2012 March

Brian Anderson

Brian Anderson is the Collierville Burch LIbrary's Meet the Artist for this month.  He is a local photographer who has an eye for capturing beautiful landscape and nature pictures.  His interest in photography began in his mid-teens. He had his first publication in the local newspaper at the age of 17. He has since won photo contests and has been published multiple times in Memphis Magazine. His photography was used on the magazine cover in the Memphis Business Quarterly-Power Players of 2011 edition.

Brian loves to capture storms and hopes to one day ride along with a storm chasing team to capture tornadoes. Aside from nature shots, he also does contract work for bands, performing acts, senior pictures, social events/parties, etc. A portfolio of his work can be found on his website at www.brianandersonphotography.com. 

2012 January

Meet artist MaryAnne McCraw. She is exhibiting her watercolor art at the Collierville Burch Library through the month of February. She is a medical artist who has extensive training in drawing and design from the Memphis College of Art and the University of Memphis.  She enjoys painting the different moods of the Southern seasons.

2011 December

Memphis Camera Club

Memphis Camera Club photographers Peggy Copen, Steve Copen, Beverly Hammond and Tom Kienzie are currently displaying some of their favorite photography with the Collierville Library this month. The gallery will exhibit through the end of the month. The Memphis Camera Club provides its members from beginners to professional with education and skill building opportunities in the art of photography. All skill levels are welcome to join the club or use the links on their site as a photography resource.  They meet at 7pm the first four Thursdays of the month in the Longinotti Auditorium in the back of St. Francis Hospital off Park Avenue

2011 September

Marla Nitsch

Marla is a self-taught artist originally from Nebraska. She creates her abstract-contemporary art utilizing newspapers, canvas or anything second hand that may contribute to her work.  Texture is a big component and although some of her art may be difficult to understand, it certainly will warm your heart.  She currently resides in Germantown and enjoys sharing her talent to bring joy to others.

2011 August

Ann Fitzgerald

Ann grew up in Memphis, but spent most of her adult life in California.  Although, while living in San Diego, she studied under several well-known instructors, it was not until 1991 that she began to dedicate herself entirely to art, her life-long love.  After returning to Memphis, she became a member of Memphis/Germantown Art League and rapidly earned the coveted status of "Platinum Star Artist".  Ann is a signature member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society, the International Society of Experimental Artists, and Mississippi Watercolor Society, as well as an active member of Artists' Link and others.  She has solo shows and particdipates in a multitude of loca, national and Internal jurried group exhibitions and receives numberous awards.  Recently, she was chosen, among a small group of artists to exhibit at the pretigious Dixon Gallery in Memphis.  Her work is shown throughout the United States, with pieces in both corporate and private collections.  Ann paints a variety of subjects, employing the medium and style she feels is most appropriate for each.  Her use of color brings a rich vitality to her work, resulting in explosive brilliance at times, a soft, quiet beauty at others, always capturing the spirit of the subject.  Ann is constantly exploring new and untried ways of expressing her creativity by the use of unusual materials and methods, or by using traditional materials in unusual ways. 

Ann's philosophy:  My talent is a gift.  My right is to enjoy it. My reponsibility is to develop it.  My desire is to share it.  My goal is to say thank you to Him who gave it. 

2011 June-July

Jeremy Walker

The artist, Jeremy Walker, has always been an avid doodler and considers himself especially good at penguins, his favorite animal.  The Sushifiles was a natural combination of two of his obsessions: penguins and cartooning.  His background in art has been extremely helpful and he feels it is an absolute necessity in order to be a good cartoonist. 

2011 March

Nahid Aziz

The artist, Nahid Azai was born in Botswana and raised in Pakistan.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Karachi, Pakistan and also completed two years in a Fine Arts program at the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts (Karachi, Pakiston).  Her paintings depict a reflection of her culture and her love for bright colors and nature.  She enjoys painting in all mediums and enjoys the vibrancy that she can create with all colors. 

2011 January

Mel and Michelle Creative

Melissa has her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Louisiana State University, and her Tennessee Certification in Primary and Secondary Art Education from Rhodes College.  Since 1994, she has taught Art to kids and adults of all ages in Shelby County Schools, Memphis City Schools and St. George's Independent School; served as the West Tennessee Art Education Association President, as a Cooperating Teacher for Universtiy of Memphis Art Education students, and a New Art Teacher Mentor for Shelby County Schools. Melissa received the Shelby County Schools Department of Instruction Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching, as well as several national awards for her work as a Graphic Designer in Louisiana.  Melissa paused her teaching career in 2006 to bring her daughter home from China, and spend more time with all three of her kids.

