SCULPTURE AND PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY AT BEAR'S MILL

Paintings by Annette Cargill of Troy and sculptures by Indianapolis resident Harold Wiley will be on display at Bear's Mill from during the month of November. This “Art At the Mill” exhibit opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 28, where patrons can chat with the artists and partake of hors d'oeuvres while viewing the artworks. The show closes on Sunday, November 20. “Harold and Annette each use their unique creative abilities to communicate with the viewer; we are extremely pleased to display the outstanding work of these exciting artists,” said Julie Clark, Mill retail manager and gallery coordinator.

Harold Wiley says that he spent most of the summer when he was a five-year-old watching his father build a wire fence around their 40-acre farm, and began to appreciate the artistic possibilities of 9-gauge wire at that early age. His creations include graceful dancers made of that wire. He explains his attraction to the subject by saying that he doesn't think there's anything more beautiful in nature than the form of a female dancer – or a horse; sculpted horses are also represented in this exhibit. In addition to his pieces made from wire, Harold creates sculptures from aluminum rod, stoneware, and wood-fired clay. Although this is the first time Harold's work has been exhibited at the Mill, his wife Rita has long displayed her pottery at the historic site.

Annette Cargill says that her work is greatly influenced by the abstractions of Joan Mitchell, and that the love of color demonstrated by Matisse and Bonnard has always inspired her. Annette's intimate yet universal work is abstract and non-objective, sometimes reflecting her memories and emotions. “At times I sense a rhythm like a silent song as I build the layered story of the painting,” Annette explains. “The act of painting is a discussion between the paint and me; there comes a point in this discussion when all that needs to be said is there and the artwork has a sense of truth,” she concluded.

Sculpture by New Knoxville artist Gary Hovey plus paintings by the sculptor's son David remain on display at Bear's Mill through October 23. “Art At the Mill” is on view during regular Mill store hours: 11 a.m. Till 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and on Sundays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Bear's Mill is operated by Friends of Bear's Mill, a non-profit organization, and is located at 6450 Arcanum-Bear's Mill Road about 5 miles east of Greenville. For more information, contact Bear's Mill at 937-548-5112 or www.bearsmill.com.