Featured Artist of the Month
Artsbridge is thrilled to celebrate and share more about our talented members each month. Our art group provides an important conduit for many of our members as it allows us to get to know fellow artists with a similar passion to create, express ourselves, and share art with others. Imagine not having any contact with other artists and no possibility of camaraderie or mutual support? Collaborating, observing artists at work, discussing techniques or the tools we use, learning how and where to share art, along with creating art together is an important and valuable outlet. Perhaps you do not consider yourself an artist but want to learn more about art designed in our area and how to purchase and enjoy that art in your own home. Each month you will have the opportunity to learn more about featured member artists through their own words, images of their artwork, and information that delves deeper into their background and passions in art.
What inspires this artist? Where can we view more of their artwork locally? Read on to find out more about this month’s featured artist!
Aurelle Sprout
As an art teacher now retired, Aurelle has resumed a painting career with much excitement. She retired seven years ago after teaching art at Montgomery Township Schools for twenty years, assorted other public and private schools for a career spanning thirty-five years. Steering back to the artist within, Aurelle expresses how grateful she is for a fellowship with the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation as art educator with a grant to develop her artistic endeavors. Most of all, she was excited about developing the artistic endeavors of her students (and the entire school, in general) in 1998. The grant enabled Aurelle to participate in numerous travel excursions and mini-grants and to discover art resources and instructors in this area since she grew up in Pittsburgh, and spent time in California and Lancaster (PA). Eventually Aurelle settled in the Lambertville area in 1996.
Aurelle has been in numerous juried shows including Phillips' Mill, Ellarslie, D&R Greenway, New Hope Arts, West Windsor Arts and Artsbridge. She is honored to receive several art awards at juried exhibitions. Since retiring, she has had two solo exhibits, one at the Present Day Club, Princeton and the other at the Bank of Princeton, Lambertville. A two-month duo show in Lambertville began early spring of 2020 but was taken down abruptly due to COVID. Recently, Aurelle showed her work in a duo exhibition at the A-Space at New Hope Arts, October, 2022. A solo show is slated for April ’23 at The Present Day Club.
Summersound
Mixed media: acrylic & rice paper on canvas
24x36 x1-3/8 “
During Covid while painting on our property, I was struck with how the lowering sunlight touched tall grass flumes. All this was happening while a Barred Owl (the call: Who Cooks for You?) resounded in the distance!
Beechtree Beauty
Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20
This endearing ewe is a family pet at Beechtree Farm, an organic farm owned by Lucia and Charlie Huebner. This was unbeknownst to me when I chose to paint her (from a photograph I took a while ago). I am delighted to know she not only charmed me but also charmed the family.
Entanglement
Mixed media: acrylic, rice paper and marker on canvas
16 x 20 x 0.625
It was created to express my consternation, frustration and concern over the political scene and the manner in which COVID19 was initially handled. Leafing through my life drawings, a gesture that the model briefly held resonated with me to develop into an emotional work. It received an award at the Ellarslie Open.
Canal Reflections
Acrylic on paper
11 x 15
En plein air, painted on the D&R Canal in Lambertville on a warm, sunny, early autumn day.
Soon the Sunset
Acrylic on canvas panel on wood
18 x 24
During Covid while painting on our property, I was struck with how the lowering sunlight touched tall grass flumes. All this was happening while a Barred Owl (the call: Who Cooks for You?) resounded in the distance!
Go to Aurelle’s website to view more of her artwork and to find out where you can find her latest exhibitions: aurellepurdysprout.com
If you are a member of Artsbridge , we’d love to feature you and share your artwork with others! Please email us information about you as an artist with images of recent artwork: artsbridgenj@gmail.com