Artist Reception – "Wrapping It Up" Jo Ann Alford & Elizabeth Darrow

Join us on August 3rd, 2-5pm for an Artist Reception featuring the collaged creations of Jo Ann Alford & Elizabeth Darrow! This exhibit will be on view from Aug 1 - Sept 14 at Art in Bloom Gallery.

Art in Bloom Gallery is celebrating the artistic careers of gallery artist Elizabeth Darrow & guest artist Jo Ann Alford through their collaborative exhibit, "Wrapping It Up." After pursuing a variety of artistic approaches, these lifelong artists & friends are coming together to embrace the strengths of shape, pattern and collage. Whether by layering wrapping paper over oil backgrounds, or building abstract scenes from a single paper element, both artists allow their pieces to emerge intuitively from their creative processes. So even if Jo Ann Alford & Elizabeth Darrow are moving closer to "wrapping up" their artistic journeys ... their ever innovating work will continue to develop and inspire!

Gallery events are always free and open to the public. On view along with these exhibits, we showcase a plethora of fine art by over 30 local artists. Art in Bloom is open Monday–Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday - Saturday 10am–6pm and Sunday 12-5pm at 970 Inspiration Drive, Mayfaire Town Center, Wilmington, NC.

About the Artists

From weaving to watercolor, multimedia artist, adventurer & educator Jo Ann Alford continues to pursue her independent path. After studying fiber arts and calligraphy in the West Coast, Jo Ann returned to North Carolina to expand both her own creativity and the world views of her students. Though she finds herself more "settled" now in retirement, Jo Ann still has a wanderlust for life, within and outside of herself. She is currently focusing on nonobjective collage to offer a more open, personal invitation of her work.

About the series, Jo Ann says, "The first element that is adhered to the paper is a catalyst and may disappear as I respond to the lines, shapes, colors, textures, and negative space. As I travel across the surface, I enjoy the surprises that occur during the process. I’m always eager to see where my artistic journey will lead me."

Multimedia painter Elizabeth Darrow has made Wilmington her home since 1977. Elizabeth has worked in oil and collage throughout her career, exploring a variety of abstract & figurative styles depending on her medium, but never works "from life" in the traditional sense. Most of the imagery that comes to her seems to hatch of its own accord, emerging from the process. Says Elizabeth about her newest works, "I enjoy playing with color and shapes and patterns, and watching their interplay ... watching them take on a life of their own. It's a magical process."

In this exhibit, Elizabeth has incorporated patterns found in wrapping paper, and juxtaposed them with each other against a background of oil paint and gestural drawing to create something altogether new. "That may be why the show is called ‘Wrapping It Up’... Or maybe it's because we're wrapping up our artistic careers (a process that could take years)... Either way, it's always fun to play and see what happens."