An opening reception and lecture, featuring the artist, will be held Thursday, Sept. 7. Reception at 5 p.m.; Lecture at 6 p.m.
WILSON, N.C. — August 17, 2017 — The beginning of a new academic year brings with it a new exhibition at the Barton Art Galleries. “Tracing Shadows,” featuring paintings, drawings and mixed-media works by artist and Barton art professor Susan Fecho will be on display beginning Thursday, Sept. 7, and will run through Thursday, Oct. 5. An opening reception and lecture, featuring the artist, will be held Thursday, Sept. 7. The reception will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the lecture at 6 p.m. This event is open to the public at no charge, and the community is invited to attend.
Fecho explained that “Tracing Shadows” presents a graceful impression of the inspirational and enchanting gardens of historic Tarboro, North Carolina – such as the Blount-Bridgers Historic Garden and Calvary Episcopal’s Victorian garden graveyard. “I have concentrated on the plantings, following the seasonal growth, and researching if these specific plantings were the ‘emblem of remembrance.’
“‘Tracing Shadows,’ as an exhibition focus, allows me to share recent research related to botanical illustration,” she continued. “I ask the viewers to ‘step inside’ and observe how these pieces set a mood. The exhibition, in an attempt to convey Victorian aesthetics, presents botanical plates and studies designed on hand-printed papers, vintage linens and hand-dyed silks; artistic techniques range through watercolor, mono-printing, collage, book arts, encaustic and stitched fabrics to construct an environment of nostalgia. Many of the plates include Victorian poetry from sources such as ‘The Flower Vase’ by Sarah C. Edgarton, published in 1850. Delicate neutral and pearl grays mix with deep tones of red and greens to impart cultured calmness.”
A professor of art at Barton College since 1997, Fecho also serves as dean of the College’s School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts. She studied at East Carolina University, Goldsmiths College of England, and the Jan van Eyck Academie of Holland. With a Master of Fine Arts degree from East Carolina University, Fecho continued with postgraduate studies through Northern Illinois University, the Penland School of Crafts, the Humboldt Field Research Institute of Maine, and the North Carolina Botanical Gardens. She is a trained printmaker, designer, and an illustrator with professional experiences that extend beyond three decades. Her art studio and gallery, Fecho Designs, is located in historic downtown Tarboro.
Fecho and her husband, Scott, make their home in Tarboro. They have one son and three grandchildren.
The Barton Art Galleries, located inside Case Art Building on the campus of Barton College, are open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For additional information, please contact Maureen O’Neill, director of exhibitions and educational programming Barton Art Galleries at 252-399-6476 or artgalleries@barton.edu.
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