Art Gallery
THE DEBORAH C. HORNE GALLERY
On exhibit in The Deborah C. Horne Gallery
Artist Karen Terry
Karen Terry is from Jamaica Queens, New York. She moved to Mecklenburg County, VA, over 20 years ago. She is an artist, author, filmmaker, and works in live theater, where she wears many hats backstage and as a performer.
Her work can be seen at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; The Poe Museum in Richmond, VA; the African American Museum of History and Culture in Washington DC; The Jean Luc-Adde Gallery in Paris, France; The Virginia Museum of Fine Art; The Moses Buford Gallery in North Carolina; The North Carolina Museum of Art; and the Studio Museum in New York. She is also a filmmaker with three short films to her credit. Her first film, ‘The First 20’ was accepted in the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
She is the author of 11 books. Seven of the books are a fictional series (The Front Porch Collection) that takes place in a small southern town where every house has a porch, and every heart holds a secret. The first two books were books of the month for Page Turners Book Club in London, England.
She has always been a dreamer. Being the youngest of four children with an age span of 5, 8, and 9 years between herself and her sister and brothers, she was left with only her imagination to entertain her. She now uses that imagination in her art.
While growing up in New York, her family made frequent trips south. She envied the freedom that her cousins had to run the green fields, climb trees, and throw rocks.
For Karen there was no better feeling than to sit on a front porch during the rain and to watch the day become night. To sit on that porch and listen to the stories told by elder family members and be part of the laughter that broke the silence of the long summer evening… this was her idea of a piece of heaven on earth.
Artist Statement
I was six years old when I started drawing crying and sad faces on the eggs in the refrigerator at home. I remember hearing my father tell my mother one morning, “Oh no! I can’t use these eggs.” My parents didn’t have the heart to use them. After more than a few mornings of not having eggs for breakfast, they started buying a dozen for me to draw on when they did the grocery shopping. I was on a fourth-grade class trip when I first walked through the doors of The MET (The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY). I was in awe of the magnificent works of art that lined the walls of the museum. At one point during our tour, I was so taken by this one particular piece (Sunday in the Park with George by Georges Seurat) that I did not notice my class had moved on to the next area. When I was finally broken from the spell of this painting, I had to run and catch up with my class by following the chatter. That day I knew I was born an artist. After that experience at the museum, I would get the ‘P’ encyclopedia, sit in the hall closet (I don’t know why), turn to the paintings section, and spend hours just looking at the works of the masters. I started drawing different scenes in pencil all over the refrigerator at home. My parents never knew what to expect when they walked into the kitchen. I would wipe it off and put something new up every few days. Anyone can learn to paint or draw, but to be an artist is a way of life. One is from the brush to the canvas, the other is from the heart to the hand. One catches the eye, the other touches the heart.
I have finally come to be the woman that I was conceived to be. I stepped out of the box. It brings me great satisfaction to share what I have created from head to heart. To know that someone enjoys, gains knowledge, has a memory stirred, or a thought because of something I created.
If my hand made it, my heart is in it. Remember, no dream is too big.
Be Our Next Exhibit
The Colonial Center for the Performing Arts has several gallery spaces available for exhibitions and displays. All artwork is shown on easels, free-standing pedestals, or hanging systems. Applications are currently being accepted for future showings.
Complete the Application Form and send it to The Colonial Center at the following address. You may also send by email. Please call for more details.
The Colonial Center
Attn: Karen Terry
220 South Mecklenburg Avenue
South Hill, Virginia 23970
(434) 262-4170
karenterryart@outlook.com
The Art Galleries are open for free public viewing from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and during all Colonial Center public performance events.
Address
The Colonial Center
220 South Mecklenburg Avenue
South Hill, Virginia 23970
(434) 262-4170
Return Policy: No refunds or exchanges.
Accepted Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover