Meet the Artists: The first five Open Studios Botetourt Oct. 26-27
Open Studios Botetourt: Art in the Country is the upcoming weekend on Oct. 26-27. 10-5 0n Saturday, 11-5 on Sunday. An array of art and jewelery will be available on the tour. A map of the sites can be accessed at openstudiosbotetourt.com This is the 9th year of the self-guided tour. A passport can be stamped at each tour stop to register to win a $150 gift card towards the purchase of art. James River and Lord Botetourt Art students have also prepared works to be displayed at the stops.
14 artists will be highlighted this week. Here are the first five:
Linda Atkinson is a visual artist and native of Roanoke. She lived for 13 years in California, teaching sculpture and women’s studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Returning to Southwestern Virginia, she taught studio art as a visiting lecturer for Hollins University, Radford University and Roanoke College, where she was also gallery director and curator of the Olin Hall Galleries for 11 years. Linda currently teaches art history at Virginia Western Community College, and in addition to teaching she is an art consultant and fine art appraiser and maintains an active art studio and gallery of her work in Fincastle, Virginia.
Lois Bisese lives on her family’s farm, nestled against the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her two daughters and husband of 18 years. Lois has surrounded herself with art, color and gardens. The beauty around Bisese, along with the joyfulness of life, supply her with inspiration for creating designs in metals that become wearable art. She will exhibit with Dreama Kattenbraker
As a painter and printmaker, Edward Bordett lives and works in Fincastle. Bordett’s studio/gallery is located at 5 East Main St in an old Oldsmobile dealership. Located inside is gallery space, as well as studio areas, for painting and printmaking. Ed works in Silkscreen print-making and Mono printing. Bordett also paints using oil and watercolor. Ed’s work depicts urban and small subjects. The work focuses on architecture with great emphasis on geometric shapes and patterns. Bordett’s work can be seen at The Market Gallery in Roanoke and at Artists in Cahoots in Lexington. If interested in a visit to the studio, please contact Ed Bordett directly.
Nancy Dahlstrom feels lucky to have an art studio behind her house, where she can spend hours looking at the landscape and making art works. Dahlstrom’s artwork is inspired by the beauty of nature, by the many plants in her gardens, and by the Botetourt landscape. She was a professor of art at Hollins University for 40 years, and her artwork has been exhibited extensively in the United States and abroad. The recipient of many awards, she was honored in 2011 by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, Roanoke, Virginia, with the Perry F. Kendig Award for Outstanding Visual Artist, for her contributions to the local arts community. Sketchbook and camera in hand, Nancy Dahlstrom has traveled to France, Norway, Scotland, Greece, Malaysia, and along the length of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, journeys which exposed her to works of art and artists throughout these regions. Upon returning from these travels, she produced artwork based on her experiences.
Since early childhood, art has been a part of Vera Dickerson’s life. Academic training played an important part early on,when Vera studied painting and American art history, and she received a MFA from American University. Dickerson says that studio time brings both joy and frustration, but ultimately, it fills a need to create, to turn ideas into images and to sometimes share her sense of humor with others. Art is not created in a vacuum, so sharing is important to Vera. Her love of pattern, and the excitement she feels when working with glorious color relations, brings happiness whenever she paints. Dickerson lives in Botetourt County with assorted cats. Her work has received awards in International exhibitions and is in collections throughout the United States and in Europe. She has been elected to signature status in American and National Watercolor Societies.
–Open Studios Botetourt 2019
