May at Cheese House Gallery features
“Personal Refuge” by Judy Humphrey

Banner Elk May 2009 – Art has always had a way of invoking emotions within humans by manipulating the senses. The Cheese House Gallery is featuring artist Judy Humphrey who uses her concentrated passion to summon a deep emotional experience when viewing her artwork. Judy’s exhibit, “Personal Refuge” is part of a series entitled Human Pestilence which she has been working on since 2000. Humphrey states, “My work references social issues, art history, and critical theory, while also seeking to simply entertain and excite the eye.”

Humphrey hails from Florence, South Carolina and received a BFA in Art Education and an MFA in Printmaking from the University of Georgia in Athens. She also had the opportunity to study for four months in Cortona, Italy. In 1973 Humphrey made the move to Boone and taught for thirty-four years in the Art Department at Appalachian State University. In 2005 Judy received a University Research Committee (URC) Grant from Appalachian, which enabled her to explore Polaroid transfer technology, a technique that is now been superseded and no longer available to the public.

This exhibit uses a variety of single and mixed print media – etching, relief, lithography, monotype and photography – as well as recycled images and materials from the popular culture. These pieces of artwork are sure to tantalize and entrance the mind while also sending out a reminder of our increasingly chaotic economic environment. While Humphrey focuses particularly on environmental factors, she also pays homage to the female psyche and ways which women focus their attention towards nurturing activities.

“Personal Refuge” is on display May 5 - 29 at the Cheese House Gallery. The public is invited to attend the Opening Reception on Thursday, May 7, from 5 – 7:00 PM. A project of the Avery County Arts Council, the Cheese House Gallery is located at 630 Shawneehaw Avenue (Hwy. 184) in Banner Elk. Gallery Hours are 11 AM – 4 PM Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment.

The Avery County Arts Council is a non-profit organization working to enrich the people of Avery County through meaningful arts and cultural experiences. For more than 30 years the council has helped to support school arts programs and served as a resource for artists and the community. Contact the Avery County Arts Council at 828-898-4292 or info@averycountyartscouncil.org