The opening reception for the “New Frontiers Art Show” will be held on Friday, April 26 from 6-9 p.m. in the evening at Isothermal Community College in Columbus.

Refreshments will be available and the artists will be present. The third annual art show by present and past students of Don Blackwell will continue to be on display for the month of May at ICC, Polk Campus. Blackwell is a well-known local artist who works in pen and ink, watercolor, airbrush, oil, colored pencil, leather and woodcarving. This year, in addition to visual arts, woodcarvings will be on display by students in Blackwell’s class in woodcarving.

Blackwell teaches beginning drawing, intermediate drawing, pen and ink, mixed media and woodcarving at ICC. In addition, he offers open studio classes.

Blackwell, born and raised in Hendersonville, served in the Air Force as an Air Force artist. He lived in Alaska for 26 years, moving later to Hawaii and finally returning to Hendersonville in 2004. He has been teaching art since 1989.  He says about Hendersonville, “I love it here. What is fascinating about this community is the number of extremely talented artists who live in this area,” many of whom “did not realize they had the talent. It is a pleasure to find and develop that talent.”

Blackwell’s students come from several neighboring counties, including sas Polk County and state that they enjoy Blackwell’s positive guidance and the fact that he encourages his students to learn from each other “It is the joy that Blackwell has in his art that is so special,” one student said.

He began the art show three years ago so that his students would have the experience of exhibiting their art, and he wanted to share their talent with the community. Blackwell exhibits his art at Tryon Arts and Crafts School gift shop in Tryon, Kathleen’s in Saluda, the Heritage Museum Gift Shop in Hendersonville and One of a Kind Art Gallery in Micaville.

Isothermal Community College is a center for continuing education for adults with courses offered in art, art history, creative writing, history, digital photography, computers, health and exercise, and agriculture/gardening. The Polk campus is located near St. Luke’s Hospital on Highway 108. For questions, directions, or to inquire about courses, please call 894-3092.  New courses begin the first week in May.

– article submitted by Betsy Sellers