Makers & Mentors: Balancing Art Practice and Teaching
- frontdesk8455
- Jun 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 28
Upstairs Artspace’s Makers & Mentors show to celebrate arts educators
Upstairs Artspace, Tryon's nonprofit contemporary art gallery, is pleased to announce its summer show which will feature 12 accomplished arts educators from around the region.
“Makers & Mentors: Balancing Art Practice and Teaching” will be on display July 20 - September 5, with an opening reception on July 20 from 2-4 pm. The public is invited to attend this free event at the gallery, located at 49 S. Trade St., Tryon, NC.
“There will be a variety of thought-provoking contemporary 2D and 3D works in this show, which celebrates the importance of arts education in society,” says Eldred Hudson, curator of the exhibition and professor emeritus, former Art & Art History Department chair, UNC Charlotte. “The exhibition showcases the artists’ exploration of relevant topics, creative use of materials and refinement of techniques.”
Featured artists from the collegiate level include Stacey Davidson, associate professor of fine arts at Winthrop University; Susan Alta Martin, assistant professor of photography at Western Carolina University; Michael May, associate professor of art at Furman University; Carla Rokes, professor of art, drawing and design at UNC Pembroke; Jena Thomas, associate professor of art at Converse University; and Lorraine Turi, artist/lecturer at UNC Charlotte.
Featured artists from the secondary level include Marty Epp-Carter, visual arts guest artist at the SC Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities; David Gerhard, Visual Arts Department chair and instructor at the SC Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities; Hague Williams, Fine Arts Department chair, Landrum High School; and Shelley Ellis, art educator at Parkwood High School.
Rounding out the group from the elementary school level are art teacher Jason Basden from Myers Park Traditional Elementary School in Charlotte and ceramicist/visual arts teacher Sierra Miles of Glenn Elementary School, in Durham.
In conjunction with this summer show focusing on arts education, the gallery is planning several opportunities for audience engagement, including a tour of college art departments, an artist conversation, and a curator-led art critique. Details will be announced on UpstairsArtspace.org soon.
Upstairs Artspace, now in its 47th year, is a non-profit art gallery whose mission is to connect art and community through exhibitions and educational programs, creating a vibrant space for artistic expression and appreciation. The gallery is located at 49 S. Trade St., Tryon, NC. Visit us online at UpstairsArtspace.org, or in person Wednesday through Sunday, 12-5 pm or call 828-859-2828.
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