This event has started or has already happened.
|
Blue Blaze Brewing is proud to present "The Trail Sketchbook", paintings by Charlotte artist, Heidi Nisbett. Come by to meet the artist, find unique and handmade gifts for loved ones, and enjoy some tasty treats from local food truck, Nor'East Family Treats & Eats. Heidi Nisbett was born in Ohio in 1993 and grew up in Boiling Springs, South Carolina. She has always had the desire to create, showing a passion for art and drawing at a young age. She pursued this passion through high school and went on to receive her BFA in painting and printmaking from Winthrop University in 2015 and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina about two years later. In her adult life she started to find peace and clarity in the outdoors, taking weekly hikes with her energetic dog, Junie. Before long, this hobby became an obsession and she ventured into the world of backpacking, constantly looking forward to her next overnighter in the mountains. In 2018 she made the decision to attempt a thru hike of the famed Appalachian Trail, a 2,000+ mile trail extending from Georgia to Maine. She started this hike on March 10, 2018, carrying her belongings on her back and filling sketchbooks to preserve the priceless memories. She finished her hike on September 5, 2018 at Mount Katahdin. She currently works at Blue Blaze Brewing Co. and resides in Charlotte, NC. Artist Statement: During my thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, I carried a sketchbook and a small set of watercolors. I added to this regularly, doing my best to capture the community I was a part of, the people around me, the beauty of the trail, and some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. My habit of sketching and painting during breaks and at camp earned me the nickname, or trail name, “Picasso”, which is what I was known as for the duration of my hike. The sketchbooks I filled during my hike are now one of my most prized possessions. The works displayed in The Trail Sketchbook are based on the sketches I made on the trail. Watercolor has never been my medium of choice, but their portable nature and the ability to add color to my sketchbook was too tempting to resist. As an oil painter, I expected the transition to watercolor to be challenging, but I fell in love with it immediately. When reproducing these sketches into larger, more finished works, I decided to keep with the medium of watercolor to hold onto the same character that can be found in the original works. My adventure on the Appalachian Trail was a life changing experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I learned so much about my capabilities, both physically and as an artist. I met some amazing and inspiring people and formed friendships that I hope will last a lifetime. I am thankful that my artistic background gives me the capability of recording my experience in a unique way and I am excited to share these works with the people around me. **Wine, Cider, and Prosecco will be available. |