Holiday Exhibit
Juniper Art Gallery celebrated the 2023 holiday season with a Group Exhibit featuring four talented local artists, Gene Harrawood, Karen Holtzclaw, Ben Toledo, and Becky Wood. Each artist has a unique style in a diversity of chosen media. The Exhibit ran from Nov 9- Dec 30, with an opening reception during December's First Friday Gallery Walk (Dec 1, 5-8:00 pm), with special music 6-7:30pm.
Ben Toledo’s relationship with art started with pencil and paper when he was young. Over time he played around with different mediums but has since been captivated by the world of digital art. His focus is primarily on portrait work because the face can carry so much passion and emotion. Ben’s desire is to tell people’s life stories through his paintings while simultaneously educating himself and others on how to more genuinely love those around us.
Becky Wood has an ever-growing archive of the artwork she has created over the past decade or more, including a daily series: one artwork a day for 10 years. Drawn to texture, color, and form, Becky creates to build connections to the people around her. Her friends and family are inspirations and are often featured in Becky’s artwork. She is currently working on a book of prints and paintings using flowers from her niece's wedding bouquet.
Gene Harrawood is a self-taught artist when it comes to painting. He says that he “has no true style” and enjoys detailed and traditional art and has combined those to contemporary style in the pieces on display.
From oil, acrylic, oil pastel, colored pencil, watercolor and print making, Gene enjoys experimenting with mixing medias together and seeing the end results. His work has been displayed in local venues for several years and finds inspiration from the wooded habitat around his home in the Bloomington/New Unionville area. “I feel that I’m a guest of this beautiful planet and that Mother Nature is my host. My art reflects my homage to her and to those things that I find so beautiful and that surround me/us every day of our lives.”
Karen Holtzclaw was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1946. She became aware of her artistic potential in early grade school with a drawing of a cow sticking its head through a split rail fence to reach a patch of flowers (an impressive feat for a budding, young artist!). Over the years, drawing and painting has been a source of happiness and growth for Karen. She has been painting in oils since 1968 and enjoys sharing her work with others. “Recently my work has transformed from observational to fantasy and whimsy, reflecting unfolding joy from within.”
