Wonders of the Pennsylvania Wilds in Red Brick Gallery Exhibit of Donna Edmonds & Cheri Yarnell

They are all around us: Creatures jumping out of the brush, inching along a leaf, flitting onto a branch… ferns glimmering with dew and blooms peeking from behind a stump. Awaiting our witness. And our awe.

Inspired by the wonders of nature in rural northwestern Pennsylvania, two artists have devoted their work to capturing the magical encounters too often missed in the swirl of daily life. Watercolorist Donna Edmonds and ceramicist Cheri Anderton Yarnell invite visitors to experience their shared reverence for the natural world -—expressed through distinct artistic and spiritual perspectives— in a Red Brick Gallery exhibit in the Upstairs Gallery, weekends from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, September 27.

Watercolorist Donna Edmonds who founded and served as Artistic Director of the Red Brick Gallery for eleven years said, “I am inspired by the life I see around me - the plants and creatures that I share space with every day - because I can witness them, touch them, get up close to them. I am attracted, not only to the act of painting, but also to the fascinating subjects that I illustrate. God’s creation enthralls, captivates, awes me by its diversity, complexity and beauty. Painting is my way of engaging and interacting with that breathtaking, endlessly complex beauty.”

Echoing Gustav Mahler’s musical evocations of what the flowers and animals of nature might tell us, Edmonds’ watercolors capture not only precise and detailed renderings of the Mountain Laural and Jack in the Pulpit she depicts but also the soulful essence and personalities of her creatures. From the humor of a Green Heron confronting a frog and a mischievous squirrel clutching its nut - to the piercing eye of a wily brown pelican and tender gaze of a timid rabbit, viewers can almost hear their hearts beat - and ponder the secrets they’re hiding.

After retirement from a career as a corporate executive, Donna studied Botanical Art and Illustration at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where she had the opportunity to study under several highly accomplished international contemporary botanical artists. She also worked as an instructor on the Phipps faculty for several years teaching classes for the Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate Program. That led to a venture called the Flora Project that launched her interest in Western Pennsylvania native plants and subsequently expanded to the local birds and the architecture of their wonderfully built nests.

Edmonds adds, “I am ever thankful for the wonder of the creative process since it gives me such pleasure and satisfaction. I am convinced that God reveals Himself through the universe that He created for us to enjoy and discover and that He invites us to pursue a knowledge of Him through the marvels of His creation. Having formed us in His image, like Him, we all have a drive to create.”

Ceramicist Cheri Anderton Yarnell describes her 50 years of working with clay as a reflection of her spiritual path, “an intriguing and delightful journey leading me to pursue many possibilities, expressing my observations of nature.”

Cheri’s designs and color choices are influenced by her rural lifestyle as well as her interest in and concern for our natural environment.  Some pieces are quite whimsical, especially her mugs which feature playful botanical and animal imagery.

For 25 years she has made 20 pieces each year called “On the Edge” that address her abiding concern for our natural environment and endangered or imperiled species.  These pieces are adorned with humpback whales, amphibians, wolves, etc.  

All her pieces are done completely by one potter from wedging to firing. She works in high fired porcelain and white stoneware whose smooth white surface encourages decoration, forming each vessel on the potter’s wheel or hand building.  Some pieces receive surface treatment using handmade stamps or the use of crochet or tatting for texture. Much of the work involves alteration through manipulating and through sculpting.  

Many of the pieces are painted in colored slip (liquid clay infused with pigment) to produce surface depth.  The next step is sgraffito or etching through the slip to create imagery.  The etching process is very meditative, and it is her hope these pieces will convey this mindset. 

Cheri lives in Northwestern Pennsylvania and shows her work in several galleries and annual shows. Her work has been published in two Lark Books directories celebrating ceramic art: 500 Animals in Clay and 500 Teapots: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Design.

Meet the artists at the exhibit’s opening wine and cheese reception from 5 to 7 PM on Saturday, September 12, before the AquiTango and Dancers concert in Lincoln Hall at 7:30 PM.

The Red Brick Gallery is located at 17 Main Street, Foxburg, PA 16036. Gallery hours are Friday from 1 to 6 PM, Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday from noon to 5 PM.