Lenoir, NC – The Caldwell Arts Council is pleased to announce the art exhibit “Close to Home” featuring work by the following artists:

Photography on display by Ron Schwartz (Lenoir NC; http://ronschwartzphoto.com),

Paintings by Chad Cole (North Augusta SC; http://www.chad-cole.com) and

Portraits on recycled trash by Dion Hitchings (Milford NJ; http://www.dionhitchings.com).
The exhibit will be open to the public February 2-March 29, 2018. A meet-the-artists reception will be held February 2, 2018, 5-7pm, hosted by CCSAEOP (Caldwell County Schools Association of Educational Office Professionals.) The exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public!

About The Artists

Ron Schwartz – “Landscapes Within Minutes of Lenoir”
Ron says, “I have always had a strong connection to the outdoors and natural places. In these days where people are growing up spending much less time outdoors than each previous generation, it is important for me to extol the benefits and beauty of our natural surroundings in the hope that they will be preserved. In my photography I look for strong compositions which consist of triangles, curves, and diagonal lines that will bring out the beauty of common scenes. I attended the Maryland School of Art and Design for two years in the late 70’s.”

Chad Cole
Chad Cole is a contemporary painter whose work is inspired by the landscape, stories, and architecture of the Southern United States. His recent series of oil paintings explores the transformation of the landscape throughout Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas, specifically how modern changes to agrarian life are physically manifested through the abandonment, destruction, and subsequent loss of agricultural and industrial architecture. The artist is constantly searching the backroads of the South for unique examples of Americana to use as subject matter in his paintings. Barns, textile mills, and vintage signs are a few of subjects that Chad often uses in his art work.

Dion Hitchings – “Portraits on Recycled Trash”
I purposely choose to use untraditional media. I create my works with various children’s art supplies including, crayons, magic markers, highlighters and colored pens. Using consumer boxes, discarded furniture and “trash” instead of traditional drawing surfaces has enabled me to break down pre-existing print, images, and textures while allowing the type and pictures from the recycled object to become organically part of the portrait.

About the Caldwell Arts Council:
The Caldwell Arts Council’s mission is to establish and maintain an awareness and appreciation of cultural arts in Caldwell County, to encourage participation in art events, and to offer various educational opportunities and administrative services in support of artists, arts agencies, and audiences. Located at 601 College Ave SW in Lenoir, operating hours are Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm – free to the public. For more information, call 828-754-2486 or visit www.caldwellarts.com