Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts takes a ‘Walk on the Wild Side’
Published 10:41 am Sunday, April 7, 2024
A new art exhibition is coming to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, exploring exotic and endangered wildlife. The ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ theme aims to raise awareness about conservation and identifying species on the brink of extinction, with the goal of recovery. The community is invited to attend the free opening reception on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ will be on view in the Center’s award-winning TowneBank Art Gallery and Norfolk Foundation Gallery from April 11 to May 18, 2024.
Endangered animals are classified as species threatened by extinction due to loss of habitat, genetic variation, and poaching. ‘The Endangered Species Act,’ established in 1973, provides a program for their conservation and protection.
The exhibition features two artists: naturalist photographer Bonnie Horne and painter Bobbi Gunn. Bonnie Horne’s work expresses the beauty and diversity of the natural world, focusing on understanding animal habits and capturing them in various settings. Bobbi Gunn, a self-taught painter, showcases her inspiration for the environment through landscape and endangered animal paintings.
Betsy DiJulio serves as this year’s juror, tasked with selecting award-winning artworks from a range of mediums. The ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ exhibition presents works by 46 talented artists and offers a variety of art forms for purchase.
Artists include;
Walk on the Wild Side’ art exhibition showcases 46 talented Artists creating one-of-a-kind decoys, paintings, jewelry, photography, stained glass, ceramics, sculptures, felted art, and drawings. The artwork is available for purchase.
Angel Jones, Portsmouth
Angie Salerno, Suffolk
Barbara Kobylinska, Virginia Beach
Bobbi Gunn, Virginia Beach
Bonnie Byrum, Suffolk
Bonnie Horne, Smithfield
Carol Heischober, Virginia Beach
Carol Whitaker, Suffolk
Cole McElroy, Suffolk
Corby Amos, Suffolk
Cynthia Quesenberry, Suffolk
Dana Conner, Moyock, North Carolina
Daniel Goodwin, Hampton
Debbie Hobbs, Suffolk
Edward Vann, Norfolk
Elizabeth Blanchard, Suffolk
Eric Baur, Suffolk
Gordon Jones, Suffolk
Gwen Elmore, Suffolk
Jama Watts, Hampton
Janet Ogren, Virginia Beach
John O’Neil III, Chesapeake
Kate Holl, Unknown
Kelly Mazzrillo, Chesapeake
Kimberly Holland, Smithfield
Laura Schmidt, Chesapeake
Linda Hackworth, Chesapeake
Linda Phillips, Suffolk
Mary LeCompte, Smithfield
Mary Pawlowski, Virginia Beach
Nancy Saunders, Suffolk
Nancy Topping Bazin, Norfolk
Patricia Outland, Suffolk
Patrick Neary, Chesapeake
Red Lagoe, Virginia Beach
Regina DeVal, Suffolk
Rhona Dawson, Suffolk
Rick Seguso, Norfolk
Ruffin Alphin, Suffolk
Sharon Devlin, Virginia Beach
Shirley Lu, Virginia Beach
Stephanie Faleski, Smithfield
Tommy Johnson, Suffolk
Tonya Hopson, Norfolk
Valerie Johnson, Smithfield
Wade Johnson, Richmond
The public is invited to meet the artists on Thursday, April 11, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The art galleries are free and open to the public Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with tours welcome. The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is located at 110 W. Finney Avenue, Suffolk, VA, 23434. For more information, call 757.923.0003 or visit SuffolkCenter.org.