Attendees participate in the Colquitt County Arts Center’s first Fluid Art Acrylic Pouring workshop Sept. 23. The center will host its second such workshop Saturday, Jan. 27.

Hello 2018! It’s the fourth week into the New Year, and the Arts Center is off to a great start! This week we have two very exciting events happening: the opening of our first exhibit of the year that will feature original works by two incredibly talented artists, and our second Fluid Art workshop.

The Wildlife Exhibit will open Thursday, January 25th in the Vereen Gallery here at the Arts Center, and will feature original works by Randy Gibbs and Taylor White.

Randy Gibbs was born and raised in Colquitt County. He attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Valdosta State College as an art major. After serving in the Army as a paratrooper, he returned to Moultrie to work in a variety of fields. At the age of 40, he put his artistic talents to work at Woodhaven Plantation, giving way to the start of a beautiful career.  Specializing in watercolor and ink drawings, Gibbs has created Tourism logo for the Chamber of Commerce promoting Moultrie as the “City of Southern Living” as well as the 2017 Moultrie Christmas Ornament featuring Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium. In addition to his art, Gibbs also owns and operates Funston Art and Framing where he exhibits and sells his original works and prints.

 Taylor White is an Alabama native who attributes her love of wildlife to her early exposure to nature and its intricate relationship between all living things. White believes that personal experience and first hand observation play key roles in creating her paintings, and inspiration for her compositions stem largely from travels that she enjoys with her husband, James. White has been published in Wildlife Art News, Sporting Classic, Alabama Conservation, Alabama Wildlife, Southeastern Art Showcase, on the cover of Covey Rise magazine, and other periodicals. Her paintings can be found in variety of public and private collections throughout the United States and Canada.

I truly have no words for how excited I am for this exhibit! You are not going to want to miss this opportunity to view the “Wildlife Exhibit” opening January 25th until March 23rd, 2018.

If you are looking for something fun and interesting to do this coming weekend, look no further! In addition to the opening of our first exhibit of the year, we are also excited to be hosting another Fluid Art Acrylic Pouring workshop with artist Casey Cole Corbin on Saturday, January 27th! This unique workshop will offer TWO workshops in ONE day! During the first workshop, “Intro to Acrylic Pouring Art” participants will learn about Acrylic Pouring Art mediums, materials, and methods. The relationship between creative expression and stress management will also be discussed.  Casey will offer a simple Mindfulness breathing exercise to focus and center on peace.  During the second workshop, “Taking Acrylic Pouring Art to the Next Level,” participants will learn additional Fluid Art Techniques and will discuss varnishing and framing finished pieces. All supplies will be provided for both workshops! The deadline to register is Friday, January 26th. The fees  and times for workshops are as follows: “Intro to Acrylic Pouring Art,” 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, $45.00 per participant, “Taking Acrylic Pouring Art to the Next Level,” 1:30 PM -4:30 PM, $65.00 per participant. If you would like to participate in both workshop sessions, the fee is $95.00 per participant. No previous experience is required to participate in workshops!

Casey Cole Corbin has been a counselor, life coach and workshop instructor for 20 years.  He is the author of the book, “CREATE! Expressive Art Therapy for Problem Solving and Getting Past Your Past!” and several meditation audios including, “A Clinician’s Guide to Therapeutic Meditation Course & Curriculum -Audios & Resources!”, which is licensed for professionals to use with their clients.  Corbin is certified in Mindfulness Meditation, and own Solutions Counseling Services, a private practice that offers counseling and coaching. For more information on Casey Corbin’s book, his different meditation audios, as well as his counseling practice, please visit CaseyColeCorbin.com.

For more information on these exciting new events as well as the multitude of other activities going on here at the Arts Center, feel free to give us a call at 229.985.1922, drop me a line at aparrisharts@gmail.com, or visit our website at www.colquittcountyarts.com!