green Rice as the place to celebrate their event! The up and coming Salivate Catering Company, owned by Sally Wright, provided beautiful table settings and the most delicious food you can imagine! We highly recommend contacting Salivate for your next event. They were professional, sweet as can be, and they really know how to decorate! Their prosciutto wrapped pear with just a hint of cheese was to die for!

A field of pink balloons floated across the floor as attendees mingled in the candlelit ambiance. The featured art of Katherine Blackwell made for the perfect backdrop as you can see from the photos, but don't forget to stop in tonight to see her incredible paintings in person! Tonight is the perfect night for a gallery crawl, and we just happen to be hosting one!!! Stop by and say "hi", we're here til at least 9pm!

Just in time for Spring!!!

Our resident mosaic artist Teresa Hollmeyer stopped in yesterday and dropped off a whole new bright and colorful series of glass mosiac pieces. We have kissing fishies, small gift priced multi-colored hearts, a gorgeous peacock, her oh-so-popular coneflowers, and so much more! They are perfect for this time of year when the sun shines through your window to catch the colors in her beautiful glass mosaics.

Come and check out her studio in the gallery, once you see how amazing they look here, just imagine what they will look like in your home! Ranging in price from $60-$650 they are perfect for any budget.

Working Artist Studios Now Available at Green Rice Gallery!

Green Rice Gallery in the heart of NoDa has 12 working Artist Studios, and two have just become available! Our Artist Studios are open to the public during normal Gallery hours. Our clients are invited to tour the gallery as well as the studios, meet with our resident artists, and purchase artwork. Studio Artists have 24 hour access to their studio. Artists are expected to use their studios to produce, display, and sell their art. All work must be available for sale to the public. Green Rice provides a Gallery Representative on duty during normal business hours, so Artists need not be present in order for their work to be sold. Acceptable studio media are fine arts such as painting, sculpting, mixed media etc. Applicants and media are subject to Gallery approval.

For More Information Contact:
Carla Garrison, Gallery Owner
art@green-rice.com
704.344.0300 (office)

Uptown Magazine Guide to the Galleries

Hey everyone, check out the fantastic write up in Charlotte's Uptown Magazine's Guide to the Galleries issue online at http://uptownclt.com/2010/02/guide-to-the-galleries/5/. You can find information on any Gallery in and around Charlotte, including our favorite...US! We just love getting good press, but it's no fun unless we share it with all of you! Thanks for making us feel special Uptown Magazine!

There is also a great article called "Why Care About Art" that we recommend EVERYONE read - just follow this link http://uptownclt.com/2010/02/why-care-about-art/.

And last but not least, under "Bodies of Work", Katherine Blackwell's "melty people" paintings are featured! Here's the link to see the entire article: http://uptownclt.com/2010/02/bodies-of-work/. Katherine will be our featured guest Artist for the entire month of April 2010. Her opening reception will be on Friday, April 2nd from 7-9pm.

Queen of Hearts

In October of 2009, Green Rice Gallery owner Carla Garrison and Artist Paul Hastings sat down over a few glasses of wine at NoDa’s Dolce Vita for a brainstorming session. The purpose of this meeting of artistic minds was to come up with the perfect donation for what they believe to be one of the most important fundraisers here in Charlotte; the American Heart Association’s Annual Heart Ball Auction. After numerous ideas about what might excite the bidders, they came to the most obvious conclusion…the city of Charlotte itself!

Although the two artists have slightly different styles, their close friendship and similar tastes (as well as a passionate love for painting) provided them with the perfect combination of talents to create a unique and colorful version of the Charlotte skyline. Paul and Carla decided that the skyline must be on a large canvas, and Paul’s handy creative side led him to construct a frame for the canvas out of a recycled door. He built rounded sides and affixed them to the door, then stretched a canvas tightly over the frame. The duo then prepared the canvas and began to paint the perfect Carolina blue sky, a color so beautiful that Paul could “almost lick the palette knife like it was frosting!”.

Next came the fluffiest clouds for the most beautiful day, and then on to the buildings which formed a near perfect triangle; the sturdiest and strongest form according to the old masters of the Renaissance period. Paul blocked in the building colors, exaggerated to create a dynamic effect, while Carla provided the tiniest of details, bringing the piece together for a finished product. As the piece came to a close, they discussed how on earth to sign the piece cohesively. After some wise words from a fellow artist, they signed the piece as Garrison & Hastings, Inc., on a building in the lower left corner. The big reveal came during a volunteer’s meeting at Ruth’s Chris on February 2nd. The piece, titled “Queen of Hearts” will be included in the silent auction at the Heart Ball on February 13th at the Civic Center. The painting is approximately 80” x 32” and is oil on canvas.

Carla Garrison is the owner of the Green Rice Gallery in Charlotte’s Historic Arts District known as NoDa, and Paul Hastings is an Artist featured in the Red Sky Gallery. The duo met two years ago at Green Rice when Paul moved his studio into the gallery, they became fast friends and artistic soul mates immediately. They plan to work together on many more collaborative works of art. As Paul states, “we never came to blows, nobody got hurt, so I guess we make a pretty good pair!”, and Carla responded with, “well, he brought me snacks, so of course it worked out!”.

1st Juried Art Competition at Green Rice TONIGHT!!!

Tonight from 7-9pm we are proud to present the Opening Reception & Awards Presentation of North to South: 1st Annual Juried Artwork Competition sponsored by Green Rice! We put the call out to any and all artists throughout the Carolinas to submit their work, and out of hundreds of submissions, we selected only 50 for the show. Tonight, our Judge Tom Stanley, Chair of the Department of Fine Arts at Winthrop University, will announce the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Best in Show winners at 8pm! Don't miss your chance to meet the artists and finally discover who the winners of this year's North to South are!

Weddings with Green Rice!

On Sunday, March 14th from 12 to 3pm, Green Rice Gallery will be hosting "Weddings with Green Rice", a collection of Charlotte's best wedding products and services. We invite all brides-to-be, friends and family to join us! We want you to be able to taste different flavors of cake, see a variety of floral arrangements, get to know your photographer, try on gowns, and much more in a beautiful gallery setting. We are so excited for this opportunity to show you and your guests this "marriage" of the best local wedding vendors in Charlotte!