Appalachian Strings at Floyd Center for the Arts
Opening June 10 from 5-7pm at the Floyd Center for the Arts will be two new exhibitions: Appalachian Strings in the Hayloft Gallery and Anima Appalachia by Lauren Cooper in the Falcon Gallery.
About the Appalachian Strings Exhibition:
Falcon Gallery – June 10 – August 5, 2023
Curated by local luthier, Mike Mears, luthiers across the New River Valley will be showcasing their impressive and gorgeous builds, featuring musical instruments as you’ve never seen them before. The wealth of creativity in Appalachia never ceases to amaze!
Please join us for our opening reception on Saturday, June 10, 5-7pm.
“Appalachian Strings” will also include an Instrument Show & Sale on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 & 9.
Finally, we will come together to celebrate once more at our closing reception with a concert by The Mike Mitchell Band! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 5, 5-7pm.
This is sure to be a unique and eye-opening experience! We look forward to seeing everyone at our opening reception. Thank you to Mike Mears for bringing this wonderful creation to our space!
About Anima Appalachia – Solo Exhibition:
Falcon Gallery – June 10 – August 5, 2023
“In selecting pieces for this show,” states Lauren Cooper, “I am attempting to pay homage to the animistic spirit of the land and inhabitants of my home for the past 33 years in the Appalachian mountains of Southwest Virginia. My work is an expression of my connection to the spirits, ancestors, and ghosts of these beautiful mountains, of our old vernacular farmhouse home, and the surrounding gardens and woodlands that make up Greenstar Farm and Apothecary.”
“I enjoy working in a variety of media and am especially happy to include several paintings from an ongoing new series on homemade rabbit skin parchment in this exhibit. We have kept a rabbitry for over 12 years as part of our family self sufficiency endeavors, and recently figured out how to process meat rabbit hides into parchment suitable for painting and calligraphy.”
“All my work attempts to express my animistic vision of my world. I am concerned with ideas and pursuits of shape shifting, experiences with animal allies, healing with plant allies, practices of folk magic, and in general, art making to assuage ecological grief. Ultimately I attempt to inspire creativity and resilience in myself and others moving through climate change and other daunting challenges of the 21st century. All my work is rooted in our local terrain and community.”
