Cape Fear Studios presents the 6 by Exhibit, open until Oct. 22. The 6 by Exhibit focuses on visual artists of any medium with artwork having one dimension of six inches. The exhibit features artists from across the United States.
The Juror is Leslie Pearson, a nationally and internationally renowned multimedia artist and owner of Curate Essentials Herbal Apothecary in Fayetteville. Cape Fear Studios is located at 148 Maxwell Street and is open Tuesdays-Fridays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. General admission is free for the exhibit.
Pandora Autry, Board President, Cape Fear Studios, shares, “The 6 by Exhibit is one of two national shows that the Cape Fear Studios has each year. All forms of art are accepted for this competition with the requirement that one side must measure six inches. We are excited about the quality of this year’s show which has thirty-seven entries from across the country.”
Pearson has an extensive background. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Southeast Missouri State University, a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies at Newcastle University in England and an internship at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sutherland, United Kingdom, and an MFA in Textile design at East Carolina University’s School of Art and Design.
She is an advocate of community arts, an educator, and enthusiastic about being a studio artist. She is also a business owner who utilizes many fiber-based materials, processes, and techniques to create sculptures, installations, encaustic paintings, and hand-made books. She explores the themes of memory and identity. Her expertise extends to being Co-curator of Lorimier Gallery in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Gallery 100 and Assistant Director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.
”It was an honor to jury the 6 by Exhibit at Cape Fear Studios. While the pieces were small, the works are a powerful collection that encourages a more intimate examination of each piece,” Pearson said. “The pieces that I was most enchanted by were those that expressed tension in some way; Geiselman’s billowy wooden -bas relief, the vibrating colors of Linn Saffer’s ‘Scream’ or Brice Norris’s manic drawing entitled, ‘Faces of Stress.’
“These are my choices for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mentions for the 6 by Exhibit at Cape Fear Studios. My first-place choice is Chet Geiselman’s wooden wall structure ‘Untitled Bas-relief #202.’ My eyes were drawn with its voluptuous forms bulging out of the frame. The incorporation of found materials such as croquet mallets invites viewers to see everyday objects from a different perspective. Geiselman’s use of space evokes a sense of containment as shapes take on a jigsaw puzzle quality.
“The second-place choice is Thomas Lipkins Jr’s, ‘It’s Only Tuesday #4.’ It is an exquisite gestural sketch done in ballpoint pen. Beyond the fluidity of his mark-making, his choice of Priority Mail packaging and envelopes adds a compelling graphic element.
“The third-place choice is ‘Scream,’ a linoleum print by Linn Saffer. It vibrates with energy. The bold colors and line work blur the foreground and background, each color pulsating simultaneously, trying to break free from the confines of the paper’s edges.
“My honorable mentions are ‘Dry Roses’ by Un Suk Rodriguez and 'Face of Stress' by Brice Norris,” Pearson said.
Pandora Autry states, “There is a nice variety of techniques and this is definitely a show worth seeing.”
The Exhibit will be available until Oct. 22. For more information, contact Cape Fear Studios by phone at 910-433-2986 or website www.capefearstudios.com.

(Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Studios)