March 19, 2024

Art in the Heart

        Art is a wonderfully subjective thing. I have visited many world renowned museums.  I pondered the Mona Lisa, wished to twirl after a Lautrec,
and spotted a Seurat, { no pun intended}.. But art really is about the heart. It does not have to go in a portfolio, and it does not have to impress the guest. It does not even necessarily need a frame. It just needs to go where you can see it, feel it, and love it, and let it well, make you happy.
 We have a treasured painting from a dear friend of our rescue dog Cooper. Let me start out by saying our friend is quite talented, but she knows us, she knows our dog, and she transferred the two elements into a fabulous portrait that is absolutely, one of our treasures. Another local artist we have highlighted , has taken her vibrant personality, intelligence, and love of the outdoors, and painted that onto her canvas.  I just want to put the joy I see in her art, and all her wonderful color under my pillow, and let it soak in…
Paintings can fill up a wall, or they can fill up your soul. You do not have to stand on a marble floor in a long gallery to fall in love. Find a local artist , it might even be a friend, and share their passion. Encourage them and make them share their gift with you. Proudly put their work on your wall or under your pillow.. and when you look at it and know it was from them, it will guaranteed, touch your heart.
Laine Neese is an avid golfer, philanthropist, and artist in Burlington ,NC. More of her paintings can be viewed at her website, http://lainefranis.blogspot.com/2011/07/pet-portraints.html.
Bett Huggins is a nurse anesthetist, and  artist . Her work can be seen at Ellen Taylor Gallery at The Vista, in Columbia, SC.
Andi Bartruff writer/contributing editor

Local Artist with so much talent…

       I have the pleasure of calling this local talent my friend, Laine Neese Francis, is blessed with a God-given talent of painting beautiful oils. I have always said that “if you do what you love, the rewards come naturally” The countless hours she puts in to her paintings show the colorful life she leads. Laine has travelled oversea and has collected many interesting photos, of which she has transferred to canvas. These transformations are  bright and colorful  interpretations of  life through her eyes. She  also has many paintings of the beautiful coastal areas of North Carolina filled with nature at it’s best! One might catch her standing in the middle of a marsh, easel erected, with paint brush in hand!       Being an avid animal lover, she also has a collection  of paintings that she has done for friends and family;  yes… portraits of their four-legged  friends.  We all  benefit from being surrounded by beautiful things, so with that being said, I would like for you to visit Laine’s site… be enlightened by her talent and passion to create beauty on canvas!    http://lainefrancis.blogspot.com/2011/07/pet-portraits.html