Exhibit Celebrates Artist, Teacher

By Joel Frady

The paintings of Ashe County artist Florence Thomas have once again taken the gallery walls of the Ashe

Arts Center in West Jefferson. The exhibit, which opened on Feb. 11, also features the work of 12 artists who were formerly students of Thomas. The exhibit will be on display through Friday, March 20.

Thomas was born in 1909 in Ashe County near the Virginia line and taught art for Wilkes Community College. She also formed the Blue Ridge Arts Clan as a way to bring the artists of the High Country together. The current exhibit features 31 of her works, including several versions of Sheep in Winter and On Bee Tree Road. Another painting, Tuckerdale Baptist Church, shows Thomas' vision of the church that burned down on Feb. 11, 2008.

Jane Lonon, executive director of the Ashe County Arts Council, said the arts council "wanted to bring a body of her work back here for the public to see, but we wanted to tie it to not just Florence the artist, but Florence the teacher." She added that they wanted to bring in works that feature "the same setting or the same picture, done over different time periods in her life to show her evolution as an artist," and "to take that concept and tie it to her role as a teacher and the impact that she had on her student's lives."

Barbara Sexton, a resident of Helton and former student of Thomas, said that Thomas invited her for a visit when they met 15 years ago. When Sexton visited, Thomas sat her down, handed her a picture of a farmhouse and said "just sit down and sketch this."

Once Thomas critique Sexton's painting, she had her paint it. Sexton said she learned a lot from her "very close friend.

"She had a very warm, beautiful personality, and everybody loved her," said Sexton, who painted exhibit entry Lonesome Crow. "She didn't do it in a way where you felt she was so far above you. You weren't intimidated by her. She made you feel very comfortable and very much at home."

Lonon said that it's not hard to see the influence of Florence Thomas in her students' work.

"In many cases what you'll see here is a painting that is very, very distinctively Florence, in terms of the colors that were used and the painting techniques, the brush strokes," said Lonon. She noted that it illustrates "the relationship that was made with Florence, the teacher, and her ability to encourage, inspire, teach, communicate the importance of art and painting and being an artist and what it means to somebody's life. She was a master of that."

The exhibit is also intended as a precursor for the 2009 season of classes at the Paul & Florence Thomas Memorial Art School in Glendale Springs. The school, which opened in August 2008, will hold 35 courses between May and October. The courses offered will primarily feature the fine arts, but the school will also offer classes in master crafts and writing.

To find out more about the exhibit, contact the Ashe County Arts Council at (336) 846-2787 or click to www.ashecountyarts.org.

To find out more about the Paul & Florence Thomas Memorial Art School, click to www.florencethomasartschool.org.