Tryon Painters & Sculptors will host an opening reception for their November showcase of talent, and you won’t want to miss it! Please plan to attend on Saturday, Nov. 5, and be touched by the works of talented guest artists Rich Nelson, Keith Spencer and David Zacharias.

You will also enjoy the work of member artists Douglas Chamberlain, Patricia Hayes, Blaine Owens and Susie Welsh Hearn. The reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. with light refreshments available. Every artistic taste will be satisfied and delighted with so many styles and media to enjoy.

Portrait artist Rich Nelson also loves painting landscapes, still lifes, and figurative gallery pieces. He has a fascination with people, places and things, and considers it a privilege and challenge to capture their essence on canvas. He holds a BFA from the College of Creative Studies in his hometown of Detroit, Mich.

Since 2001, when he earned a Certificate of Merit in PSOA’s Annual Portrait Competition, he has entered into many competitions, winning awards in each and culminating with his ‘Lily Outdoors’ being accepted into Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition and obtaining signature status from the Portrait Society of America.

Full-time fine art painter Keith Spencer’s work springs from his many years of professional experience, along with a BFA from Berry College in Mt. Berry, Ga., and years of teaching art. He has taught in Louisville, Ky., Greenville, S.C., and Bardstown, Ky.

Some of his collections are held by the Downtown Committee of Greenville S.C., Greenville Memorial Hospital System, Artescape of Tryon, and a host of individuals who follow his work.

Ceramic artist David Zacharias delights in producing vessels with sculptural aspects. His lidded vessels are considered viewer interactive, since the lid must be removed to view the inside or to use the vessel. He holds an MFA from Carolina and a BFA from USC, and though he spent the bulk of his adult years working blue-collar jobs, he never stopped making art or lost his passion for the arts.

He has had 25 one-person exhibitions, been in about 100 group exhibitions, and participated in over 70 competitive juried art exhibitions. He has also taught at USC Columbia, USC Aiken, and Converse College, and received three different awards for teaching excellence. Recently retired, he is now able to devote his life to his passion.

Member artist talent includes photographer Douglas Chamberlain; acrylic painter, mixed media and collage artist Patricia Novella Hayes; painter Michael Haynes; photographer Blaine Owens; and hand-built clay sculptor Susie Welsh Hearn.

The Nelson-Spencer-Zacharias show will continue through Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Tryon Painters & Sculptors Gallery, located at 78 N. Trade Street in downtown Tryon. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, you can visit the Gift Gallery featuring the works of over 50 local and regional artists.

   For additional information about this event as well as upcoming shows, classes, workshops and demonstrations please visit TPS’ gallery and studios or tryonpaintersandsculptors.com. Additionally, you can find Tryon Painters & Sculptors on Facebook.

– article submitted by Robin Turner