Editorial by Bobby Tingle

Sunday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting two delightful artists who are serious about their craft. I have proven more than once that I am not an artist. I have references. But instinctively even I know fine art when I see it. The art I observed this beautiful Sunday afternoon is very good.

Sarah Perry and Jude Searl have their art on exhibit for the month of April at Heritage House Museum. It is worth the trip to see their art. Jude paints, applying color and form to canvas. Sarah assembles jewelry from her collection of jewelry pieces. That each has talent is evident in their work. Sarah is a nineteen-year-old Mauriceville native who graduated from Orangefield last year. Jude is a typical three and a half year old little boy.

Their art is on exhibit in the Williams Building on the Heritage House Campus.

Sarah creates jewelry from her collection of jewelry pieces she gathers. She looks for vintage costume jewelry at estate sales and flea markets then disassembles before designing and assembling her own creation.

“I start with the drop,” Perry said. “I pay close attention to detail, the color and design.”

As Sarah pointed out the details of individual pieces, she meticulously identified colors, patterns and graphics.

Her completed pieces are not random creations but rather a unique blend of color, form and design. Each of her creations is hand made.

Several of her pieces on display she has named. One she named, The Hawaiian Sea. It is a display of blue for the sea, green for seaweed and seashells.

Another she named The Spring of Love. Frankly, I do not know how to describe this piece and how the name fits. But while looking at it, I knew it did.

My first encounter of the afternoon with Jude occurred as I walked up to the Williams Building. The young artist was sitting on the steps enjoying a cookie. He seemed awfully content, but when the cookie was gone and the crumbs were wiped away, off he went. Typical three year old, I thought.

Then, I saw his art. Not so typical anymore, I now thought.

Jude’s grandmother is an artist. One day she placed a blank canvas and paint in front of him to see what he would do. He then revealed his remarkable ability to create works of art. Painting, as a result, has become his passion.

Jude’s grandmother pours paint in muffin tins for Jude to dip from. While cleaning the tins one day, Jude insisted on using the dried circles of paint pulled from tins. He took those rounds and showed Granny where he wanted them on the canvas. She then showed him how to attach them with wet paint. Jude then branched out into textured creations.

More can be said about these two. But for now their art is the real story.

If you take time to view their work, you will be glad you did.

 

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. He can be reached at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com