Like the rest of the Downtown Lynchburg community, we are eagerly awaiting the grand opening of Art Alley this fall. Now, before we reveal what these beautiful murals and art galleries will look like, we want to introduce you to the fantastic artists behind the work. The art that they’ve created for this space is truly breathtaking and we know that it will put a smile on your faces. Seriously, you guys, we can hardly contain our excitement. Fortunately, September will fly by and our opening day will be here in no time.
Below you will read more about what inspires these artists, what some of their favorite past works are, and a hint of what you can expect at Art Alley. Enjoy!
Alleyway Murals
Emily Herr
“My approach to murals is informed by a formal illustration & design education from VCU's renowned School of the Arts, as well as 9 years of mural painting experience.
My life and art practice center around the belief that you should embrace your space, and I aim to provide the creative facilitation you need to do just that. Each project is a unique adventure that deserves to be treated as such.”
[excerpt from www.herrsuite.com]
Christina Davis
When describing her mural Make Waves, Davis says, "I think a lot of people are trying to find their voice and sometimes you just need a little bit of inspiration and an extra push that it’s okay to be doing that".
Christina creates art that is meant to inspire and uplift others and she hopes to provide that feeling when the community admires her Art Alley mural.
[excerpt from 2020 WSET article]
Lisa Jonas
“I tend to be drawn towards more organic shapes. If something inspires me, I’ll borrow from it. You see a lot of art, you feel a lot of art, and sometimes things come to you.
Even with my pottery, I like to do etching on it, because it draws in the basic, organic shapes that I tend to be drawn to…It’s not always in my head, sometimes it just comes as it comes. I don’t see a full picture necessarily, I just feel it out.”
Deidre Stone
“Most of the inspiration for my art is drawn from nature. Desert sunsets and beach sunrises, celestial bodies and the expanse above, lush mountainsides and fields of wildflowers, and all of the beauty of flora and fauna that surrounds us.
I create and share my visual art through painting, drawing, and metalsmithing. I believe that art is an extension of ourselves and comes in many forms and we all have the capacity to share that with the world if we so choose.”
Spark Joy Gallery
In addition to an incredible asphalt mural and multiple vibrant wall murals along Art Alley, we are so excited to bring an outdoor rotating gallery to the community – displaying illustrations from 10 different Central Virginia artists. Read more about these artists below and make sure you come to see their work in person this fall!
Angus Carter
“I am inspired by everything! I tend to just let the world at large sweep over me like a wave at the sea, taking in bits of information and joy as they hit me. I rarely seek out specific styles or genres for inspiration but like just having it come randomly in spurts of inspiration and beauty.”
Ella Morrison
“[My inspiration is] anything and everything that sparks joy and excitement to my inner child... but mainly my cat, Mochi. I started pursuing illustration and design in 2017, but I have loved art my entire life.”
Kate Mitchell
“I would describe my style as simple and clean with warm tones and some minimalistic tendencies. I love to use small details to focus the message of my pieces while still keeping the designs simple and bright for something that catches the eyes of the viewer and communicates clearly.
My inspiration comes from the people, the stories, and the places that I have had the blessing to know and see.”
Meg Weston
“I've made art my whole life and went on to study art at Randolph College, which heavily focused on drawing and painting. I make the art I want to see. If there's something that gets in my head and I have to get it out on paper. I love using color. Hands are a common theme in my work and sketchbooks. Using actions with your hands and can communicate words and emotions just as well as with your face.”
Russ Voelker
“I try hard not to have a ‘style.’ I paint what I feel, and in a ‘style’ I feel at the moment, the style is often predicated by the subject I choose to paint…but not always. I sometimes do realism one week and abstract the next.”
Emily Stilwell
“I describe my style as soft, whimsical, and earthy. I got my start as an artist by filling up all the margins in my school work with doodles and sketches until someone suggested that I should probably join the school's art club.”
Deliece Blanchard
“I frequently paint outside. I try to capture the light in a landscape, and I paint ‘unblended’ strokes of color. I spend a lot of time mixing colors before I paint.
I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to be a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, where I met and found inspiration from many hard working artists.”
Hanan Davis
“I am often inspired by the environment around me, when I look at something and want to transfer it into an art piece. I am also inspired by public artists, and their ability to transform an environment.”
Meg Davies
“Being an artist is one of the largest parts of who I am, and always has been. My creativity has been encouraged since the beginning - whether it be from teachers, family, or friends - and led to the start of my business in 2018. Expressing myself through art is a must in my life, and living within a community that supports it and shares it with me is invaluable.”
Morgaine Godwin
“I am constantly inspired by the creativity of others and their courage to share their work on the various social platforms.
Coming out of a year that has been so difficult for many, I wanted to create something that offered a bright and positive feeling for those who see it.”
Summer Raulerson
“As an artist my main source of inspiration is my great-grandmother and mentor, Margaret Blankenship. She was also an artist and was the only person who fed me as an artist.
As for ‘My World,’ I took my inspiration from Downtown Lynchburg itself, as you can see the buildings in the background. In the spring it is filled with the most beautiful blossoms, and the girl holds a cup of tea (literally what I live off of) and the sky is from my dreams.”
DLA Staff Contributions
James Ford
Marketing Coordinator
In addition to crafting the content you love on reels, social posts, and emails, James put his graphics talent to work by creating patterns that pay homage to the grandeur of art deco buildings in Downtown Lynchburg: The Virginian, the Carter Glass Building, and the Allied Arts Building. These designs in black and white have been meticulously applied to power boxes flanking either side of Art Alley.
Susan Brown
Program Director
Susan put much time, effort, and brute force in curating the exhibit known as Art Alley. In the months leading up to installation, she hand-crafted the 8 and 10 inch epoxy resin discs that hang overhead. This piece was designed with the intent to add color and movement to the space - which is displayed in the quiet rotation above and the reflected light that dances across the street below.
Are you as inspired as we are? Maybe your work will be seen displayed in Downtown Lynchburg one day! Stay tuned for an official save the date announcement and spread the word as we gear up to open Art Alley for the community to enjoy.
