Ann Marie Watson - Beautiful Art Becomes a Happy Surprise to Viewers

By: Karen L McCarty

I’m pleased to feature Ann Marie Watson on this Artist Spotlight Blog post.

Ann Marie Watson grew up in the country. Her paintings reflect agricultural scenes from her memory, as a chlld; of pastures, where cows happily munch on grasses, fields and farms. Ms. Watson has become skilled at recreating these scenes in her beautiful oil paintings. They reflect her English ancestry, which dates back to King George. One of the original homesteads was Winsborough Farm, which, she tells me, was maintained mostly by the women. Ann Marie told me of one of her early inspirations; her Great Aunt Bessie, who preserved life on the farm, utilizing her artistic skills with a camera as early as 1910. She pays Aunt Bessie tribute with her Facebook name of “Aunt Bessie and Me Originals”.

Ms. Watson has always been drawn to pretty things; the beauty of colors …. Art stores can become a colorful adventure. Even a paint store might offer inspiration for her work.

Ann Marie was introduced to artistic work early in life. As a child she learned delicate needle work. She began early in life to learn from the work of artists she admired for their use of color. She describes herself as timid when it comes to art. Even though she may feel the stress of being a perfectionist, once she is committed to start a painting, she pushes herself trying not to be critical and is “happily surprised” when her work looks completely believable upon completion. Ann Marie prefers oil over other types of mediums and celebrates when she’s put the paint on the canvas just right.

Ann Marie Watson attended Central Carolina Technical College and became a registered nurse in 1994. She went on to obtain her baccalaureate degree of nursing at USC Columbia 1996. In 2002 she graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine with a masters degree in Biomedical Science with an emphasis on Nurse Anesthesia. Ms. Watson has worked as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist ever since. She honed her artistic skills by taking classes at art galleries, learning from other artists such as Melina, an art major at Bob Jones University and JJ Oklinger, a local artist here in Greenville.

It seems, to this author, that Ms. Watson has harnessed that perfectionism to become the fine artist she is today. I strongly suggest making time to stop by the White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery in Travelers Rest. Ask our Docent to show you the fine art work of Ann Marie Watson. We truly appreciate her talent and I’m certain you will as well

You can see more of Ann Marie Watson’s art on Facebook under “Aunt Bessie and me originals” and on instagram.

Kate Krause Diamant: Her Sculptures Bring Smiles

by: Karen L McCarty

Kate Krause Diamant grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her father was an electrical engineer, and her mother was a homemaker. She describes being raised in a rather isolated community with a conservative influence, although she fondly recalls her mother as someone who “painted outside the lines.”

As a young woman, Kate attended Kutztown State Teacher’s College. After graduating, she moved to South Carolina, living first in Anderson and then Greenville. She taught art in local schools, instructing students from kindergarten through high school.

On a personal level, already drawn to the arts, Kate enjoyed creating fiber-based projects. Her artistic path took a new turn when her husband introduced her to a friend who worked with clay. She was immediately captivated by the three-dimensional nature of the medium. Soon after, she purchased a used potter’s wheel. With small children at home, this became a creative outlet she could pursue right there in her own space.

And so began her remarkable journey sculpting whimsical clay characters.

Kate describes clay sculpture as an escape—a way to bring the images in her mind’s eye into reality. She shared that sculpting places her in her personal comfort zone, explaining, “You are in command of your environment.” In that quiet, focused space, she finds both peace and control.

The confidence she demonstrates in her work is matched only by her talent. As the author of this article, I found myself deeply inspired by my conversation with Kate.

Kate delights in the spontaneity of the figure. “It’s an exercise,” she says. After more than thirty years working in art, she continues to grow, learn, and refine her craft. “It’s all about experimentation.”

She often begins with an idea—sometimes ethereal, sometimes delightfully whimsical—like a sheep sculpted as a bank. Her pieces may be inspired by a simple gesture or a personality trait. As she works, the sculpture evolves naturally into its final form, each character emerging with its own unique personality.

Visitors to the White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery can’t help but smile as they encounter her work. That joy is exactly what Kate hopes to inspire—to invite viewers to discover a bit of silliness and delight in each piece.

You simply must come experience the work of Kate Krause Diamant at the White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery in Travelers Rest. My personal favorite—and one I understand is Kate’s as well—is her charming mug featuring a rabbit, inspired by the Year of the Rabbit.

Kate’s work can also be found in several South Carolina galleries, including the SC Art Center in Walterboro, Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan’s Island, One of a Kind in Charleston, and Gallery One in Greenville. You can follow her on Facebook, where she shares glimpses of her creative process.

Thank you, Kate, for creating your wonderful world of sculpture.

Cindi Berry-Extraordinary Painterly Oils

The Sentinal

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Cindi Berry, an accomplished artist who creates beautiful, vivid oil paintings. We are proud to have Cindi as a guest artist at the White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery in Travelers Rest. When you view Cindi’s oil paintings it’s abundantly clear she is extremely talented. I also found her to be humble and approachable. 

I’m thrilled to feature Cindi on our Artist Spotlight blog post today.

Cindi discovered and enjoyed drawing and painting as a young child. As an adult, since her career as an attorney kept her busy, she did not begin to paint until 1999. When retirement offered the time she needed to pursue painting, she was devoted to learning all she could about the art. Once she developed an interest in oils there was no holding her back. She studied, took numerous classes and learned from successful artists whose work inspired her. One of those artists was Robert Johnson, with whom she took in-person courses in Vienna, Virginia and a weeklong workshop at the Scottsdale Artists School. (See more about Mr. Johnson by visiting his website at www.Robertjohnsonart.com). Another artist who influenced Cindi’s work was the late Richard Schmid, Master Oil Artist. 

Today, Cindi paints from her home studio in Cliffs Valley, where she has a firsthand view of the beautiful mountainous scenery as well as the Saluda watershed and the wildlife who reside there. She marvels at nature’s offerings, including the occasional bear sighting. 

Cindi’s repertoire of subjects is vast. She describes a pipe organ she saw in a beautiful church in Brussels, Belgium. The organ was a decorative golden color and Cindi couldn’t resist capturing the light that shone on the instrument. She tells me it took a long time to do just that but she didn’t stop until the project was complete. 

Over time, Cindi’s focus has become more of a painterly style. She states, “I’m not so focused on replicating everything I see in a setting or a photograph but more on creating a beautiful painting through the use of interesting brushstrokes, variety in color and shapes and determining when to soften edges and which ones to keep sharp.” “In other words,” she continues, she’s trying to enhance what she sees and eliminate the “noise and other distracting elements.” One of her favorite paintings is of her nephew, she calls “The Sentinel” pictured above.

Whether she’s painting pets as portraits, wild animals or capturing the beauty of nature, capturing an animal’s essence, through the eyes, Cindi Berry is masterful, in this author’s opinion. But you mustn’t take just my word for that. Cindi’s paintings are well worth the trip to the White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery in Travelers Rest. She believes art should be enjoyed, “it should make you happy and bring you a certain amount of joy” and indeed, Ms. Berry’s artwork does exactly that for the viewer.

See more by visiting CindiBerryFineArt.com