Ophelia Staton is a mixed media artist who draws inspiration from the everyday ordinary. Creating intuitively without inhibition and the playfulness of a child with a new box of crayons is how she defines her art making style. Ophelia enjoys the act of creating, the playing and experimenting with new tools and materials. Colors find themselves mingling on her palette, with various mark making, collage and words that evolve into stories from her soul. Working quickly, letting go, and allowing spontaneous splashes of color and even mistakes to just happen has been her approach to facing the blank canvas. Being in the moment and enjoying the process of painting -with her fingers a rainbow of color -without a care in the world of the outcome continues to be the absolute joy of Ophelia’s creating.

Ophelia lives in Creedmoor, NC with her husband and two children. She is a full time middle school history teacher. She left the world of quilting and starting painting in art journals as a creative outlet in 2005. She is a regular demo artist for Jerrysartarama in Raleigh and offers workshops and retreats. Follow her art filled journey on her blog at www.opheliasart.blogspot.com. Contact Ophelia at sstaton3@nc.rr.com.

Tamera Hamilton was born into a family of artists.  Her primary influences are her parents. Her father has been a professional portrait photographer for over 50 years. Her mother is a practicing digital artist. Tamera was also influenced by her uncle who is a portrait photographer and her aunt who is a painter. It was a natural progression for her to develop an affinity towards rendering the human form.  Tamera is drawn to expressionism and conveys this in her portraits.

When Tamera was ten years old her parents purchased river front property along the Neuse River in eastern Wake County. This afforded her the opportunity to observe wildlife that is indigenous to Wake County. This environmental influence inspired in her a passion to portray wildlife in its natural habitat through multiple media and techniques that include photography, colored pencils, charcoal, acrylic, oil, pastels, and watercolors.

Tamera’s formal education includes a BS in Zoology from NCSU, and the study of portraiture under the guidance of master artists.

Her work is owned by private art collectors.

Recycle Art by Dot Washington.

Join us for an evening of art and high tea! The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild has put together a beautiful set of tea cups, plates, and settings. There will be delicious snacks and a chance to meet the artists.

Primarily a group of North and South Carolina artists, the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild has members who work in materials such as collage, assemblage, paper, polymer clay, beads, stamps, fibers, paper, and metal. They also may use found objects, natural materials like shells, pods or gourds. They create art dolls, altered books, jewelry, journals, quilts, and other alternative mixed media artwork.

The Guild welcomes creative individuals from anywhere to online discussions about artistic endeavors, calls for shows and events, art techniques and materials and promotion of mixed media in art.  

Show opens Friday September 5th from 6pm to 10pm

Come see more of this lovely art in person at the opening – Friday September 5th from 6pm to 10pm

Inspired by the human experience, my work is a close encounter with one’s innermost voice: our deepest desire for connection, the reality of separation, and the undying hope of our spirit. I am driven by a need to make sense of this inner monologue. My pictorial stories become universal – transcending gender, age, and ethnicity – through abstraction and symbolism. I often incorporate silhouettes to focus on human similarities rather than individual differences.
Each piece begins with a strong personal connection to a short phrase, song lyric, or idea that matures into a deeper “story” in my imagination. Being connected to this story is essential for me breathing life into the work. Each of my pieces becomes richer, deeper, and more complex by layering brightly-colored water-based paints and inks; collaged images and papers; and the written word.Show opens Friday September 5th, 6pm – 10pm

Victoria graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with a degree in Art Education, and a Painting Major. For 25 years, she taught art full time with the Wake County Public Schools while exhibiting her own art professionally.

As a professional artist, Victoria’s talents span a large range of media. She has worked in abstract acrylics, realistic watercolor, a multitude of fiber arts, black and white film photography, mixed media, clay, and recycle arts. She has been engaged in oil painting since 2007 and enjoys doing work for her clients by commission.

Victoria earned her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification (NBPTS) initially in 2002, and recently renewed her certification in 2012. In 2009, Victoria was awarded the North Carolina Art Educator’s Association (NCAEA) Elementary Teacher of the Year Award for the state.

In December of 2010, Victoria opened up her own private art studio at Blake Street and began teaching her first private art camps the summer of 2011. On January 1, 2014, Victoria retired from the WCPSS and “transitioned” to working full time at her Blake Street Studio. In addition to offering children’s art camps during the months of June and July, Victoria also offers private art lessons to all ages, and adult Sunday afternoon “make and take” art workshops, call “Sumptuous Sundays”.

Victoria is celebrating her 4th camp from 6-14 years old and representing 8 different schools. The half day, morning camps focus on drawing, painting and mixed media and each camp completes at least one project in each of the subject areas of portraiture, still-life and landscape. Campers are offered a daily snack and treated to an art reception in their honor the first Friday in August each summer. Each August, Victoria is excited to invite the public to join her in celebrating our “Young at Art Month” here at the Blake Street Shops and Studios! http://www.victoriapowersstudioten.weebly.com summer of teaching summer art camps to children ranging in age