Mt. Vernon Register-News

Local

Related Photos

  • Sandie Kahl works on one of her pieces at the Independent Artists Studio. One of Kahl’s pieces was chosen to be part of the Tarble Artists Biennial Watercolor and Drawing Exhibition at Eastern Illinois University.

    Independent artists
November 20, 2012

Local women chosen for art show

By ROSIE GITHINJI rosie.githinji@register-news.com

JEFFERSON COUNTY — — Three local women who are members of the Independent Artists Studio, were chosen out of 200 artists to be part of a show at the Eastern Illinois University Tarble Arts Center.

They are part of the 43 artists chosen and 69 accepted pieces for the show, which will open Dec. 9. The show is a juried show from the actual works, not from photographs.

The women said their inspiration for their work comes from anything and everywhere.

“We share ideas, photos, techniques... everything,” said Sandie Kahl, who is an artist from Thompsonville. “Most of us have been here for years.”

Brenda McCollum, an artist from Benton said the Independent Artists Studio was started so the 12 people who do their work there would have a place to hang out together. McCollum has been participating in the show at EIU for 15 years now. McCollum added each artist interprets the world from a different perspective, resulting in a variety of ideas.

Carol Wilkinson, who is from Opdyke, is the final artist of the trio whose work made it into the show at the Tarble Arts Center. She said the work chosen is from all around the state of Illinois, so the competition is pretty intense. She said this is the third time her work has been featured in the show.

Wilkinson, like the other ladies, is retired and wanted something to fill her time since she was no longer working full time. She said she enjoys the artists’ studio because she has the chance to share her ideas and hear ideas from the others in the group.

“With art, like with writing, the more you do the better you get,” she said.

Wilkinson is one of the artists whose work was chosen for the show. Her pen and ink drawing is titled “Still Standing” and is of the old AMVETS building, which used to be located east of the YMCA and was torn down. McCollum painted a close up view of a 57 Chevy, titled “It Was A Very Good Year II; 57 Chevy.” The painting is a close up view of the reflections in the chrome bumper of the vehicle. Sandie Kahl’s piece is titled “Pride,” painted from a photograph of the old Mt. Vernon railroad depot doors, which was taken just hours before the depot was torn down.

The ladies will also be participating in a 10 year anniversary exhibition next year, featuring work from all the artists at the Independent Artists Studio. They have also been working hard to get pieces for the upcoming annual Christmas sale completed.

To see work from Wilkinson, McCollum, Kahl and the other artists from the studio, visit them Nov. 30 through Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 2424 Broadway.

Text Only
Local

Local Photo
DSC_0004.JPG

TESA GLASS/REGISTER-NEWS
Mt. Vernon Police blocked a portion of North Ninth Street Wednesday morning about 11 a.m. after reports the brick facade of the apartment building at the corner of Ninth and Maple streets was falling to the ground. The bricks took out cable lines, awnings and were landing on the street.