Artists

Meet our gallery artists

Ellen Schwarzbek​

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Ellen has recently returned to making art seriously, creating work that is informed by many years of art historical study and work in museums.  She loves the magic of art materials, working mostly with acrylic paints, colored and graphite pencils, and various fiber techniques.  A major interest is exploring the line between realistic and abstract images.​

Meredith Janssen​

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Rosemary Edwardson

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Meredith studied art at Newcomb College of Tulane University and George Washington University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree . Predominantly a watercolor artist, Meredith also works in oils, pastels, and graphic art printmaking. Photography and copper and silver jewelry design are included in her interests as well. She concentrates mostly in realistic landscapes and still-life paintings, although she also occasionally moves to figure painting. Originally from New Jersey, Meredith currently lives and paints in Hickory.​

I have always been fascinated by buildings, especially those that have seen life and hard labor, such as barns, farmhouses, and factories. The juxtaposition of the planes and angles of the building I then abstract and sometimes distort.  The power of the building is made clear.  I have a secondary fascination with landscape and nature, which also speaks of power.  This is especially true of the anthropomorphic tree.
 
Watercolor and pen and ink are my main media for these works.  Larger items may be acrylic on canvas.
 
I received my BA from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, where I majored in Art with an emphasis on painting.  Shortly after graduation I relocated to Central PA and established adult education classes including drawing and design and composition.
Also I did some set design and costume design for local community theater and community college.
 
My travels throughout the country and in fact the world have given me the opportunity to see and experience magnificent landmarks, landscapes, and of course, architecture.  In the last year I drew in those experience in my art work. 

Tom Helfert

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“Primarily paints in watercolor, specializing in portraits and figures; and does the occasional seascape. His primary goal is to create fresh pleasing paintings using the natural glow possible with transparent watercolor paint.”

Richard Sinclair

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One of the founding members of Full Circle Arts in 2000, Richard Sinclair has long been well-known in the area for his sculptures assembled from reused pieces of metal and found other materials.
One never knows what unusual creatures will emerge from Richard’s Shop in the woods.

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L. ​Michelle Bitler

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Ernest Sills

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​Ernest “Ernie” Sills is the recently retired president and managing partner of CBSA Architects in Hickory, North Carolina and has more than 51 years of experience with all facets of architecture and planning. Ernie started painting as a young person, which he continued through college. (By chance, Ernie was in the same art class in high school as Tommy Stine and Joe Lafone). He continued painting for a short while after graduation from NC State University and two years in the Army, but kids and demands of work finally got in his way.

About eight years ago he promised his wife, Cindy, that he could re-create a painting they had seen of Santorini while visiting there. The picture now hangs in their living
room and Ernie has renewed his love of painting. He has exhibited in several Downtown Hickory Art Crawls and tells us he has even sold a painting or two.