In 2013, the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts began an annual show highlighting the work of a local writer by responding visually to his or her work. In the past, this show has been inspired by the work of writers with local ties: Michael Malone, Lee Smith, Allan Gurganus, Jill McCorkle, Nancy Peacock, John Bemis, Elizabeth Keckly, composer Billy Strayhorn, poet Jaki Shelton Green, and singer/songwriter Mary Rocap.  The work of North Carolina poet, Jeffery Beam, will be the focus of this year’s show. The gallery’s 20 artists have each chosen a poem from Mr. Beam’s body of work as inspiration for a piece of art in their chosen medium.

Sculptor Lynn Wartski has based her piece, “Dryad Slumber,” on Beam’s poem, “The Green Man’s Man,” published in 2010 in the collection “From Gospel Earth.” Most of her recent sculptural work has dealt with animal forms, so this was a welcome opportunity to create a figurative piece; in “Dryad Slumber,” Wartski represents a figure who blurs the lines between plant and animal, giving the viewer a peek at the inner life of a forest nymph. Wartski writes, “For me, it is usually a turn of phrase that catches my attention.” She found inspiration in the poem “The Green Man’s Man.”

Scratchboard artist, Sally Terrell, was inspired by Jeffery Beam’s poem, “Credo.” Terrell was especially drawn to Beam’s idea of communicating through unspoken words rather than the ones that are said. The truth of this message, as well as the addition of a chickadee in the last stanza, confirmed Terrell’s choice of this poem for her beautiful piece, “The Periwinkle and the Chickadee.”

Glass artist, Pringle Teeter, chose the poem, “Paracelsus: Concerning the Iris in the Vase,” which includes a line about “The glass-blower’s tincture.” Teeter focused on the lines of the poem that include inspiring colors to create her two glass pieces. The sparkling green of her vessel, “Luna Moth,” and the undulating purple sides of her piece, “Purple Petals,” are both nods to the poem.

              Nancy Smith created a portrait inspired by Jeffery Beam’s poem, “Ars Poetica: the Queen.” Her portrait, “Following the Goddess, Jewel of the Hive,” was created using a variety of media, including bees wax. In describing her inspiration from the poem, Smith writes, “I was reminded that, like the queen bee, we exist in a world of our own creation. And like her, our creation is built not by us alone, but always in collaboration with others. I think her message is that there is a great responsibility in discerning guidance from other beings in our lives.”

The images in Jeffery Beam’s poetry provided fertile inspiration for the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts’ 20 visual artists. Their work will be on display from February 11^th through March 23^rd with a reception in the gallery on February 28^th from 6-9pm during Hillsborough’s Last Friday Art Walk. In addition, HGA will host a reading by Mr. Beam in the gallery on Sunday, February 23^rd from 4-6pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

About the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts:

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is owned and operated by 20 local artists and represents these established artists exhibiting contemporary fine art and fine craft. The Gallery’s offerings include painting, sculpture, scratchboard, ceramics, jewelry, glass, metals, encaustic, enamel, fiber art, weaving, gourd sculptures, and wood. 121 N. Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Phone: (919) 732-5001. The gallery is open 10am-6pm Monday – Saturday, and 12pm-4pm on Sunday. More information can be found on the HGA website: http://www.HillsboroughGallery.com