SASI Newsletter

JAN / FEB 2016

~ PROGRAMS ~
Coming in February Natural Beauties
This is a show and sale to build appreciation for
gourds, wood, basketry, and other natural art forms.
The opening reception will be Saturday evening,
Feb. 6th from 68 p.m. For more information or to be
added to our list of exhibitors, contact Camiel Bradshaw,
at 704-739-6234 or email nannacb@carolina.rr.com.
Please use subject line Gourd Show. Delivery and set
up will be Saturday, Jan. 30, from 10 a.m. 4 p.m., and
Sunday, Jan 31, 2016, from 1 p.m. 4 p.m.

January Exhibits

The photography of Ellen Devenny Life Through a Lens

and the art of Marie & Danielle Lafitte "Amalgamated
Moments" runs through January 29. A public reception
will be held Saturday January 9 from 6-8 pm.

Ellen Devenny Life Through a Lens

Award winning photographer Ellen Devenny is featured
in the Reavis Gallery at Southern Arts Society for the
month of January. Ellen, originally from Hayesville, NC,
has lived in Kings Mountain since 2007.
Contrasts
Digital
Photography

Southern Arts Society

Tuesday January 5 meeting:
SASI 2017 Calendars
SASI has been hand printing and selling our silk
screen calendars for over 30 years as a major
fundraiser for our group. This meeting is for anyone
who would like to do a calendar page for 2017, or just
want to know what our process is. Please attend if
you want to do a calendar page for 2017.

Tuesday February 2 meeting:

Mandalas
Member Jennifer Borja will lead us in drawing
Mandalas
for
enjoyment
and
creativity.
Designing and coloring Mandalas can be a meditative
or spiritual experience, or just fun and relaxing. It is
up to you to decide the meaning. Mandala comes
from Sanskrit meaning "circle." Even though it may be
dominated by squares or triangles, a mandala has a
concentric structure. Mandalas offer balancing visual
elements, symbolizing unity and harmony. Each one
is as unique as the person who makes it. Bring
yourself and a friend, we will supply the
materials. No experience necessary!
SASI meets the first Tuesday each month.
Social Time 6:30 Program 7:00
Visitors are Welcome! Bring a friend!

Shutter Light Photo Group

Ellen has always enjoyed taking pictures, but her
photography has evolved over the last ten years into
something more than just pictures or snapshots. With
her first digital camera, a Sony Cybershot, She soon
discovered a natural ability to capture images, especially
those of the scenic landscapes in the North Carolina
mountains. With one of those images she won her first
Honorable Mention in a photography contest sponsored
by the Gaston Gazette. No longer satisfied with a point
and shoot camera, she moved up to a DSLR camera.
Inspired to learn all that she could, Ellen enrolled in a
Basic Digital Photography class at Gaston College.
Ellen is part of an online photography community and
an active member of the local camera club, The Shutter
Light Group, which meets monthly at Southern Arts
Society. In 2012 she challenged herself to a 365 Day
Photography Project. After taking a photo per day for a
year, she continued doing the same through 2014. This
project has taught her to see more with a
photographers eye, things that others would overlook.
Ellen has won many awards for her photography,
most recently winning first place in the Gateways to the
South art competition at Southern Arts Society. Her
work has been featured in Our State Magazine, Wildlife
in NC and locally in the Kings Mountain Herald. Her
weather related photography is often featured on WBTV
during the weather forecast.
January Exhibits Continued on next page

(photography club of Southern Arts Society)

Tues Jan 19 meeting: Program To be Announced.
Tues Feb 16 meeting: Program To be Announced.
Look for info on the website and Facebook page!
Details, Ellen Devenny at LDEVENNY@carolina.rr.com
Shutter Light Group
meets the third Tuesday each month.
Social Time 6:30 Program 7:00
Visitors are Welcome! Bring a friend!

~ Carolina Flute Circle Sat Jan 23 ~

The Carolina Flute Circle will have their regional
meeting at SASI on Sat Jan 23. The public is invited
from 1 to 3 p.m. to meet the members and hear a
concert of Native American Flute music. The Flute
Circle welcomes visitors to learn about the instrument
and their group. Joining the Flute Circle will be 7
drummers from the Hawks Nest Inter-tribal Council
from the Spruce Pine area. There will be flutes and
drums for sale along with other related items.

~ 2017 Calendar Meeting ~

Thurs Feb 4 at 6:00 meet at SASI to select a calendar
theme for 2017 and learn the process of producing our
silk screen calendars from planning and executing your
drawing, to choosing and mixing colors and printing
the calendar by hand.
If you are interested in
designing a page for 2017, you must attend this
meeting.

