December 15, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) – The relationship between artists and their gardens — and how they inspire each other — is well documented in books, galleries and museums. Monet, for one, created countless paintings that were inspired by his legendary gardens at Giverny.
In the countryside near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at least one artist frequently depends on her carefully tended gardens to provide the subject matter for her collection of rich still-life paintings, many of which can be seen in both Somerhill Gallery in Durham and The Little Art Gallery and Craft Collection in Raleigh, where she is represented.
That artist – Kimberly Alvis – recently sold two oil paintings through The Little Art Gallery that depict the forsythias and lilacs of that bloom profusely in her gardens to herald the beginning of the spring season.
“Lilacs” is a 16”x20” oil on panel. “Forsythias,” purchased by Claudia Kadis of Raleigh. The second sale, “Forsythias,” is an 18”x25” oil on panel painting.
As her gardens sit dormant in the winter months, Alvis muses, “I always look forward to spring because of all the fresh flowers I can put in my still lifes. All I have to do is walk though my backyard and I get dozens of ideas.”
Somerhill Gallery (www.somerhill.com) is currently featuring a collection of Alvis’ small stiff-life paintings – featuring foliage drawn from her the artist’s gardens – in its special holiday show. Others remain available at The Little Art Gallery (www.littleartgalleryandcraft.com).
For more information on Kimberly Alvis, and to see more of her work, visit http://www.alvisart.com.
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