For the past two weeks, members and guests of First Christian Church in Chattanooga have been mesmerized by the newly displayed fine art of Gay Arthur. Her fascinations with architectural structures that are well known throughout the Chattanooga area often speak to the viewer. Because Gay loves the sense of place that structures hold for the viewer, her paintings seem to ignite conversations about years past among fellow art lovers and historians alike.
“Moments in Time: The Fine Art of Gay Arthur,” a show featuring Gay’s work, opened at the church beginning Oct. 7. A “Meet the Artist” show and sale will take place on Sunday, Nov. 11 with an Artist’s Reception from noon-2 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend.
Ms. Arthur did not follow a traditional artist’s career path. In fact, it was 25 years following her career as a dental hygienist before she made her life long dream come true by studying art at UTC and graduating with a BFA in Painting and Drawing in 2003. It was during this period that her passion for art that began with her love of architecture revealed itself as an artistic expression.
“Recurrent elements in my work include the intersection of geometric shapes, converging lines, and the interplay of the cast shadow and penetration of light,” states Ms. Arthur. “As a sculptor as well as a painter, I love the sculptural nature of oil paint and use varied methods of layering the paint from palette knife to glazing. Like the construction of a building, process is as important to me as the finished product,” she adds. Gay finds beauty in rusty walls, falling bricks and chipped paint. “There is an honor in their past and my paintings help leave a trace of their existence,” she reflects.
A portion of the proceeds from the “Moments in Time” show will benefit the Chattanooga Room In The Inn (CRITI), an organization that was founded by First Christian Church and several other community churches in 1988.
The public is invited to visit and purchase any of Gay’s artwork on display in the Crane Lounge and the sanctuary hallway at First Christian Church, now through Sunday, Nov. 11. For a private viewing on any weekday prior to Nov. 11, contact Gail Rich, JUMPST/ART at 423-710-5745 or gailrich@epbfi.com for an appointment.
Located at 650 McCallie Ave., across from UTC, all are welcome at First Christian Church, a church of service, working for wholeness in a broken world.