Rhonda Smith, an artist and retired Professor of Art from Shepherdstown University, comes to her creations from odd angles. Her intaglio and Lino prints are impressed onto archival paper through an intricate process of slathering plates with non-toxic inks and over-printing them, a process as unexpected and exciting as the travels that prompted it. She is fascinated with talismans, charms for invoking luck and protection. Whether the journey is literal, artistic or self-discovery, the knowledge, experience and surprises all become part of who we are and contribute to more complex being who comes home. Rhonda believes that art demands that both artist and viewer share a quest to find understanding in the art piece, and that the art itself is a talisman, a wish, a prayer that connects the creator and the observer.
The Talismans Exhibition will open with a reception at GIB on Thursday January 30th from 5-8 (snow date February 20th), with the artwork on display until February 29th. Save the date now to see these evocative, thought-provoking pieces and their delightful creator, while enjoying champagne and light refreshments.