Henderson Fine Art Gallery

Southwest Essences, Vistas and Vessels

Reception: February 22, 6 to 8 p.m.

February 22, 2008 - March 14, 2008

The exhibit features wooden vessels created by Shirlen Heath and landscape paintings created by Phillip West. As Heath shaves off layer after layer certain characteristics start to reveal themselves, which help guide him in creating each unique piece. Phillip West paints in a impressionistic/realistic style. West’s goal is to emphasize the beauty of a scene and, in the process, emphasize the effects on the land brought about by the bright sun and the clear highdesert sky.

PHILLIP WEST, LANDSCAPE PAINTER

ARTIST STATEMENT

At heart I am an outdoorsman. I find painting beautiful scenes out in the open air a very personal and emotional experience. I thank God for the blessings of being able to experience beautiful scenes visually and emotionally and for the ability to record these experiences in oil on canvas.

Most of my painting is done in and around Farmington and the surrounding Four Corners Area. I never stop marveling at the unparalleled beauty of the unique and varied landscapes that exist in the Southwest. I paint in an impressionistic/realistic style. As I paint, my goal is to emphasize the beauty of a scene and, in the process, emphasize the effects on the land brought about by the bright sun and the clear high-desert sky.

In my experience, being a painter actually results in a twofold reward. For, not only do I experience the thrill and excitement of creating a painting, but, once the painting is finished, I have the honor of experiencing the pleasure and excitement when others are moved emotionally and exclaim about the beauty of the scene depicted in the painting. For a painter, it doesn’t get any better than this.

SHIRLEN HEATH

ARTIST STATEMENT

For me turning a vessel can be compared to reading a good novel with a surprise ending.

My process starts with studying and reading the grain in a piece of wood. Sometimes this takes up to a year before I decide how I want to position the piece on the lathe. I have a shape in mind when I start turning. As I shave off layer after layer, it is similar to turning pages in a book. Certain things start to show themselves, such as fissures, distressed edges, bark inclusions, and beautiful grain. These all cry out to be featured, so I alter the shape. The plot thickens, and there are numerous turns and twists. (No pun intended!) Then the worm holes cry out to be featured, so I alter the shape again. I become so engrossed that I do not want to stop, because I want to fmd out what other mysteries nature has hidden in the wood. I very seldom end up with the shape I had visualized in the beginning, hence the surprise ending.

Now that the piece is completed, it is calling out to be touched!

The Art Gallery is open Monday through Thursday,
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For further information about this exhibit or other Gallery events,
contact Cindy McNealy at 566-3464.