"An Unclear Sky" by Kendra Baird

Green Rice Gallery will host “An Unclear Sky” featuring new works by Artist Kendra Baird, opening on March 6th from 7-9pm with a Meet the Artist Reception. Also included will be a wine tasting by PRP Wine International, featuring wine personalized with images of Kendra’s latest works. One of Kendra's original works will be included in a raffle as well, each ticket will be $10 and the drawing will be held on March 29th. Don't miss this chance to win an original work of art!

The show will run from March 6th until March 29th. Baird’s work over the past few years has evolved from quirky little creatures in nature into a deeper subject beyond the object we see on the surface. The nature of how uncertain our futures are, and how at any given time – no matter how aware we are of our life, the world around us and ourselves – we can never see the entire picture. She displays this in her work through using a frame of texture and color that crops the scene. We can only imagine what is hidden by this frame, and we step forward knowing what we can and hoping for what we cannot know. There will always be those things that make our view unclear, but the portions that we can see give us comfort and help us rest in peace when moving forward.

Let's make Magic!

Come to Green Rice on Thursday nights and learn the techniques of oil painting with local professional artist Paul Hastings. Paul (or as we call him, the Magic Man) will offer guidance and gentle criticisms as you paint your selected subject in a gallery setting. Your subject matter can be a picture you have always wanted to paint, a page from a magazine you find beautiful, or simply the still life we set up here in the gallery. Prior painting experience is not necessary. Each class is $30/session and will take place on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm. Classes will be held at the Green Rice Gallery right in the heart of the NoDa Arts District and they will begin on February 12th.
Take a look at our website at www.green-rice.com or call the gallery at 704.344.0300 to find out what you'll need to bring to class.
Let’s make magic!

NEW SHOW IN FEBRUARY!

We will be featuring Green Rice Artist Matt Hooker from February 6th - March 1st in a show entitled "Art of Foreign Lands" which will include a Meet the Artist Reception from 7-9 on Friday, February 6th! A self-proclaimed "under travelled artist", Matt is a native Bostonian currently living in Charlotte, NC. during his senior year in high school, his first painting ever completed was shown in a Boston college senior art show. Over ten years later, he started selling paintings primarily through the Internet and is now living a long time dream; an existence supported by and for artwork. This self-taught artist has appeared in various Boston and Charlotte area publications, studios, galleries, businesses and marketplaces.

Also featured will be artist KC Collins, KC attended Elon University in North Carolina and began exploring artistic media, including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pencil, pastels, and a variety of mixed media. She explored art history and drew influences from JWM Turner, Franz Klein, and Gerhard Richter.

Fort Mill Art Guild Meeting

The Fort Mill Art Guild has signed a lease for approx. 2000 sf of space at 213 Main Street in Downtown Fort Mill, and proudly announces President Marcia Kort Buike. The facility will be not only host meetings of the Guild, but will also serve as a community arts center, featuring classes, exhibits, lectures, demonstrations, outreach programs and a gallery for local artists of the Carolinas.

The new facility will be called The Art Mill and hopes to open its doors mid-January. The Guild is seeking local community members to serve as volunteers, patrons, donors, advocates as well as exhibitors. Membership fees and donations are tax-deductible as the Guild is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

The next meeting of the Guild will be Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 7 pm at The Spratt Building, 215 Main Street in downtown Fort Mill. We will start with a short update of Guild activities, followed by our keynote speaker, Carla Garrison, owner of Green-Rice Gallery in the NoDa section of Charlotte. She will tell us the ins and outs of the gallery world and, in particular, what an artist must do to get his/her work in a gallery. We will then move over to The Art Mill next door for a sneak preview of the facilities.

For more information, visit our website at www.fortmillartguild.com or contact Marcia Kort Buike at info@fortmillartguild.com; phone (803) 548-3159.

Register for Drawing Classes at Green Rice!

Not only are we offering a Figure Drawing Group on Tuesdays, but to all of you who are intimidated by drawing in general, we will now be offering Drawing Classes starting in February! We will offer a Monday night class and a Wednesday night class to accomodate your different schedules.

The class will meet once a week, for 8 weeks beginning on Monday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 or on Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 at Green Rice Gallery, starting February 2nd and ending March 23rd for Monday classes, or starting February 5th and ending March 25th for Wednesday classes.

Sign up now, because each class can only take 5 students and this will fill up fast!

Everyone pre-teen years and up are welcome and no prior experience is needed. Basic instruction in drawing and helpful techniques will be offered to all students by a knowledgeable and experienced instructor.

The cost for this 8 week session is $280. This includes one free admission to a Tuesday evening Figure Drawing Group, and you will also recieve student pricing on all other Tuesday evening Figure Drawing Groups. Students will only need to provide an 18x24 newsprint sketch pad, all other materials will be provided by Green Rice Gallery.

Students may register by contacting Carla Garrison at 704.344.0300, or by e-mail at art@green-rice.com.

Peepholes, Faces and Wings

Due to the holiday season, Green Rice will be extending its hours for the month of December. Our new hours will be Wednesday - Friday from 11-7, Saturday 12-7, and Sunday 12-5. Art is the perfect gift for the person who seems to have everything; it is original, creative and one of a kind! Not to mention the fact that Green Rice carries very affordable art without forgoing the quality of fine artwork. All through December we will be featuring the work of internationally known Illustrator and Sculptor Bill Nelson, as well as a gift priced showing of new works from a large variety of our very own Green Rice Artists. All of the gift priced works will be under $200.00, making it easy to buy for the whole family without breaking the holiday budget! Give the lasting gift of creativity that your loved ones can enjoy all year round this Christmas!

December 12th Festivities!!!

Green Rice is happy to welcome 3 new Studio Artists to the Gallery! Mother/daughter duo Lucy and Rachel Caldwell, and veteran artist Paul Hastings now have working studio spaces within the gallery walls. In celebration of their arrival we will be hosting a welcome gathering on the second gallery crawl of December, which falls on Friday December 12th, from 6-9pm. There will be snacks and beverages, and the artists will be here for you to meet them and see their work!