"A Material World" at the DeBlois Gallery, Newport, features an exciting collection of new work produced by three well-known local artists, Emlen Drayton, Alice Benvie Gebhart, and Meg Little. Throughout their careers, each of the artists has explored the visual and tactile impact of non-traditional media in the creation of their art. From Drayton's metal assemblages, to Benvie Gebhart's glass-fusion collage, to Little's handmade wool rugs, their work reminds us that art is not just an oil-and-watercolor affair.

EMLEN DRAYTON

MEG LITTLE

Emlen Drayton is a Physical Science teacher and the Athletic Director at St. Michael’s Country Day School in Newport, RI.   Prior to teaching he was a performance artist primarily in the stand-up comedy field.    He has a BA degree from Williams College where he majored in Chemistry and minored in art. Recently he has returned to creating sculpture after being away from it for many years.  He is an assemblage artist, working mainly with metal objects, many of which have come from the grounds of the Middletown farm he shares with his wife and their four children. 

I grew up in a family where my artistic endeavors were supported. My father, Chris Benvie, was a prolific painter. People said I inherited my father’s talent but what I believe I inherited was that drive that he had  for the creative process. As an artist I am most excited when I can find an interesting composition in my everyday surroundings and interpret that in glass using light and vibrant color. I marvel at the shape of a cast shadow on a roadside or the vibrancy of foliage at dusk. Kiln fired glass is the media that reveals this beauty to its utmost. It has been a lifelong ambition to merge the making of art and the teaching of art. My goal as an artist is to bring about a visual appreciation of our surroundings in my work. I include sketches and written words on the back of my work as a way for the art patron to have a looking glass into my artistic thoughts and process. My goal as an artist and a teacher is to foster an appreciation for the visual arts.

A question often asked about Meg Little’s work is, “Do I put it on the floor or on the wall?” Despite her fine arts background, Little herself shrugs off the labels of utility vs. decoration. Her one-of-a-kind, hand-tufted rugs are part of the long tradition which creates a celebration of the everyday, marrying beauty to functionality in what may be the ultimate luxury of art. She has won accolades, awards, and national media attention over the past two decades. Justly praised for her powerful, sensuous use of color, she has recently broken through to a new level with the complexity and depth of her patterns. Little is also one of the rare textile artists who design and make each rug themselves. “The work reflects the hand,” she believes. And, through her hands, the age-old languages of color and symbol appear new again.

I was an oil painter since the age of 13 and stained glass artist since 1990.  A weekend workshop with Peter McGrain in 2004 inspired a self-taught exploration into kiln fired glass. This start has led to various exhibitions and representation with galleries such as Brian Marki Fine Art in Portland, Oregon. Continued education includes instruction with fused glass artist Roger Thomas, 2007.

He is intrigued and finds beauty in the way metals undergo a natural decay.   Many of the objects have enjoyed a baptism by fire in his fire pit after being extricated from their wooden bonds.  He draws much of the inspiration for his work from the forms he observes in nature and from the herbs and vegetables he grows organically in his family garden.    

Little accepts commissions from clients who want special sizes or color palettes. While every effort is made to meet precise measurements, her rugs are entirely handmade, and therefore sizes will be approximate. For additional information, please visit her website, www.meglittle.com, or her online portfolio www.meglittle.zenfolio.com

Born, bred and educated in Rhode Island, I work as art educator and fused glass artist in my home state. Recent travel throughout Japan, Italy and Ireland has enhanced my artistic growth.

 Recent accolades include Best of Show win at Art League of R.I. Open Exhibit, 2007 and Invitational Members’ Exhibition at South County Art Association. Professional memberships include GAS, IGGA and NAEA (National Association for Education in Art).