The works of two members at The Art House will be featured during a holiday open house from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, in downtown Ocean Springs.
“Stories in Color and Clay” is a joint show by painter Rosanne Lillard Mckenney and ceramist Susan Ruddiman. Mckenney will be available during the holiday open house to show her paintings.
“My pieces are oil on canvas or board or cotton paper, and mostly figurative. I try to tell a story through expression, symbolism and, of course, the figure,” she said.
Mckenney’s art captures a simple moment of everyday life. Working primarily in oil, she tells a story with color, value, texture, and line. With occasional symbolism and abstract elements, she frequently uses the female figure, as the gestures and expressions can say so much. The stories explore the essence of human experiences common through many cultures.
Ruddiman, who had a long career as a local newspaper editor and writer, got into pottery in 2002 and hasn’t looked back. She makes wheel-thrown and hand-built pieces fired in an electric kiln that come out in many practical shapes. Most pieces have patterns and images imprinted in the clay, and all the colorful pieces are finished in food safe glossy glazes.
She has expanded into using decals on pottery by placing Walter Anderson’s block print images on pieces that she hand-builds. These pieces are exclusively available at Realizations. In addition, her work can be found at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art and The Art House. As the name of her studio indicates – Ocean Springs Camp Run-A-Mud Pottery – she has fun making her pottery.
Their joint show will hang through Dec. 31.
The Art House is the nonprofit co-op of the Ocean Springs Art Association for the past 20 years. The 1920s era cottage is filled with original paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry and more created by the 24 members. The gallery is known as the best place to find affordable original art since there is no retail mark-up.
Located at 921 Cash Alley, one block east of Washington Avenue between DeSoto and Robinson streets, The
Art House is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 228-875-9285 for additional information.
