THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Works by Philip Morsberger & Anita Huffington

Opening reception, Friday, September 9 from 7-9 p.m.
Steffen Thomas Museum of Art
4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead, GA 30625

The Madison Artists Guild and partner Steffen Thomas Museum of Art are proud to bring two world-class artists to Morgan County.  Selected works by Philip Morsberger and Anita Huffington will be on view in at STMA from Sept. 9 through Oct. 31, 2011.  Entitled Eye of the Beholder, this exhibit showcases the talents of these two friends, one a painter and the other a sculptor.  The opening reception for this show will be on September 9, at 7 pm; it is free and open to the public.  The show’s co-curators, Liselott Johnsson and Karen Strelecki of the Madison Artists Guild, have chosen works that exemplify the depth of talent of both artists.

Morsberger was the Morris Eminent Scholar Emeritus in Art at Augusta State University and paints daily in his studio in Augusta.  He travels frequently to Oxford University in England where, from 1971 to 1984, he was the Ruskin Master of Drawing.  Major collections on both sides of the Atlantic, including the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, boast exuberantly colorful Morsberger paintings.

Huffington’s figural sculptures in stone, wood, bronze and mixed media can be found in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, Georgia, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, to name a few.  She and her late husband moved from New York in 1977 to a log cabin in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas where she found a visceral connection to nature, which is exuded by her work.  She draws inspiration from her life in the woods and her mythical sculptures convey this oneness with nature.

The Madison Artists Guild would like to thank the following in-kind sponsors for making this show possible: Eenoco Japanese Steak and Sushi, Olde South Wine and Spirits, Boxwoods Gardens and Gifts, Godfrey’s Feed & Seed, Madison Oaks Inn and Rutledge Frame Shop. 

Our Partner:

  

Our in-kind Sponsors: 

2011 Firefly Festival

For the third year in a row, the Madison Artists Guild participated in the City's Firefly Festival at Town Park by staging a Twilight Paint Out.  Guild members Sam Traina, Wendy Adams and Cheryl Whitestone set up their easels and documented the festivities Friday and Saturday evening.  The Guild also had a large tent which housed other paintings and prints by the 3 painters.  The paintings that were created during the Firefly were sold at silent auction and several paintings sold.

This year, in addition to the Twilight Paint Out, the Guild offered a Kooky Craft Tent under which the kids who attended on Friday evening could paint and create Glow Worm Goggles or Firefly Wands.  MAG members who participated in the fun were Rita Knight, Louise Lauderdale, Marjean Meadow, Martha Lower, Lisa Hamilton, Stacey Lewis and Janet Mason.  As night descended on Town Park the Kooky Creations turned on the park as kids ran around showing off their glowing goggles and wands.  It was hard to pack up at 9 because more and more kids wanted to score on a pair!

Thanks to all the helpers, painters and especially to Pete Muzyka who captured it all on "film"! 

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal selects local artist Pat DeVane Burns' work for the Capitol

July 26th, I had the pleasure of meeting Governor Deal and his wife, Sandra, at the Capitol in Atlanta.  My friend, Judy Neal, went with me and was such a treasure to have along.  Judy has worked in and around the Capitol for many years and definitely knows her way around!  As Gov. Deal said to me.."She (Judy) is multi-talented!"  Gov. Deal hosted a reception for approximately 22 Arts Clayton juried artists who currently have over forty pieces of artwork hanging in his and his staff's offices for a year.  He personally selected the artwork and I'm happy to report that he chose all four that I submitted.  For the next three years, the Arts Clayton group will submit new work to be selected.  Now that we have had a tour of the Capitol and the spaces where the art hangs, I have a better idea of what to submit in the upcoming years.  Many thanks to Gov. Deal for carrying on a 25 year tradition of including Georgia art in the Capitol!               - Pat DeVane Burns