New abstract art on display at Sunset River Marketplace

On the heels of a highly successful art workshop with Sterling Edwards, Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash has announced a showing of Edwards’ newest abstract pieces at the gallery. It includes two on paper under glass and several large acrylic paintings on canvas.
The abstracts by Edwards will be available at the gallery through Sept. 30.
“Sunset River will offer another Sterling Edwards abstract acrylics workshop April 1-5, 2013,” said gallery owner Ginny Lassiter. “This has been one of our most popular, most sought-after workshops. I advise anyone who is interested in participating to contact the gallery and register for the class.”
Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Edwards now resides in Hendersonville, where he has a commercial gallery/studio in addition to his home studio. He began painting at age 12, when his parents noticed his natural ability to draw and enrolled him in an oil painting class. The young artist quickly began experimenting with every medium available to him.
His painting background is mainly in traditional transparent watercolor.
Once a student of watercolor master Zoltan Szabo, Edwards developed his own watercolor style and began conducting workshops in 1993. He is also the designer of a signature set of watercolor brushes and palette that are marketed internationally.
He has been a featured artist in Watercolor Magic magazine and in 2008 was elected as a signature member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour.
In 2010, he was awarded a signature membership in the esteemed Transparent Watercolor Society of America. His book, “Creating Luminous Watercolor: a Four-Step Process,” was published in 2010 by Northlight Books.
According to the artist, he spent years making the transition from a representational painter to an abstract artist.
“My abstracts are my personal interpretations of things I have seen and places I have ventured,” he said.
As an abstract expressionist, Edwards relies on expressive brushwork to convey a sense of energy in his paintings. When combined with multiple layers of pigment and rich value contrasts, a thought provoking painting emerges that is a unique interpretation by the artist.
Sunset River Marketplace is a 10,000 square-foot gallery featuring fine arts and crafts by North and South Carolina artists. The gallery feature community programs, art and pottery classes, and custom on-site framing.
Visit the gallery at 10283 Beach Drive SW (N.C. 179) in Calabash. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 575-5999 or visit www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com. The gallery also has a Facebook page and posts daily updates about new art, programs and events.