Artist Jim Weitzel has been named Tryon Arts & Crafts School’s artist of the month.

His artwork is currently being featured in the gallery of the school, 373 Harmon Field Rd., open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Jim grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio and was fortunate enough to spend many hours at the Cleveland Museum of Art and live minutes away from the Salvador Dalí collection, now in St. Petersburg, Fla. These collections have had a lasting effect on his work. He attended the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio, graduating in 1979, and has been living in North Carolina for the last 30 years. 

He started creating art at an early age and says, “I have two great passions in my life: art and my role at CooperRiis. I have a great interest in the subconscious and dreams, and much of my current work comes straight from my dreams. My paintings are a quest to take the mundane images of pop culture and elevate them to a surreal level. I create with a process of making collage from magazine images, then reinterpret them through the painting process, allowing my subconscious to influence the final product.”       

Stop by Tryon Arts & Crafts School’s gallery to see a representation of Jim’s work.

For additional information, contact Tryon Arts & Crafts at 828-859-8323 or visit online at tryonartsandcrafts.org.

– article submitted by Cathy Fischer