Garrett County Government - Department of Business Development

Local Artists Included in 'Artists of Maryland: Visual Art'

Last Updated on Mar 29, 2021 at 10:31am | Arts & Culture

Article courtesy of NCWV Media - The Republican. Staff Writer: Brenda Ruggiero. Photo Credit: Brenda Ruggiero.
 
 
The work of two Garrett County artists has been featured in Maryland first lady Yumi Hogan’s book, “Artists of Maryland: Visual Art.”
 
Kathy Beachler, executive director of the Garrett County Arts Council, said the book was created by the Maryland State Arts Council for Hogan to give away as a gift to friends.
 
“The Garrett County Arts Council is honored first lady Yumi Hogan included two of our county’s exceptional artists, Sue Arnson and Joan Chaney, in her book,” Beachler said. “It is always gratifying to see our artists and their work being showcased on the state level. We are grateful to the first lady of Maryland and the Maryland State Arts Council for their continued support of the arts in Garrett County.”
 
Each county’s arts council was asked to nominate two visual artists in 2D. The submitted work had to lay flat, so this could not include potters, woodworkers, sculptors or jewelers.
 
Arnson’s selection is a watercolor painting of a farm in the Grantsville area.Arnson’s selection is a watercolor painting of a farm in the Grantsville area.
 
“I love the barn on the hill,” she said. “When I moved to Garrett County in 1987, I fell in love with the landscape — farms, barns, hills, forests — the whole thing. So that’s when I became a watercolor painter. I was driven to paint this beautiful world in which we live.”
 
Arnson’s studio, the Loft Shop, is located near Accident. She said that when she was invited to put a piece in the book, she wanted to have it be representative of Garrett County.
 
“I think this painting is indeed a representation of our area,” she said.
 
Chaney’s piece is a quilt, “Glacier Pines,” which is 86 inches square. She said the pattern is by Judy Niemeyer, and it was custom quilted by Marj Coffey.
 
“Most of the fabrics I selected came from Four Seasons Stitchery” in Grantsville, Chaney said.
 
She has been quilting for more than 30 years and has a small business called Quilts and More. She also shows her work at the Garrett County Arts Council and online at SeymourArt.org.
 
“I am so honored to be part of Mrs. Hogan’s book,” Chaney said.
 
Hogan included a welcome message in the book.
 
“As Maryland’s First Lady, I have travelled extensively to experience the work of artists that reside in our state,” it reads. “My own artwork has been featured in art shows and museums in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, South Korea and more, so I understand the importance of presenting work to the public. I have made it a priority to share my love of the arts with Marylanders of all ages through arts education and I have become a strong proponent of art therapy and the positive impact it can have on health and well-being.”
 
Hogan stated that “Artists of Maryland: Visual Art” is a collection of images representing artists from every region — from the mountains of Western Maryland to the beaches of the Eastern Shore.
 
“You will notice that there is an abundance of talent in our state so it was a pleasurable task to curate the work for this book,” she said. “Creativity and creative people are vital to Maryland’s economy and communities, and it is an honor to feature 52 works of art by 52 artists in these pages.”