Sharon Navage “Travel through Europe” – Best in Show
ACM COLLECTIONS EXHIBITION
ACM highlights West Texas Artist Sharon Navage, Connie Lee and Lesley Klay during a Trio Showcase. All artists are the results on the Open Show 2023 wins for “Best in Show,” “First Place” and “Second Place.” ACM continues to promote the diverse and unique work of local artist to the community.
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Sharon Navage “Travel through Europe” – Best in Show
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Artist statement: “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about dancing in the rain!”
Sharon Navage works with a range of printmaking techniques combined with expressive collage work and other added media. Her fascination with photography and water media is often incorporated in her work, along with an ability to juxtapose found objects and hand carved stamps. She is an avid collector of odd bits and pieces, maps, paper, photos, buttons, beads, and stamps, and loves to photograph flowers, doors, windows, and old buildings. This allows her the widest latitude to express her creative talent.
She received her BFA in Studio Art with Honors from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She was born in Midland and currently resides in Odessa, but along the way she has had the good fortune to live and study in both Europe and Malaysia. One strong influence was Mandarin teacher and brush painting artist/ author, Mr. Chong Chen Chuan from China. His encouragement to paint boldly and capture the essence of the idea is central to her work. The chance to work with him on Chinese painting restoration for the British Museum led to water media being the focus of her work until she met printmaking in 1996. That began an addiction that has continued unabated.
The most recent awards include second place in printmaking in the 2023 Fall Midland Art Association Show and Best of Show at the Midland Arts Council 2022 Open Show. Highlights include selection in the North Light Mixed Media book, Incite, Dreams Realized; The Dorothy Tabak Memorial Award for Collage, from National Association of Women Artist in New York, and two awards in the Georgetown Art Hop Show, Georgetown, Texas.
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Other significant exhibitions include recent Texas Photographic Society 36th Members Only Show, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock; By Hand: Alternative Processes, Texas Photographic Society, Center for the Contemporary Arts, Abilene; American Landscapes, Scenes from the Americas 2023, Maryland Federation of Art; Think 2023 Houston Printmakers Member Show at the Lousie Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock, as well as past work included in the Boston Printmaker 2013 North American Print Biennial, and being selected for membership in the organization. A piece was purchased to be used on the set of the TV series “In Plain Sight."
Works were also accepted in the following shows; Visions and Revelation, Point Park University, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Visions of the Mind, Hub-Roberson Galleries, Pittsburg, PA; MFA Gallery B, Bethesda, Maryland; Imprint, Manifest Creative Research Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio; International Juried Exhibition, New Grounds Print Workshop and Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico; American Landscapes, Scenes from the Americas, The Maryland Federation of The Arts; The 6th Annual Juried Show Part I: Photography, Sylvia White Gallery, Ventura, California; Maryland Art @College Park, The Art Gallery at the University of Maryland.
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Connie Lee “Stolen Canoe" (Karankawas) – First Place
(Private Collection of Dr. Christian Poldrack and Family)
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Artist statement: “I invite people to stay awhile in front of my paintings.”
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Connie Lee is best known for watercolor and marker paintings. This style of painting first starts with color applied in an intuitive way. Then finding a part of the painting that lends itself to the process and creating meaningful images in random visual patterns. Connie likes to keep observers intrigued with images and thought-provoking titles, as she welcomes you to stay a while in front of her work. She can be found teaching the importance of art though meditation and working with children as she explains what results can come from quiet time spent with pen and paper.
Connie is an award-winning artist from Midland Texas and humbled that her work can be found in business and homes throughout Texas.
Email: Brokenconart@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Broken_C_ArtbyConnieLee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Brokenc_art/
Lesley Klay “Duality” – Second Place
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Lesley Klay is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the relationship between individuals and art. A primary focus in ceramics, her contemporary take on an ancient practice highlights the natural beauty of clay while encouraging connection with viewers.
Klay was introduced to ceramics her senior year at Arkansas State University where she quickly fell in love with the medium. Throughout her college career, she changed her major several times, never quite finding one that she felt passionate about. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies, she pursued various unfulfilling careers while maintaining pottery as a hobby. In 2021, she decided to fully embrace the title of artist and dedicate herself to her craft. While her earlier work consisted primarily of small, functional ceramics, her current focus has shifted towards creating large-scale, interactive installations. She aspires to create immersive work that offers an experiential encounter for multiple senses.
Inspired by the beauty she finds in everyday life, Klay’s designs express movement and balance through her unique blend of organic shapes and visually stimulating textures. She continuously experiments within her process by combining traditional methods of wheel-throwing, pinching, and slab building. Although still early in her career, Klay’s work has been shown in galleries and museums across the world. In addition to her exhibitions, Klay’s work can be found in private collections worldwide.
Lesley Klay currently resides in Midland, Texas where she works in her home studio. She is actively involved in her local arts community by frequently hosting pottery workshops where she assists participants in sculpting their own art.
Website: https://www.lesleyklaystudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesleyklaystudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesleyklaystudio/?hl=en
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Danny Holeva, Executive Director
Arts Council of Midland
November 2023
The Art Collection of the Arts Council of Midland is an exciting and diverse assembly of artistic expressions, highlighting the creative talent within the local, regional, and national locals.
Comprising works gathered over the past decade, and that span two and three dimensions, the collection reflects a dynamic interplay of styles, themes, and techniques.
Local artists contribute pieces that capture the essence of the community, offering a unique perspective on Midland's cultural identity. Meanwhile, regional and national artists bring a broader range of influences, contributing to the collection's rich and varied narrative. This curated assortment not only celebrates the artists'; individual visions but also fosters a sense of unity and dialogue between different creative voices.
The Arts Council of Midland's art collection serves as a testament to the organization's commitment to promoting artistic diversity and fostering a thriving, inclusive arts community. We look forward to our second decade of collecting art for Midland and visitors beyond!
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