One-Woman Show

Artist Linda Sterns prefers creating graphics
the old-fashioned way — by hand.

or an accident that works."
One outdoor scene in the cur-
rent exhibit is called Northern
Memory. Sterns was at a restau-
home overlooking a lake
rant up north when she spotted
and a porch remodeled
an old shanty along a calm
into an artist's studio
Michigan waterway, and she used
provide Linda Sterns with the
that as a subject to capture the
ambience she needs to paint
blues of the water and the greens
outdoor scenes, plant life and
of the trees in her surroundings.
some abstract forms.
Another image, Sweetest Day,
Sterns, who retired two years
takes a close look at an open yellow
ago from travel sales,
flower. The flower has
now goes full-force with
Above: Linda
her artistry. She is ful-
many petals of fine shad-
Sterns: "Shell
ings to su est softness.
filling a lifelong dream
Bright," mixed
"I did some graphics
after a move from
media painting. work before I went into
Farmington Hills to
White Lake.
the travel business,"
Right:
says
Sterns, who stud-
Sterns has organized
"Texture Flow,"
ied
art
and business at
40 pieces for a solo
watercolor.
Wayne State University
show running through
and Michigan State
Feb. 1 at the Lawrence
University.
Street Gallery in Pontiac. Her
"I liked doing the graphics by
exhibit, "Linda Sterns: Water
Color, Mixed. Media and Collage hand and didn't want to try
graphics by computers, so I
Paintings," plays up pastels and
moved on to another field."
cool colors.
During the time she was work-
"I work mostly with watercol-
ing full time, Sterns took classes
ors, mixed media and collage
at the Birmingham Bloomfield
paintings," says Sterns, a mem-
Art Center, attended workshops
ber of Temple Israel and
Glenwood ORT. "My goal is not and arranged for private lessons.
She networked with other
to copy what I see. It is to trans-
artists through the Village Fine
mit an essence or mood that is
Arts Association, Farmington
subconsciously recognizable.
"I approach my work intuitively Artists Club and the Michigan
Water Color Society.
and utilize contours that are fluid
Combining her artistic and
and loose. My work emphasizes
sales skills, she has placed her
movement, texture, force, energy,
work in various shows, including
dynamic shapes and forms.
the Village Art Show, the
"With each attempt at paint-
Farmington Area Founders
ing, I enjoy discovering some-
Festival and the traveling Water
thing new — technique, subject

SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to the Jewish News

A

computer art.

showing 10 computer images.
"I work with bit maps, zoom in
and do editing," Charach explains
about his approach spread over four
home computers.
"I go by feelings and sensitivity,
and my dominant colors are blues,
yellows and reds. Sometimes, it takes
me years to finish a piece. I don't
like to erase because I want to pick
up the same energy I had during
previous work sessions."
Charach, who lives in California,
where he works in music management,
credits his sister for encouraging his
artistry, which started with airbrush
projects. He followed her in attending
the College for Creative Studies and
has since shown his images in
California, New York and Australia.
"I've been getting back to working
with airbrush techniques," Charach
says. "I've also been doing sculptural
designs with cement."

HIGH TECH on page 76

Color Society Exhibition.
"I've been very busy with my
art," says Sterns, whose work
hangs in private collections in
Michigan, Arizona and Florida.
"I've learned how important
sales skills can be to marketing
my paintings." 0

"Linda Sterns: Watercolor,
Mixed Media and Collage
Paintings" will be on view
through Feb. 1 at the Lawrence
Street Gallery, 6 N. Saginaw,
Pontiac. There will be an open-
ing reception 7-10 p.m. Friday,
Jan. 10. Gallery hours are
noon-5 p.m. Wednesdays-
Saturdays. (248) 334-6716.

J 14

1/10
2003

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