Join us for the opening reception of our Summer Spotlight exhibition, celebrating the exceptional work of two Tennessean oil painters: Sheryl Hibbs and Frank Baggett. While their artistic visions are distinctly their own, their works beautifully complement one another in this exciting new show. Bring your friends and immerse yourself in local talent, fine art, light refreshments, and live music by Randy Perkins & The Significant Brothers.
About Sheryl Hibbs:
“On the Dock of the Bay” by Sheryl Hibbs
Born in New Jersey, Sheryl Hibbs has lived along the east coast from Maine to Florida. In 1991 she and her family moved to just outside of Memphis, TN where she currently resides.
At an early age Sheryl’s elementary school teacher encouraged her parents to develop her artistic talent. At the age of 8 she began classes using pastels but within a few years discovered oils. Though she has been trained in many mediums, oils remain her medium of choice.
After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Marketing, she was employed as a commercial Interior Designer. She continued to develop her artistic skills through attending workshops and painting with other more accomplished artists. Over the years she has attended workshops taught by instructors David Millard, C.W. Mundy, John Lasater, Jason Sacran, and Larry Moore.
In 1994 Sheryl established a business using her painting techniques to accomplish trompe l'oeil paintings, murals, and faux finishing. Her clients also regularly requested commissioned oil paintings. After thirteen years she refocused her energies toward her career as a professional artist. In 2010 she purchased a gallery and utilized a portion of the gallery as studio space allowing her to paint daily. She hosted and attended workshops taught by Qiang Huang, Dawn Whitelaw, and Roger Dale Brown. She closed the gallery in 2015 to pursue her calling of creating fine art full time.
Sheryl initially was taught to paint by copying the Realism style of painting -which aided her in trompe l'oeil murals. Today she produces a variety of styles of artwork from Impressionistic to Nonrepresentational style (Abstract). She loves painting on large canvases as she experiments with new ideas and varying approaches to the subject matter. She is intrigued with the way oil paint moves across the canvas and reacts with different tools. She is known for her use of color and brushwork and continually challenges herself to learn more.
“I have adapted a quote from Eric Lidell that says it all for me. "I believe that God made me for purpose…when I paint, I feel His pleasure." -Sheryl Hibbs
About Frank Baggett
“Spring” by Frank Baggett
Frank is a native Tennessean with the passion to capture many of Tennessee's typical scenes of beauty on canvas. Working mainly in oils, the artist renders paintings that are reminders of childhood memories, actual images of old buildings, or perhaps the romance of a large city ...his subject changes daily. He uses unusual techniques which include painting with a palette knife, painting with a small brush...or even a nail! His impasto style is a combination of Impressionism as well as Realism and can be seen done in demonstrations at both his studio or when doing demos at a gallery or other venues. "Oftentimes I will walk past a place that I have crossed many times in the past, but this time the sunlight strikes it, and it suddenly becomes an inspiration," Baggett says. He enjoys using light in his cityscapes which can depict the noisy, chaotic lifestyle of urban life which often folks can identify with.
”All my life I have been blessed with being in the outdoors and seeing nature's beauty firsthand. As a boy, I fished the creeks around home as well as hunted in the woods. During my lifetime of living in Tennessee, I have been a sawmill worker, logger, commercial fisherman, as well as an artist. To observe nature firsthand and to have the opportunity to put on canvas what I have witnessed is my ambition in life. Many of my works are taken from daily observations and hikes around my studio. Other works are from travels across the United States. As I grow older, I want my children and their children's childrento have the same opportunity to grow up surrounded by the beauty of nature as I have. This will only happen with conservation of our natural resources and proper management of them. Life is short, my friend, so please take the time to sit down and watch a sunset...as it is hand crafted, right from God's own easel..” - Frank Baggett