Our View on Creating Art With Kids

Creating art is one of the most fundamental forms of expressions - and it's FUN!  There are many places that offer step-by-step painting classes and parties that will send you home with a lovely piece of artwork that you have created yourself!  What makes us different is our commitment to an individualized approach to creating.  After all, kids LOVE to express themselves and have very definite ideas about doing so.  While we have a 'theme' for each of our workshops and classes, we give you the tools and encouragement to break out of the cookie-cutter approach to painting and make something totally unique and YOURS.

2010 December

Janie Moss

Janie Moss paints colorful works of abstract art using acrylic and mixed media on canvas and wood panels.  She loves to paint "squares of color' and crosses, with a color upon color technique.  Janie paints in her spare time, shen not working as a CPA, and is a completely self-taught artist.

Janie, a fan of do-it-yourself home decorating projects, began painting in 2006, after being inspired by an abstract painting she saw on HGTV.  She received many compliments on her first painting and gradually begain painting additional pieces for her home. In 2009, upon tremendous encouragement from a good friend and her husband, she began paintng more pieces, in hopes to show and sell her work. 

Janie, originally from Nashville, Tennessee, has been a resident of Collierville since 2005.  She lives with her husband, Kurt and two sons, Ethan and Andrew, ages 16 and 9.

2010 November

Phyllis Fryer

I am aware of passing time; I seek inner tranquility, and I have a sense of tradition.  My faith, principles, and concern for the common good are important aspects of my daily life.  What do I care about, what do I think? This question is the basis for meaning in my work.

Conceptually, I am interested in presenting an intriguing idea for viewers to consider; I drive the meaning in the work and the audience brings something into it.  Collaboration begins, and this is what lasts.

I pursue the expression of a thoughts, mood, or feeling of a particular moment; it may take the form of either realism or abstraction. 

Experimentation is an ongoing work method for me; it is an exciting, satisfying, and interesting pursuit.  I can't imagine ever giving up that approach.  I continue to work out new ways of looking at things.  I try new ways of putting paint on canvas, printing ink onto paper, and selecting frames through the viewfinder. 

2010 September

Meiling Wang

This month's artwork is by Meiling Wang. She is an artist who is originally from Taiwan.  She earned a B.S. degree in art and education at one of the top universities in Taipei, Taiwan.  She  has a great passion for art and has been teaching art since she graduated from college.  She delights in teaching children to observe the beautiful world around them so that they can transform what they see into pieces of art.

In addition to being an art tutor, she also is a Chinese language tutor.  She has been a Chinese school teacher/tutor for the past 15 years, and currently teaches in the after school program at Bailey Station elementary school. Her experiences as a Chinese teacher has helped her integrate and meld together her cultural background with her art teaching style.

Her students are very talented and have won numerous local, nationwide, and international art contests. Both she and her students are very excited about this exhibition and hope you enjoy their works of art.

 2010 August

Jeremy Walker

This month's artwork is by Jeremy Walker.  Jeremy is a 14 year old homeschooler who enjoys building Legos, dismantling old electronics and writing stories.  He enjoys cartoons, both reading them and drawing them.  He considers himself to be an avid doodler who is especially good at drawing penguins, his favorite animal.  The Sushifiles is a natural combination of two of his obsessions:  penguins and cartooning. 

2010 July

The Hodges/Gwaltney Family

This month's artwork is by several members of the Jim Hodges' family, which recently re-located to Collierville.  Jim, Hodges, a pilot for International Paper, typically paints landscapes or "portraits" of aircraft, often commissioned and purchased by other pilots.  His preferred medium is acrylic paints. 

His grandmother, Tassie Gwaltney, was a prolific artist who used oils to paint scenes and objects from nature.

Jim's children, Jen and Dan Hodges, also inherited the family's artistic tendencies.  Dan prefers to do portraits, either in pencil or acrylic paint.  His sister, Jen, produces a variety of artwork in a number of media.  This collection includes one of her portraits and a seascape, both done in acrylic. 

Suzanne Hodges, Jim's wife and Jen and Dan's mother, is an art appreciator and a Children's Reference Associate here at the Collierville Burch Library. 

