Artist Profile: Ann Litrel Shaping a Community By Heike Hellmann-Brown Ann Litrels body of work as an artist, writer and advocate for Woodstocks Elm Street Cultural Arts Village is a testament to her love for Cherokee County and its people that welcomed her so many years ago. As an artist I strive every day to paint a better vision of the world, Litrel says. Art gives us joy, it uplifts, feeds the spirit, and ultimately makes our lives better. Creation in any form is not a mythical event of the past, but a living event of the moment taking place all around us. Subsequently, Litrels artwork is mainly nature-themed with a strong admiration for the beauty of Gods creations, be it the most minute wildflower or the most ordinary hayfield. Born in Kansas and raised in the Midwest, Litrel already knew as a 6-year-old that she wanted to be an artist. She later graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan. After moving to Georgia, she opened a studio and adapted her artwork onto commercial products, such as custom-designed paperware and textiles for clients nationwide. In 2002, Litrel combined her art and writing skills to create The Eternal Garden, a collection of nature images accompanied by written meditation on the subjects spiritual symbolism, followed in 2004 by American Visions, a visual/narrative panorama depicting the march of history through the American community from frontier to farmland, small town to suburbs. For the past decade Litrel has resided in Cherokee County, along with her two sons and husband, Dr. Mike Litrel, a physician and writer. Over the years Ann Litrel has written and illustrated columns for a variety of publications on such topics as history, community and ecology, and collaborated with her husband on several projects, their latest being the 2013 book, Surviving True Love, Children, and Other Blessings in Disguise. Initially a solitary fine artist, Litrel now showcases her collection of North Georgia scenes and local landmarks at her gallery and studio space in Downtown Woodstock, a move which ultimately led to her involvement with community projects, such as the Elm Street Cultural Arts Village and local nonprofit organizations that she supports with a portion of her sales. Currently Litrels focus lies on Community: History & Visions. Through written and painted portraits, the series showcases the influence of local leaders, volunteers and visionaries in shaping Cherokee County and thus leaving her own impact as well. Art is my vehicle to instill change, she explains. Whether it is nature, our environment, or the education system, we all can use our individual talents to make a difference and help shape the community in which we live. Get involved! Make this a beautiful environment where people feel at peace and everyone is inspired to contribute. Lets paint the world together! AnnLitrel.com
Artist Profile: Michael Buchanan Art, Books & Movies By Heike Hellmann-Brown As a math and science high school teacher in the Fulton County school system, Michael Buchanan was deeply rooted in the academic world for more than three decades. When chaperoning a diving trip to Honduras in 2001, fellow teacher Diane Lang challenged him to edit a book about diving that she was writing. Diane continues to inspire me, Buchanan says. She was the one who told me that I can write, that I am creative, and that my voice is powerful. This initial collaboration sparked a long-standing co-author relation that led to several nationally and internationally acclaimed books, screenplays and movies, with the most noteworthy being The Fat Boy Chronicles. Inspired by a true story, the novel depicting the world of an obese and bullied ninth-grader won the National Parenting Publications Gold Award, the Moms Choice Award of Excellence, and is used by schools around the nation in their anti-bullying and childhood-obesity efforts. In 2010, a feature film adapted from the book was released. Both the book and movie are supported by the Georgia State Superintendent of Schools and Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, the International Bullying Prevention Association, and Southern Poverty Law Center. Bullying starts as early as kindergarten, Buchanan notes. Kids and adolescents are the barometer of our society. Their behavior patterns reflect what they experience at home. As teachers, we see the world in a hopeful way and strive to initiate change. Changing a person can eventually change politics. A frequent speaker at anti-bullying conventions, and local and national schools, Buchanan emphasizes the effect that art education has on the socialization of our children: Art can break this cycle of violence and give a child a voice. De-funding arts education has devastating consequences, not only for the individual student but also in regard to our nations continuing prosperity. The high school drop-out rate with a high involvement in arts is only 4 percent, versus 22 percent without. Based on his screenplay and produced by The Arts & Science Council of Charlotte, N.C., the just-released feature documentary, Spiral Bound, showcases how high school students from a youth development program and a group of liberal arts college students use the power of the arts to lend themselves a voice and change the face of education. An artist himself, Buchanan raises awareness for art education within his local Alpharetta community. We need spaces where kids can be creative, he says. Creativity in any form has a direct impact on the individual. Art raises self-esteem, it inspires, engages and fosters a sense of belonging. The students grow emotionally, intellectually and artistically. Ultimately, art creates better citizens and thus shapes our society. Buchanan stresses the importance of parent involvement. Parents need to learn about their childrens world. The way school is now is not the way school was for us. Youth and adolescence are the formative years. Stay involved. Ask questions. Not everything is great. Everybody will be better if everybody does better! TheFatBoyChronicles.com
