Arts Barn Gallery Exhibit

Gaithersburg presents an exhibit featuring oil paintings by Carol Bucklin and Ray Burns, photography by Fran Stetina, and metal sculptures and jewelry by Arts Entwine at the Arts Barn Gallery, March 29 through May 26, 2013. The gallery is located at 311 Kent Square Road in Gaithersburg, with viewing hours Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to a free Artists’ Reception on Tuesday, April 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Carol Bucklin’s natural artistic talent came from both parents, her mother a painter and her father an illustrator. In the early 1990s she was chosen to provide a series of wildlife illustrations for a World Wildlife Fund fundraising campaign. During that time she also released a successful limited edition lithograph print of the Red Brick Courthouse in Rockville, Maryland. Bucklin attended Montgomery College – Rockville for two years before pursuing a career in graphic design and illustration, and has worked many years in the publishing industry as both an art director and illustrator. Continuing to refine her style and improve her skills, she painted as often as possible, taking on commissions and projects that personally challenged her. In 2009, Bucklin decided to go back into her studio to pursue her love of oil painting and wildlife illustration. She recently produced a body of work consisting of traditional miniatures, including landscapes, portraits of fruit, vegetables, and floral still life paintings in oil. Bucklin is a life-long resident of Maryland and lives on a small horse farm, near the tiny town of Woodsboro, where her studio is located. She shares that space with her husband, John, three horses, and at least three cats, sometimes more. Visit Carol’s website at carolbucklin.fineartstudioonline.com.

Much of Ray Burns’ work is “en plein air” or painted outdoors on location, typically for two hours to begin a painting. He often returns to a site to finish the painting when conditions allow, or paints in the same location with differing vantage points. Rather than simply doing oil sketches in the field and working on a larger painting based on those sketches, Burns will continue on a painting outdoors until he is satisfied with the result. Sometimes this works and he is able to finish a painting in a two to three two-hour session, but often this luxury can&rsqou;t be afforded due to variable weather and lighting conditions. Many of his townscapes begin on location and are finished in the studio. Burns’ use of color, texture and light helps create a specific mood in each painting. “I try to evoke in the viewer a similar feeling that drew me to a particular scene,” says Burns. View his work at www.raymondburnsart.com.

Fran Stetina began his interest in photography while serving as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, photographing his girlfriend and soon to be wife, Mary. His formal photography studies began at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., and he has participated in many international workshops, most notably with the famous French photographer Lucien Clergue and landscape artist John Sexton. He participated with Sexton in a three week workshop in China in 1986, and since then he has been back to China six times, his last visit being in 2004. Stetina’s first gallery sales were to the prestigious Merrill Chase Galleries in Chicago, Illinois. He has participated in many group and individual exhibitions and has been a recipient of Maryland awards and recognition. Stetina, together with his friend and colleague David Orbock, was one of the first Maryland artists to have an exhibition in Maryland’s sister state Hefie, Anhui Province, China in 1992. He has traveled extensively around the world in search of interesting images and has taught and organized his own workshop, “Photo Treks,” for ten years. View Stetina’s work at www.e-villagegallery.com.

Arts Entwine, formerly Midnight Blue®, is a fine art studio located in the Arts Barn that specializes in a variety of media. Choices for expression for this exhibit, entitled “Wu Xing” – the Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water,” include metal sculpture and jewelry. Jaree Donnelly founded Midnight Blue®/Arts Entwine to pursue her life-long dream of a creative calling. She has had a passion for the arts from an early age, enjoying drawing, painting, music, crafts, and photography. Donnelly continues to study studio art, photography, two-dimensional design, and jewelry design. She loves to share the creative spirit, teaching at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn for nearly a decade. Donnelly currently offers a variety of general art classes for children as well as digital photography classes and workshops for adults. Jack Donnelly has now “officially” joined the studio, doubling the joyful spirit. And to reflect the evolution, there has been the exciting update to Arts Entwine. He also has had a lifelong love of art, enjoying drawing, painting, and music, and has found an affinity for working in three-dimensions with metal and wood. He studied art at the Maryland Institute College of Art and has continued his studies through classes and workshops. For more information about Arts Entwine visit www.artsentwine.com.

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