Blue Ridge Country Nov/Dec 2024 - 34

OF THE
MOUNTAINS
LEFT TO RIGHT: Allen Monsarrat: " My process begins in constantly
observing the world around me, most importantly the play of light. "
Jacqueline Rueff: " I feel I have a special connection to my greatgrandmother,
Mary, and she has been my inpiration. "
ror. You can't rush clay. You must learn
its characteristics and how to work with
it, not against it. I swear it has a mind
of its own.
My favorite part is when I throw that
ball of clay on the wheel and it starts to
spin. " She adds with a smile, " I can't help
but feel joy and total calm as I listen to
the hum of the wheel and feel the cool
clay. I usually catch myself smiling ... at
nothing in particular. "
Hudgins continues, " Most of my inspiration
comes from nature. I grew up
in the foothills of South Carolina and
spent my childhood hiking, kayaking and
learning native plants from my dad. My
artwork on my pots reflects some of my
favorite plants and places. Even my earth
tone glazes and abstract patterns are
sparked by my love for the outdoors. "
She continues, " I love learning about
traditional southern pottery and the ways
that I can apply it to my own work. Pottery
was not always these luxury art pieces
people use to decorate their homes.
They were functional necessities.
34 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
" Art is such a wonderful thing. It
brings us joy, allows us to express our
thoughts and feelings and tells stories of
a community for generations to come. "
Moving forward: " We are looking to
build a brand new studio on our property.
I also plan to do more markets/art
shows farther from home. My long-term
plan is to have a storefront where I can
teach larger classes and sell pots. "
(Website under construction.)
TENNESSEE
Allen Monsarrat, Knoxville. " There's a
lot to think about before pulling out a canvas. "
After a successful 24-year career in
pottery, Allen Monsarrat put down the
clay, sold his kiln and explored other artistic
endeavors. His decorative wall finishes
led to faux painting and cabinetry
finishing, which coalesced into a refined
set of fine art skills. " Trompe-l'oeil and
photorealism styles appeal to me as very
rational and intellectual approaches to
painting. "
Monsarrat's approach to painting " is
very analytical. [There's] a lot to think
about before pulling out a canvas. " He
continues, " My process really begins in
constantly observing the world around
me.
Most importantly absorbing the
play of light. Always having my phone/
camera with me, I can immediately
make a photo note of it. "
He enjoys hopping on his mountain
bike, " exploring some small pocket,
scouting a scene and planning what time
of day to return to capture it best. " He
then reviews photos on a monitor, " crops
images to a rectilinear format, previews
the possible composition, converts color
photos to black and white to see if there
is enough value range (dark to light) "
and other techniques prior to painting.
Monsarrat, whose pieces have been
on display at juried shows and exhibits,
recently added a new layer of talent to
his body of work. He now also creates
pieces with " soft pastels as a medium ...
to force myself to work more loosely. "
His paintings " mostly feature subjects in
Artists
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Blue Ridge Country Nov/Dec 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country Nov/Dec 2024
