Michael Davis will be one of the artists present at Riverchase Loves Artists on February 2.

He is a watercolor realist inspired by the beauty and timelessness of the southern landscape. His passion for nature is reflected in his many paintings of the southeast, from the mountains of Tennessee and North Georgia to the Gulf Coasts of Alabama and Florida.

Although he began painting in oils when he was young, he quickly developed a love for the beauty and detail he could capture with watercolor. Influenced by the works of Hubert Shuptrine, John Carlson and Wayne Spradley, Michael has spent his entire career developing his unique style of realism with watercolor.

He has been accepted into numerous juried art shows and exhibitions. In January 2012, his Realism in Watercolor Solo Exhibit was featured at the Hardin Cultural Arts Center in Gadsden, Alabama. Recent exhibitions include Solo Exhibits in the Fine Art Gallery at the Levite Jewish Community Center of Birmingham and the Leeds Arts Council Gallery in Leeds, Alabama. He was a participant in the Alabama Wildlife Federation Art competition and the Energen Art competition in which his painting, “Autumn on the Bayou”, was purchased for their permanent collection. He also exhibited in the 54th Annual GAA Juried Art Show at the Gadsden Museum of At in August 2012. Michael returned with Solo Exhibits to Unicoi State Park and Amicalola Falls State Park in the North Georgia mountains in the fall of 2012 as part of their Visiting Artists Series. He looks forward to beginning his 2013 art calendar with the 7th Annual Riverchase Loves Artists Charity Art Show which he has participated in since its inception.

Among his many awards are First Place in the 2012 Eufaula Art Show, Hoover Arts Alliance Award at Art in the Gardens 2011, Hannah LeMaster Watercolor Award in Arts Alive 2011, Best of Show in Painting at the 2011 Fountain City Arts Fest, First Place Watercolor in the 2010 Hoover Shelby Art Association SHow and Best of Show in the 2009 Vestavia Art Association Show. Michael is a member of the Mountain Brook Art Association, the Vestavia Hills Art Association, and the Blue Ridge Mountains Art Association. His paintings are in private and corporate collections throughout the South. He currently resides with his wife in Homewood, Alabama.

http://www.michaeldaviswatercolors.com

I was born and bred in Nagoya City, Japan. In childhood I struggled to understand love due to my mother’s twisted affection and loneliness. I couldn’t find myself and I felt a cruel emptiness inside. As a result 15 years ago I came to Birmingham, Alabama to find freedom. In fact I found that there isn’t freedom but a lot of limitations. At first I was a stranger, an alien from another planet who could not speak or understand the language. I decided to go to school to learn English for communication. Then I was getting see what I couldn’t see before; there are a lot of gaps between others and me due to discriminations and stereotypes of Asian girls. I began to create art to express my mind without using the sound of speech.
I have always been interested in the human mind. I studied Children psychology at the university I attended in Japan. In my Tangled Hair Series, I’m symbolizing the different memories, feelings, and behaviors our minds create that affect our lives.
I create each piece of art by first making a pencil outline. After it is complete I paint artist acrylics on wood panels and rice paper from my native Japan. I use fine brushes as they allow me to achieve the detail I require and the ability to paint each strand of hair.

Rickie Higgins will be one of the artists present at Riverchase Loves Artists on February 2. This art show takes place INSIDE at Riverchase Country Club in Hoover.

In the past couple of years, Rickie Higgins has expanded his portfolio to include mixed media and continues to experiment with different processes as well as painting with oils to create large, colorful pieces of work. Creativity, imagination and passion are present in his expansive portfolio.

The beauty of vertical spaces with hints of unexpected color is the driving force behind his mixed media works of art. The artist lays down layers of paint on tarpaper and then cuts back into the surface forming unexpected organic lines. Then he applies wax and rubs it with an oil based glaze to create texture.

“Whether is it the music that plays while I paint, the subject matter, or just the blessing of being able to enjoy the process of creating, I find that I am becoming more connected to my spirit through this artistic journey.”

It’s exciting to watch the pieces come together as Rickie is guided to new opportunities through both imagery and medium, to create spaces that are skewed vertically, yet visually believable. Whether a lone chair, a vintage icon, or an abstract face, vertical lines find their place in the composition. Through his artistic talents and imagination, Rickie is able to fully express himself on the canvas.

While some of his work is featured above, you can visit his website to learn more … at http://www.higginsart.com. He is also on Facebook – search for HigginsArt and can be reached through email at higginsart@me.com.

And here is our final poster for Riverchase Loves Artists!

The Riverchase Loves Artists Art Show will take place Saturday, February 2, 2013 from 10:00am – 4:00pm. It will take place inside the Riverchase Country Club in Hoover, Alabama. It is open to the public and the admission is FREE!

The show will feature 40 – 50 artists with works in a variety of media.

The show, in its seventh year, is hosted by the Riverchase Women’s Club and will benefit Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, The Amelia Center, and the Exceptional Foundation.

Please join us! The Riverchase Country Club is located at 2000 Club Road, Hoover, AL 35244.