Members Gallery: August 2018

Addison Likins

Storm Coming, work by Addison Likins (MG: August 2018)

Artist's Statement:
I am always amazed by how we appear oblivious to or distracted from the full extent of the beautiful and astounding aspects of the universe right before our eyes as we go about our hectic lives. My passion is creating or capturing and sharing these missed opportunities through my art… and reliving the thrill of that captivating moment each time the work is viewed. For the most part, the same concept applies to my sculptures, which is a trade I honed in over a decade as a Science Center Specialist at the Owens Science Center next to the Goddard Space Flight Center where I created or designed large scale abstract sculptures. Although occasionally creating classical sculptures, I do favor more abstract creations, harboring a penchant for exploring pareidolia, with the caveat that I intentionally create forms that foster this phenomenon, as with ‘Knockout’ and ‘Out of the Blocks’ . I also try to merge art and science in my creations, often using science and mathematical concepts as a subject for my sculpture creations, as with ‘Quantum Conundrum’, ‘Out of the Stone Age’ and ‘Albert’.

Wonder of the Turtle, work by Addison Likins (MG: August 2018)

Artist's Biography:
Addison Likins was born in Fredericksburg Virginia, and is a James Madison University graduate who studied photography and film making at the University of Virginia graduate school. He worked as an editor and reporter at the Harrisonburg, Va. Daily News-Record, taught English and Journalism at Orange County, Va. High School, and worked as an Exhibit and technical designer, analyst and manager for the Prince George’s County Schools in Maryland. He retired from the Maryland school district in 2011, and since then has pursed his artistic passions. He currently exhibits in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Over the past three years he has been selected for 19 Juried Shows at the Maryland Federation of Art galleries in the Lowe House of Delegates, The Annapolis Circle Gallery and the Annapolis Marine Museum, and multiple Juried shows at the Hill Center Art Gallery, on Capital Hill, Washington, DC. He has had multiple appearances in juried shows at the Anne Marie Sculpture Gardens and Art Center, in Solomons, Md. where he won a Juror’s Award in 2017, the Underground Gallery of Arlington, Va., the Lynchburg Academy Center of the Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia, the Fredericksburg, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts where has been awarded one third place and four honorable mentions over the past year, multiple appearances at the Mattawoman Creek Art Center, Marbury, Md, taking third in an all media juried show in 2017, The Waldorf West Library, Waldorf, MD, the Charlotte Veterans Home, Charlotte Hall, Md, and the Community Banks of the Chesapeake in Waldorf and LaPlata, MD. He has shown sculpture in juried shows at the Mattawoman Creek Art Center, the Maryland Federation of Art Galleries; the Fredericksburg, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Underground Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia.

His most recent photographic publications were in the Mensa Bulletin Magazine with center spreads in the March, 2017 and 2015 and August 2015 editions. He was featured on the cover of the July, 2017 edition; The Fredericksburg Virginia Free-Lance Star published his photograph, “Waiting for the Train” in August, 2017, was published in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2016 Calendar and magazine, and the Community Bank of the Chesapeake Calendar for 2017 and 2018. He has published both writing and photographs in various publications over the years.

He also has had solo shows at the Quality Printers Gallery, White, Plains, Md, The Commissioners” Gallery, La Plata, Md, the Mattawoman Creek Art Center, Marbury, Md. and the University of Maryland Charles County Regional Medical Center. He currently has a solo show at the Town Hall of La Plata, MD through August, 2018. He has been selected for a duo show in August at the Fredericksburg Virginia Creative Arts Center and Paul’s Homewood Café in Annapolis in June, 2019.

He was featured as an artist in an article in the Maryland Independent, September 4, 1917, issue, recently surpassed 48 million views of his photographs on Google Maps that were posted over the past three years, and received honorable mention in art-competion.net’ “Scapes_2018” contest this past month for his Fine Art `Print, “Tranquil River”. Three of his photographs have been selected by National Geographic Editors during the past two years.