Artist Profile: Michael Lee Motion Captured in Oil By Heike Hellmann-Brown Ever since he learned to draw and color, artist Michael Lee knew he had found his passion in life. Growing up in Nashville, he moved to Atlanta to attend The Art Institute and obtained a degree in Visual Arts. I have always worked in the art field, he says. After graduating from the Art Institute I began my artistic career as a wildlife illustrator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Later, I worked in the advertising industry as an illustrator, graphic designer, and marketing manager. After 20 years in the commercial art business, Lee changed course and put a focus on his fine art skills. My wife loves horses and used to ride competitively in the Hunter/Jumper discipline. As a birthday gift I painted her on a horse. I liked the motion I captured in the piece and continued to paint horse racing just for fun, he explains. Then, a friend submitted one of my works to a gallery, where it sold. That was a booster. I decided to start painting for a living. Lee began selling his works at art and craft shows and continues to display at 28 shows per year in the Southeast. Meanwhile, his oeuvre focuses on images of horses, sports, and musicians. I still enjoy portraying motion, Lee says, although, over the years my style has changed. I used to paint realism, but felt that I had to develop my own style. I personally like the impressionists, such as Monet and Van Gogh. While initially it was hard to adapt, the looser brushstrokes give me more freedom to relay my artistic visions. Lees work is also inspired by LeRoy Neiman and his brilliantly colored, expressionist paintings of athletes, musicians, and sporting events. Lee paints in oil, acrylic, pastels, pen and ink, and creates signature items by incorporating vintage betting tickets into the backgrounds of his horse-racing pieces. His artwork is on public display at the Menlo Museum of Art in Orlando, Fla.; the Olin Library of Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla.; and the Kentucky Derby Museum in Churchill Downs, Ky. When not at his easel enjoying the solitude of painting, Lee can be found outdoors, hiking and backpacking the most remote places with his wife, Shelly, and their Australian Shepherd. I am truly living my dream, Lee says. In the advertising industry I accomplished all the goals that I set for myself. Now I do what I love, and its a luxury I cherish. Painting makes me happy. There is nothing I would want to change. I built a collector base, buyers who visit me during my shows or in the studio. That gives me a lot of satisfaction. Its a personal thing for me to paint, and its equally personal to meet the buyer, see how my art piece makes someone happy, and hear how proud people are to have my work in their house. MichaelLeeDesign.net
Artist Profile: David McKean Turning Over a New Leaf By Heike Hellmann-Brown Where does one discipline end and another begin? Is a drawing just the marking of lines and areas onto a surface, or can it cross the boundary and be considered a painting? For artist David McKean, a pencil used to be a tool of his trade. Born in France and raised in Texas, McKean studied architecture, but later switched to landscape design. Since childhood I enjoyed the outdoors, he says. It just never occurred to me that I could use my drawing ability to produce a piece of art much less one that reflects my love for nature. McKeans life changed dramatically when he found himself at one of the lowest points in his life. A friend challenged me to reproduce a painting we saw in an Art of the West magazine. The result amazed me. I never knew I possessed this artistic ability, and wondered why God sent me on this journey at a time when I expected it the least. This blessing prompted McKean to hone his skills and use his talent to honor Christ. Inspired by the simple things in life, his favorite subjects are landscapes, wildlife and Western topics. In 2010, McKean had the opportunity to show his work to Larry Dyke, a fellow Texan and one of the nations greatest painters. Larry Dyke looked at my pencil drawing for a long time. Then, he turned around and said, I am asked to look at a lot of art, David, and yours is really good. With this reassurance, McKean relocated to Ball Ground, determined to pursue an artistic career. In only a few years his talent has taken him far. Currently, McKeans drawings are on display in the Georgia State Capitol, as well as in the Booth Western Art Museum. I am honored to see my creations along with the works of renowned Western artists, such as Alfredo Rodriguez, Tim Cox, and Martin Grelle, McKean says. Admiring the work of other artists spurs me on. I am still a learner, constantly trying to improve. McKean cherishes how his art touches and inspires others, and in turn is inspired by them. People begin to take note of what I do and start recognizing my style. In a world of oils, acrylics, and watercolors, I want to take colored pencil art to a place it has never been before! When he is not at his drawing board, McKean heads up the mens ministry at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Hickory Flat, teaches Sunday School and Bible Study, and even cooks at fellowship events. My pursuit of art has been a God-given course for which I am very grateful and from which I have received many blessings, he says. I have come to know many wonderful people and have had many unexpected opportunities open up for me. In a way, my talent symbolizes forgiveness and shows that we dont have to be held back by past decisions and setbacks. NewLeafInspirations.com