2010 June

Mary McCraw

Meet the Artist Mary McCraw.  She currently works as a medical artist and illustrates new surgical techniques and patient education books for physicians and surgeons. Mary had a reception at the library on Sunday, June 13th from 2-4 p.m.

2010 May

David Drumel and James Geiger

Meet the Artists will have an opening reception Sunday, May 1st from 2-4 p.m. in the Halle Room.  The artists will be David Drumel and James Geiger who are long time friends.  David Drumel moved to Ohio and will be in town for this exhibit and James Geiger currently is retired and residing here in the South.

David Drumel has always had a passion for painting yet has had more time since his retirement to perfect his skill. He is a native of Ohio and currently resides there.  Although he majored in Fine Arts at Ottervein College, he pursued theology at  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  During his pastoral ministry, he enjoyed illustrating sermons and pastoral care literature.

James Geiger graduated from Southwestern Seminary and he and his family spent 27 years in Chile as missionaries.  After the mission field, he was Staff Chaplain at Baptist East Hospital.  It was there that his burning desire to paint began amidst challenging projects.  Encouraged by his friends, he now paints regularly and fully enjoys this self-expression. 

2010 February

Generational Visions

Visions of our youth were created by Jean Dodd, Helen Rodgers, Paul Dodd, and Lauren Rodgers.  All of the paintings displayed this month were artworks that have been saved through the years and remembered from generation to generation.  They were mostly painted between the ages of 11 and 13 and bring a unique sense of individual style to each piece of art. 

2010 January

Janie Moss paints colorful works of abstract art using acrylic and mixed media on canvas and wood panels.  She loves to paint "squares of color" and crosses, with a color upon color technique. Janie paints in her spare time, when not working as a CPA, and is completely self-taught artist. 

Janie, a fan of do-it-yourself home decorating projects, began painting in 2008, after being inspired by an abstract painting she saw on HGTV.  She received many compliments on her first painting and gradually began painting additional pieces for her first painting and gradually began painting additional pieces for her home.  In 2009, upon tremendous encouragement from a good friend and her husband, she began painting more pieces, in hopes to show and sell her work. 

Janie, originally from Nashville, Tennesse, has been a resident of Collierville since 2005.  She lives with her husband, Kurt and two sons, Ethan and Andrew, ages 15 and 8.

2009 November-December

Phyllis Fryer began her formal training at Memphis College of Art and continued her studies in the northeast.  Throughout many years, she had the privilege of studying and traveling extensively in Europe as well as having the opportunity to live in Venice, Italy for 3 years.  This exposure to some of the most renowned art forms inspired her creativity and enabled her to express her own unique artistic sense of style and form in her own manner.  What she cares about and how she thinks give her a sense of satisfaction and vision of how art can be both meaningful and beautiful.

2009 October

The Family Violence Council of Collierville is exhibiting art work that has been painted by members who use artistic expression to bring understanding, healing and hope for abused victims.

Family violence (more commonly known as domestic violence) is a pattern of behavior in which one family member or partner attempts to control the other by using physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse.  The council provides resources to members of the community such as emergency and temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence along with free support groups for victims of this kind of violence.  October is violence awareness month.

2009 September

Virginia Blanton (widow of Orion Blanton and mother of Dr. Alan Blanton) has been living in Collierville for 10 years.  She was with the Memphis Board of Education for 12 years.  She is a former needlework shop teacher and sewing teacher.  She was co-founder of Memphis Sewing Guild and founder of the Collierville Sewing Guild and Scrap Happy Quilters.  She is an avid quilter and historian. 

Though the tragedy of September 11, 2001 was many miles from the area, it touched us all since this is Our Homeland.  These Quilted Flags are representative of the more than 300 flag quilts made by women from across this Nation.  I share them with you for your enjoyment and remembrance of a "day we shall never forget."

2009 August

Ken Boettcher was born and raised in Long Island, NY in 1934.  Painting was a desire from early on, beginning with landscape oils during his teen years.  From there it was more or less abandoned while he was formulating a career and raising a family.  He is a self-taught artist and hopes to be painting for some time to come.  After retiring from Federal Express in 1994, and 37 years in aviation, he returned to painting acrylics.  He has found the experience to be most rewarding and enriching. 

2009 June

Maxine Mason is a self-taught artist who has had the privilege of learning from many wonderful artists through the years.  Her style and interpretation has become a unique blend of experiences, study and finally just allowing herself the privilege of "just enjoying the process".