Unnoticed, work by Addison Likins (MG: August 2018)

Peggy Findlay Wickham

Undersea Playground, Mixed Media by Peggy Wickham (MG: August 2018)

Artist's Statement—When I paint, in order to increase the viewer's mental participation in the scene, I make my brushwork loose. I like the final piece of art to be as “full of life as possible”. Often, my process includes hand printed papers that I use to “paint” the image. I love to use unique techniques and materials such as modeling paste or pumice to give my work a textured, sensory 3 D “feel”. Transparent colors are an integral part of my palette. These are used so that I am able to layer them, resulting in a luminescent quality that makes all the colors sing. I like to try new techniques-- not only to improve my work, but also to keep my own sense of wonder at all the incredible possibilities that creating art brings.

My art is created to express the way I experience the world – and I tend to see my world with a sense of wonder. I focus naturally on things I love- flowers, the ocean, animals, mountains, gardens etc as well as what are to me, some of the best aspects of these -- waves splashing on their way to shore, fields full of flowers dancing in the breeze, the way sunlight filters through the trees on a summer morning, or colors playing with each other across a canvas.

My life is a happy one filled with joy, and my art is created with the intent to bring others that same joy.

My web site may be found at: www.peggywickhamfineart.com

Contact me at 540-446-5639 or at [email protected].

Sea Turtle, Acrylic by Peggy Wickham (MG: August 2018)

Wave Transition, Acrylic by Peggy Wickham (MG: August 2018)

Biography—Like many artists, Peggy Findlay Wickham aspired to a career making art from an early age, but life intervened, and she ended up enjoying, a career as a medical lab technician instead. However, the work she did in that field seemed in keeping with her love of art, as biology, chemistry and physics blend are themselves often visually experienced. The many art materials she uses when viewed with an eye to scientific experimentation enhance the art experience as colors blend, paint moves, or substances such as alcohol, water, and salt are seen to affect paint. Observing these things, she moves back and forth between the worlds of art and science. As art has aspects that are scientific, and the beauty of science is viewed in ways similar to the experience of art, her involvement in the science field facilitated her journey back to her early desire to be an artist. As a professional artist, she now blends these two loves more fully.

Subjects that often find their way into her work, are flowers, rural and water scenes, and even the linear geometry of cities. She also creates abstract paintings that explore many concepts-- such as the ways layered colors create luminescence, and flowed paint simulates nature. In addition, she finds that learning about how exactly a flower is constructed in order to correctly portray it on canvas is in itself, a scientific activity.

Storm At Sea, Acrylic by Peggy Wickham (MG: August 2018)

Field of Flowers, Acrylic by Peggy Wickham (MG: August 2018)

In addition to her science bent, her life provided additional influences to her work. Born in Northern Ohio, she and her family lived in 9 states and 18 different communities due to her husband's busy career. Predominant color combinations, knowledge of regional land forms, art styles that were unique to the areas or cultures they experienced over the years, resulted in changes in her color palette, brush work and approach to designing her art. These influences encouraged the evolution to the style she favors today. In addition, she has worked with many artists such as Linda Kemp, Karlyn Holman, Trish McKinney, David Dunlop, Pat Troiani, and Don Andrews. The valuable knowledge she got from each contributed to her repertoire of art techniques and her art evolution.

Comments she hears about her work reflect the uniqueness of it- her fluid brushwork, frequent use of texture, and her preference for techniques that lend a three dimensional appearance to her work that is often beyond the perception of depth amd perspective, as many times she creates a raised surface that makes viewers want to touch it to experience it “hands on”. This is part of her goal- to to create work that gives viewers an sensory experience, or alternatively, an “Ahh” moment or an instant transporting to a pleasant memory or a new experience of something familiar that is portrayed in a new way.

Her work has been seen in exhibits primarily in Fredericksburg, but recently, Richmond as well. . She was honored to receive first place awards in the two categories of Acrylic Painting and Mixed Media this past spring at the Fredericksburg Fine Art Show. She is listed in Art In America, Annual Guide on the art page of Art Works of Richmond, Virginia.

The variety of techniques she employs, keep her work fresh and unique, but also to work to keep her own interest level high. She never has to force herself to get into her studio to work. In fact, it is always hard to stop working to do the mundane tasks in life. Working on her art is all consuming, and she finds the fact that others are able to experience a happy view of the world through the result of her art beyond satisfying.