Creativity is often born of play. I get my ideas for paintings while having fun. It is then that someone or something catches my eye and moves my heart. Consequently, I want viewers of my work to see the surrounding world with new eyes that may have become dulled by the daily routine of life.
In my figurative work, I seek to tell the unique story of the people I take notice of. As for my paintings of nature, I find I am drawn to the colors and shapes of things as they interact with sunlight.
Since color is so important to me, I love painting using oils. Oils allow me to create endless mixtures of color combinations. I was trained to mix the more tonal oil palettes of the Old Masters, but I now mostly prefer using brighter, pure colors.” -Lane Whitney
Lane Whitney is a professional artist living in Raleigh, North Carolina who paints both commissioned portraits as well as paintings for galleries.
You can view more of Lane’s art, blog and newsletters at www.lanewhitney.com.
Even though it was a childhood dream, and I studied art in college, I never really thought I could be a “real” artist, as I called my dream back then. I spent my young adult years being a wife, mom, and creative community volunteer, being asked to illustrate a cookbook, make banners for activities, and things like that. Even when I taught art in elementary school, I always felt wistful and wishful, and wondered if I could ever do the kind of art that seemed to stay in my head, and never be fully expressed.
It was not until a very difficult cancer experience that I finally found my true creative voice. I’ve learned, through my involvement with the arts in healthcare field, that a person going through a traumatic experience, such as a cancer diagnosis and long treatment, may sometimes lose their expressive language. Making art can help connect the inner, uncommunicated complex emotions be expressed in a new way. This is what I was able to do, first for my own healing, and that also allowed me to listen to others in a more intutitive way, and paint what they have told me felt like seeing into their own heart.
I now often use simple, sometimes childlike, images that depict emotions that are hard to put into words, with the hope that they will help others too. It always make me so happy to hear that someone is buying my art as a gift for a loved one!
These newer images seem to work well in art-related products too, and I’m hoping to do more with product development and marketing, in addition to my fine art.
Third Friday: February 15th
Reception for artists, Lane Whitney and Beth Palmer from 6pm-9pm. All events for third Friday are free and open to the public!
Happenings at Golden Belt
Third Friday, 6pm-9pm
Golden Belt- Third Friday, February, 6pm-9pmMoshi Moshi
This Third Friday at Golden Belt, Moshi Moshi salon hosts their monthly ArtMart in collaboration with the Dtown Market. From 7-9PM, the salon showcases the wares of several local artists as well as their own new retail items. The dTown artists are local and their artisanal items range from specialty foods to vintage clothing and accessories, furniture, pottery and almost anything else you can think of.Blend is the place for a great sandwich, frozen yogurt or a nice glass of wine! They have added new yogurt flavors to the menu, a new self-serve yogurt station, a wine menu and of course an ever changing deli case of delicious pastries to pair with your favorite CounterCulture coffee.
Durham Art Guild’s 19th Annual Sweet Arts Art Auction & Fundraiser Date(s): Feb 15, 2013 Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm Location: Golden Belt
Sweet Arts is THE major annual fundraiser for the Durham Art Guild. This event is a big part of why DAG is able to offer its members and the local arts community two great venues for diverse exhibition opportunities throughout the year. Money raised at Sweet Arts will also fund additional programming and educational outreach opportunities like our Creative Mentorship program. For More Information about this event: Click Here
The Scrap Exchange The Scrap Exchange presents found object sculpture 2009-2012 art by Shelly Hehenberger
February 15 – March 9 Opening Reception: Friday, February 15 from 6-9 pm
This exhibit, titled “found object sculpture 2009-2011” features art by Shelly Hehenberger. The work includes a collection of mixed media wall sculptures inspired by nests and seeds.
-Robert Trowers and NCCU Brass Ensemble Spike Lee Film Festival:
5:30 pm start time running March 9, 16, 23, 30 & April 6 at Liberty Arts Studio, 923 Franklin Street, Durham
Food Oppression Talk:
2 pm March 30, LabourLove Gallery 807 E Main Street, Durham
