Southern artists to watch

Art gallery proprietor Shorty Cate shares her thoughts about up-and-coming talent on the horizon.

Long, hot Southern summers make an ideal season to relax and explore our creative sides. Now is the time to get footloose and fancy free in choosing art to enhance our surroundings.

Perhaps your taste is traditional, eclectic, or festive. Maybe you respond better to images that point in a more peaceful direction. No matter what your style, bold steps are often called for when venturing into the territory of selecting original artwork to enliven your home.

Our general advice: Go with what you love, not just with what you know. And, above all, it's high time to consider art with a little heart.

According to Shorty Cate-owner, buyer, and all-around art curator of Studio Over the Bay in Fairhope, Alabama-it's all about individual lifestyle choices. "As an art lover, I focus on a variety of tastes and interests when I buy," she explains. "All you really need to know is what's going to make your home a place of comfort.

"The wall-to-wall artwork in our lifestyle gallery is complementary and truly compatible because of the bold use of color. All the pieces flow together naturally in our space. One thing that keeps me motivated is when I watch customers walk in and see their eyes light up and smiles grace their faces. That's exactly the same reaction we strive for in our own homes."

We asked Shorty (yes, she goes by that) to share with us a few of her favorite new Southern artists. Here and on page 126, she talks about their artistic styles and highlights distinguishing characteristics of each. MAJELLA CHUBE HAMILTON

where to find it

SOUTHERN ARTISTS TO WATCH

Pages 124-126: Artwork available at Studio Over the Bay, Fairhope, Alabama, (251) 928-0537 (R).

(D) Available only through a designer or an architect; (M) Contact the manufacturer for a retail source near you; (0) Mail order; (R) Retail store. Unlisted items are one of a kind or unavailable.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2002
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