~ January Exhibits continued ~

Marie & Danielle Lafitte "Amalgamated Moments"
Sisters Marie and Danielle Lafitte have their art on
exhibit in the Founders Gallery of Southern Arts Society
for the month of January. Marie has an associate degree
in Fine Arts from Gaston College and Danielle has an
associate degree in Fine Arts from Cleveland Community
College.
Though being sisters, their approach to art and the
resulting images are unique. Marie uses paint to express
her vibrant personality with bright, bold colors and line
that have a lot of movement. Her art features
contemporary portraiture and abstract work. She treats
the foreground and background with equal importance,
exploring the push and pull of the shallow and deep
space. Her paintings are all about shapes, layers and
repetition. Each layer of color changes the next layer of
color and the way the paint is applied changes the
texture. She uses repetition to create harmony
throughout, repeating shapes and brush strokes so her
paintings have a visual flow to them.
Danielles dark and emotional abstract work is
inspired by nature, East Asian art, architecture and urban
decay. Her artwork features bold, expressive mark
making using minimal amounts of color. Danielle uses
her art as her voice, to express herself in a way that
words cannot. Though she doesnt mean for it to, her
daily challenges in life find their way into her work
exposing her struggle with anxiety and depression. She
hopes that her art might be a voice for others too - that it
might be a beacon of hope to those who are struggling or
in pain, providing the same comfort and strength that she
finds in her faith.

left to right:
Ain't No Hollaback Girl
by Marie Lafitte,
My Hands Are Tied
Behind My Back
by Danielle Lafitte

SOUTHERN ARTS SOCIETY, INC.

at the Depot
P.O. BOX 334, 301 N. PIEDMONT AVE.
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC 28086
704.739.5585
Depot/Gallery Hours:
Tues-Sat 10am - 4pm
Closed major holidays

~ ART TRACKS ~
Jan 5 - SASI general meeting 2017 Calendars
Jan 9 6-8 pm Reception
Jan 19 - Shutter Light Photography Meeting
Jan 23 Carolina Flute Circle 1:00-3:00 pm
Jan 30 Deliver art for Natural Beauties
Jan 31 Deliver art for Natural Beauties
Feb 2 SASI general meeting Mandalas
Feb 4 2017 Calendar Meeting 6:00
Feb 6 Reception for Natural Beauties 6-8 pm
Feb 16 - Shutter Light Photography Meeting
Events are FREE unless noted otherwise ($)

OFFICERS 2016
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer

Jewel Reavis
Davis Goodman
Margo McKee
Johnsie Reavis

803-448-4578
704-739-2056

COMMITTEES
Calendar Fundraiser Camiel Bradshaw 704-739-6234
Education
Jennifer Borja
704-745-6960
Finance
Ron Shepard shepardron.sasi@gmail.com
Grants
Margo McKee
704-600-8568
Historian / Library
Open
Maintenance
Camiel Bradshaw 704-739-6234
Membership
Deborah Bradshaw
Exhibits / Newsletter Jewel Reavis
803-448-4578
Pottery Studio
Carol Picard
704-629-5952
Public Relations
Ellis Noell
704-473-8727
Publicity
Cathey Noell
980-329-4030
Volunteer Coordinator Open
Webmaster
Tammy Farley
704-739-7419

www.southernartssociety.org

~ 3 Part Colored Pencil Class ~

Ron Shepard is teaching a 3 part class on Techniques
for Animal Portraits. Take one class or sign up for all
three. Dates are Saturdays, Jan 30, Feb 6 and Feb 13.
Time 9 am to 1 pm. Cost is $35 per class or take all
three for $85. Class 1 is eyes, nose & surrounding fur
of a dog, cat and rabbit. Class 2 is ears & long, short
fur. Class 3 - use learned techniques to draw a flopeared rabbit. Ron will also teach drawing the eyes,
ears and nose of a human for comparison. Sign Up:
Please contact Southern Arts Society at 704-739-5585
to register and pay in advance. Supply list available at
SASI or online.

~ 2016 Membership Dues ~

SASI depends on your dues to fund our projects
throughout the year. General Membership is $25 per
year, Family $35, Supporting $50 and Patron is $100.
Please mail your dues to SASI at P.O. Box 334, Kings
Mountain, NC 28086. A membership form is available
at the Depot or online. Please write SASI
membership on your check.

US
postage