WEST MAIN ARTISTS CO-OP FEATURES
CHIP WALTERS AND KRISTOFER NEELY
OPENS ARTWALK SEPTEMBER 20TH
The West Main Artists Co-op is hosting a new exhibition
, Applauding God / Reflections of the Spirit.
This two-person exhibit displays works by Chip Walters and Kristofer
Neely and will be on view September 20 - October 13, 2012. The opening
reception is Thursday, September 20, 5-9pm and is part of Spartanburg's
Art Walk. During Art Walk, local galleries are open 5-9 pm, the third
Thursday of each month. The West Main Artist Co-op is located just 8
blocks west of downtown’s Morgan Square at 578 West Main Street,
Spartanburg, SC, 29301, 864- 804-6501,
www.westmainartists.org.
Chip
Walters and Kristofer Neely share common interests. Both enjoy
painting on wood and incorporate vibrant colors into their work. They
also use spirituality as inspiration. Chip often finds her art to be an
outlet for expressing gratitude to God. Kris creates his work as a
manual act of contemplative prayer. The artists also share a love for
outsider and self-taught art. In their personal lives, Walters and
Neely are both educators and adoptive parents.
Walters says of
Neely: “He is an artist that I admire for using art as a way to bring
joy and comfort to others and to express meaning through words and texts
….. each piece has a special meaning for the viewer to connect with.
When you see one of his Guardians you know that the place where it is
displayed holds special meaning to someone or some group.”
Kris
says of their collaboration, “When Chip invited me to consider a joint
show with her at the West Main Artists Co-op, I said yes immediately.”
Applauding God / Reflections of the Spirit is the joint show that has resulted from their collaboration.
Chip Walters
Chip
Walters is a graduate of Converse College and has been teaching at the
SC School for the Deaf and the Blind for 28 years. Since 2004 she has
been the Director of Fine Arts at SCSDB and is a National Boards
Certified Exceptional Needs Specialist. She is the director for many
theatre productions at SCSDB and coordinates all Fine Arts activities
for the agency.
Chip creates abstract art inspired by Bible
truths, often using verses and words. Each piece of art in this exhibit
reflects an applause to God. Several pieces of art will be donated to
The Journey, an inner-city church where Chip serves as Kid’s Camp
Coordinator.
Kris Neely
A graduate of Wofford
College, Neely earned his MFA from Goddard College in Plainfield,
Vermont. Kris currently serves as Assistant Dean and Coordinator for
Studio Art at Wofford. He teaches courses on painting, installation,
street art, and digital photography. Kris is the founding artist and
owner of Wet Paint Syndrome Art Studio, LLC in Hillcrest Specialty Row.
Since 2005, Kris Neely has painted more than 8,000 of his
“Guardians” on found wood. Inspired by self-taught and street artists,
these Guardian angels have been installed in church sanctuaries, college
campuses, public parks, homeless shelters and cemeteries. Recent
notable installations of Neely’s works include Ghost Ranch, New Mexico
and Oxford Chapel at Emory University in Georgia.
