December brings many things to mind as the old year winds down, as winter sets in and we look forward to the Holidays. For some, they are dreaming of a “White Christmas”. For others, they long to ‘Get Away’ for the Holidays. Whichever flavor you are, The RAL Art Center Gallery Windows has got you covered! If you are looking for snow, Barbara Kershner has a wonderful display of watercolor snow scenes to warm your heart. If you long for a South Seas vacation, come and observe Gloria Clifford’s Tropical Art.
Barbara Kershner has served as RAL secretary for 4 years, then as Vice-President for a year, and is now President of the RAL Board of Directors since 2020. Not surprisingly, Barbara is also a talented artist who works in watercolor, and she will have some choice samples of her work displayed in her series of winter landscapes. Barbara likes to work from the photos she takes, and often combines elements from several views to create her own vision. Such is the case with Barbara's watercolor rendition of her “Fox in Snow”, a scene where a beautiful red fox sits in a forest landscape amongst snow covered trees. Inspired by her appreciation of the foxes that live near her and the role they play in nature, Barbara placed her fox in the snow, braving the wind and cold with his warm coat. Artists and art lovers will also appreciate the warm, reddish color that contrasts beautifully against the pale, bluish snow.
Through her studies at RAL workshops and with other established watercolor artists, as well as her own private study and practice, Barbara has become an award-winning artist. Her work hangs in the RAL co-op Gallery, monthly RAL exhibits and the Labor Day shows.
Gloria Clifford is a new RAL member and exhibiting co-op artist who loves to bring brilliant color to her canvases. Gloria feels a deep love and connection with nature. Her paintings often feature ocean themes and she strives to convey a message that our world is truly magical, and that our planet should be protected. She finds that the Mermaid is a symbol of her love for the ocean and is featuring her painting titled, “Radiance Rising”. This is a large piece done in acrylic with vibrant colors, showing the swirling waters around her mermaid, the sun beaming from above and dolphins swimming in harmony.
As a native of Virginia, Gloria grew up near the water and learned to swim at a very early age. Moving to Florida later in life offered more opportunity to explore the ocean and scuba dive into the world she now loves to paint. She has worked as an art instructor over the years and was active within the Ocean Artists Society, having some of her designs used by manufacturers for home décor products. She now enjoys new waters on the Northern Neck and paints in her studio here daily.