Visitors to Artworks Around Town in March will be treated to two exhibits in the Studio Gallery. Oglebay Institute sponsored, “Ceramics Takeover Wheeling 23” and James Luke’s “Images of the Cosmos” will be displayed for the month beginning Friday March 3, 2023, with a festive Gallery Hop from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.
Artworks is honored to participate in the citywide “Ceramics Takeover”. One of six sites in the area exhibiting works done by nationally known ceramists, the Gallery will feature creations by Bo Bedilion, Betsy Cox and Tom Thomas. According to Oglebay Institute, the Takeover is “ a citywide event that will celebrate ceramic artists and clay enthusiasts alike”.
Bo Bedilion has been an Associate Professor at Columbia College in Kansas since 2010. He received his MFA in Ceramics from Kansas State University and his BA in Art from California University of Pennsylvania. He states,
“Making pottery satisfied my desire to create useful objects with my hands. … I strive to manifest visual representations of loosely held memories, while retaining the structural integrity of a well-made pot.” He is an active potter and exhibits his work both regionally and nationally.
Betsy Cox is an award winning ceramic artist who has been creating treasures in clay for over 27 years. She works in various styles with a concentration in primitive types of firings, including wood, Raku, pit and Saggar. Her love of archeology has had a profound impact on her styles, shapes and surfaces. Her works can be found in numerous private and corporate collections. Cox has participated in solo, group and invitational exhibitions and has been featured in many publications.
Tom Thomas has experimented in several mediums but clay is the one he has preferred to work in for the past eight years. He states, “Clay has allowed me to express and illustrate my impressions of our world.” The majority of his creations are hand built, starting from a rolled out slab, ultimately creating a unique piece of art which will be pleasing and enjoyed by others.
If you have not had the opportunity to see James Luke’s stunning metal prints of nebulae and planets, visit this month because they will adorn the walls of the Gallery until the end of March. Come to the Market, have coffee and see and purchase original works of over twenty local artists. Artworks Around Town is a non profit fine arts gallery located in Wheeling’s Historic Centre Market, open six days a week, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Anyone interested in joining Artworks, visit the website: www.artworksaroundtown.com for information and an application.