A Piece of Work, Inc. | Emporium of Original Art

Display Case #4
Kari Hagan

Emily McAllister in July's Exhibition Cove

JULY EXHIBITION
Photography/Oil Paintings by Emily McAllister
Reception: Friday, July 2nd 5:30 - 7:00pm

A reception will be held at A Piece of Work, Inc., in conjunction with the Art Walk, for new Member Artist Emily McAllister, whose “Contrast and Shape” exhibition is on special display at the Emporium of Original Art during the month of July. She will be giving an Artist’s Talk at around 6 pm.

“As a child and teenager, I was heavily focused on art and took years of drawing and painting lessons. A career and family diverted me from my passion for art for a number of years,” McAllister said. “Eventually I developed an interest in photography and am entirely self-taught in that medium. Photography led me to a broader study of art, which in turn inspired me to take up oils again and return to the ‘lost love’ of my childhood.” McAllister lives in Orange City, Iowa, with her husband and four children.

The selection of work in the Exhibition Cove, entitled “Contrast and Shape,” will run in addition to McAllister’s ongoing display at A Piece of Work, Inc. McAllister moved her work into Alcove #22 on June 1, and includes a larger selection of her oil paintings, photography, and fine art prints. Both exhibits are open to the public from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, as well as Thursdays until 8:00pm, at 1619 Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake.

McAllister’s painting, Dutch Ladies, was recently awarded a second place ribbon and also received the second place People’s Choice Award at the Iowa Artists 2010 Regional Show in Spencer. Another of her paintings, Pears, was awarded a third place ribbon at the same show. Dutch Ladies is on display at Centrum Arts & Foto, located at 215 Central Avenue NE in Orange City. Pears is on display at A Piece of Work, Inc., in Olde Town Spirit Lake. McAllister’s work may also be viewed on her website at www.mcallisterartstudio.com.

McAllister describes her work as focused on contrast and shape. Light objects play against dark objects, intense light plays against deep shadows, and opposite colors offset one another. A single interesting shape may dominate, or a shape may be repeated to create relationship between one part of a work and another.

“I choose colors and lighting to create a mood,” McAllister says. “I prefer simple compositions. I especially enjoy presenting natural objects in an unnatural way—I find that juxtaposition interesting.”
The reception for Emily McAllister’s “Contrast and Shape” exhibition will be held Friday, July 2, from 5:30 – 7:00pm at A Piece of Work, Inc. Refreshments will be served, and the artist will talk about her work at around 6:00pm.

EXHIBITION SERIES
In an effort to provide an opportunity for Member Artists and Non-Member Artists to display their work and gain additional exposure, we are offering a special exhibition series to present their works to the general public at the Emporium of Original Art. A special area within the gallery has been dedicated as the “Exhibition Cove”. The artist exhibitions will be for one calendar month.
We are currently accepting applications for months in 2011. If you are interested please visit the For Artists page for more information.

2010 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
January: Mike Houge - Photography
February: Haley Isder - Photography
March: Holly, Stephanie, & Sarah Kellogg - Photography & Painting
April: Barb McGee - Paintings
May: Avis Davis - Watercolor
June: Jamie Bowers - Abstract Mixed Media
July: Emily McAllister - Photography & Oil Painting
August: Joleen Dentlinger - Pen & Ink
September: Mitch Eveleth - Pen & Ink