2009 May

Garnet Smith and Shirley Grace Riddle have taken their art in a new direction.  Both have worked separately with their art but now have decided to put their techniques together and find a new "niche".  They paint as a pair and call themselves "Garnet with Grace".  Several days a week they paint and somewhere in the pieces of art Garnet and Shirley sign their painting with two XXs.  The reason is simple.  Both were single parents raising their children.  Strength was given to them by "X" people in their lives.  As their paintings are completed, they place these XXs as a thank you to those "X" people that made a difference to them.

Garnet Smith and Shirley Grace Riddle primarily paint with acrylics but also love to use oils.  They enjoy painting on large canvasses or wood panels.  It is stated that, "We receive great pleasure in combining our art techniques and letting our creative ideas flow".

2009 January and February

Mary Anne McCraw exhibited February and March.  She is a watercolor and medical artist who has studied drawing and design at the Memphis College of Art, the University of Memphis and with Fred Rawlinson.  As a medical artist, her degree in biology and clinical experience lent an expertise when illustrating new surgical techniques and patient education books for physicians and surgeons.  Mary Anne loves painting the different moods of the Southern seasons.

2008 December

David teaching in Uganda

David Fricke will be exhibiting his photography from Uganda beginning early in December and ending late January. After graduating from Collierville High School in 2006, David left to study photography at the Art Institute of Boston. In the beginning of his sophomore year, he got the opportunity to travel to Uganda where he began to teach photography to the students of Bethlehem Parents Primary School and Orphanage. He stayed for three months teaching and documenting the children and their small community. David plans on returning in Spring of 2009.

2008 November

Artist Amy Elise Havern has always applied her unique perspective and skilled eye to photography and graphic layout and design. More recently , this mother of three meshes her talents with acrylic paint and wrap-around canvases to create a wide array of decorative paintings. Using contemporary colors and patterns, Amy Elise's whimsical word art paintings leap off dark chocolate colored canvases in deeply textured teal, lime and rasberry tones. Amy Elise also loves to paint delicious pears.

Amy Elise's paintings were recently featured in the "Amys in the Arts" blog, which stated: "Do you have an affinity for pears" Amy Elise of Have Art sure does! This talented painter captures the beauty and essence of this understated fruit in her acrylic paintings. Check out her vibrant and unique variety of decorative paintings. I love the stylization and contemporary colors Amy uses in her renderings."

Amy Elise's Webpage: www.haveart.etsy.com

2008 October

Judy Fricke and Helen Rodgers are exhibiting floral and landscape paintings in the gallery. Both women are on staff at the Collierville Library and have enjoyed this past time hobby over the years. The creative display uses a variety of mediums and many contrasts of color.

2008 August

Dottie Sachritz will exhibit her paintings in August. Mrs. Sachritz is a self-taught artist who makes strong use of color and contrast to give her paintings impact. She states: "Color and form. Light and shadow. These make the drama and sense of awe that I feel from the natural world around me. The wonder of all that grows from the earth is breathtaking to me and I want others to share this experience. I try to capture the intensity of color that these wonders provide." She has had numerous exhibits and is currently a member of the Memphis/ Germantown Art League.

2008 June - July

Virginia Blanton will be displaying her quilted flags during the months of June and July in honor of Flag Day and the celebration of our country on July the 4th. She has been a Sewing and Quilting Teacher for more than 50 years. She also began the Collierville Sewing Guild and the Scrap Happy Quilter's Quilt Guild. Mrs. Blanton enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of history and sewing with others through programs and displays of her work.

2008 April

Paul Junkins wildlife photography

2008 March

Schilling Farms Middle School Art Exhibit

2008 January, February

Changzhi Yu, photography

2007 December

Louise Szymanski, watercolors

2007 November

Mary Anne McCraw, watercolor

2007 October

Various artists and types of work by Page Robbins

2007 September

Cathy Shepherd, acryclic

2007 August

Memphis Camera Club award winning photography

2007 July

Judith Jones, watercolor

2007 June

Ron Williams, nature photography

2007 May

Wei Emmert, oil paintings

2007 April

Julio Rodriguez, watercolors and prints

2007 March

David Drumel, oils and watercolors

2007 February

Kendric Allen, nature photography

2007 January

Kendric Allen, nature photography