Catch Artist of the Month Jean Preston’s eclectic display of original works at Tryon Arts & Crafts School through February 27.  

 

Jean’s exhibit at TACS demonstrates the breadth of her skills in jewelry, drawing, painting, needlepoint, rug hooking, and more.  

 

Art has been a lifelong journey for Jean, starting with her early aptitude for portraiture. She recalls, “Even from a young age, I have had the ability to reproduce the likeness of an object in a sketch … in the 6th grade, I was asked to design a mural for my school that was finished in color tiles by the rest of the students. 6th grade is also when I started woodworking, working with a lathe, and painting ceramics.” 

 

Jean recounts milestones in her life as they correlate with her artistic interests. In college, while earning her teaching certification, she mastered color and shading. Her professors encouraged her to practice sculpture, for which she had a natural talent. Later, her move to Tryon in 1964 was highlighted with rug hooking and needlepoint. She taught needlepoint at TACS when the classes were still housed in the Tryon Fine Arts Center.  

 

Now a regular at TACS, Jean can be found frequently in the metalsmithing studio. She takes ongoing classes and participates in independent studio time. Jean brings her own semi precious stones, which she inherited from her late husband, Buck. The fruits of her labor are exquisite pieces of jewelry in a voice that is uniquely Jean’s. 

 

Jean is an artist’s artist. She is self-directed, an experimenter, and earnest in her practice. She says, “My teachers often shake their head at me, but I’ve just got something in my head that I’ve got to do. I get in a zone, I don’t look at what anyone else is doing…It’s just coming from my soul. I sure have had fun … We are very lucky to have TACS here in our small community and … such humble and talented teachers.”  

 

For more information about the school, please contact the office at (828) 859.8323 or visit our website, www.TryonArtsandCrafts.org.  

 

– Submitted by Will Barclift