THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512160084
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
DECKING HALLS with boughs of holly may be the traditional holiday way, but local artists can help us deck our walls for year-round enjoyment.
In our latest excursion, we discovered such art in abundance - whether your taste runs to pictures of peanut shocks, historic locations and landmarks, ducks or even pictures made entirely of words.
We came away wishing for halls to deck.
Our first stop was a familiar one, Bradshaw's Picture Frame Shop, 423 W. Washington St.
It stocks limited-edition prints of the former Thomas Jefferson and Suffolk High schools, Main Street United Methodist Church and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, by the Rev. David B. Lewis, former pastor at Main Street.
You also can pick up a print of the ubiquitous pen-and-ink of the Main Street train depot by Suffolk artist Gail Saunders. (539-6401).
While we were there, Denise Rountree, 12, came in to pick up a framed, chalk portrait of herself by Matthew Hall, 18. The North Carolinian works at Lowe's at 3061 Godwin Blvd.
Denise's mother explained they had commissioned Hall to do the work. The talented young man can be reached at work: 539-8793.
Becky Bradshaw mentioned John R. Taylor Jr. as a Suffolk artist worthy of note. He teaches and works out of a studio at his home at 114 S. Broad St.
Bradshaw referred us to Linda Bunch, administrative assistant for the Suffolk Art League at the Suffolk Museum, 118 Bosley St., to learn more about Suffolk artists Dana Andrews and Grace Leach.
Both have exhibited at the museum; Andrews has had several shows of her own, including one last May titled ``Tongue-tied,'' at the Walter Cecil Rawls Gallery in Courtland. Leach also displays her work at D'Art Center in Norfolk. Bunch had, at the museum, a photo montage by Leach titled ``Leaf Series No. 4.'' Both artists may be contacted through the Suffolk Museum, 925-0448.
It was also at the museum that we finally met Gail Saunders, the artist behind the train station prints. Saunders, who works with oils, acrylics, and water colors, in addition to pen-and-ink, teaches at the Suffolk and Walter Cecil Rawls Museums.
If it's pictures of peanut shocks you're after, she does them in acrylics; Planter's Peanuts bought her last one, an 18-by-24-inch canvas. She may be reached through the museums or by calling 657-6622.
Two weeks ago we discovered N&B Custom Framing Gallery, 4324 Godwin Blvd. Proprietor David Nelms also is an artist. His paintings of wildlife, such as ducks in flight along a reed-lined river, or raccoons playing with a bucket of apples, rank among the most realistic we've seen. He may be reached at 255-0318.
Just off Route 17 is the Crittenden Gallery, 8843 Eclipse Drive. Proprietor Ernest Cooper had works by the widest variety of local artists that we encountered.
Among them were paintings of the old Driver Trading Post and Smithfield Station by Debbie Hobbs, egrets and blue herons by Linda Phillips and beach scenes from Sandbridge and Back Bay to Cape Hatteras by Wayne Fulcher.
Cooper also has in his shop one of the first paintings by decoy artist Gary Trout. Another example of photo realism, it shows a Korean War vintage F-86 chasing a MIG through the clouds.
Cooper also had pictures of peanut shocks and old farms by Lois Saunders. Cooper may be reached at 238-3463.
Next door to the Crittenden Gallery is Michael Podesta Graphic Design, Inc.
Podesta paints pictures with words, using calligraphy, graphic design and silk screen printing. The words are usually from well-known religious, philosophical or poetic texts such as the Bible (usually the King James version), the Book of Common Prayer, Wordsworth and Kipling.
Some are the words of Podesta's friends. The words ripple, circle, spiral and curl to form shapes or splashes of light or color. The effect is aesthetically pleasing - and moving. Podesta has a catalog. You may reach him at 238-3595 or place orders by calling 1-800-922-3595.
Although the works of these local artists make excellent holiday gifts, they are not specifically seasonal and are available year round. A good New Year's resolution would be to discover a few of them yourself in 1996. by CNB