Set the cruise control, lace up your walking shoes, and book a flight. “Far and Near,” will take you on an emotional journey of exploration, maybe even allow for a bird’s eye view. The exhibit will debut at the Macon Arts Alliance on First Friday, November 6 with a reception from 5-8 p.m. Paintings by Ginger Concepción and duck decoys by Matt DeFore will be on display through November 28. Admission is always free and open to the public.
Unintentionally and quite literally, our featured artists for the month of November are the epitome of their exhibit name. Ginger Concepción hails from varied hemispheres and Matt DeFore is a proud Macon native. Both artists understand the beauty of distance and the homage that should be paid to the here and now.
Concepción a self-taught painter whose black book of previous countries lived in is rather robust, including Taiwan, England and Iran. Growing up as an air force brat greatly curated Concepción’s views on life. Total immersion, regardless of locale, is a tenant by which she strives to live. “I’ve always completely absorbed my surroundings from a very young age. It’s a gift which I am so grateful for,” states Concepción. Notably, her love of color and landscape is evident in each painting. Much of Concepción’s work comes from family photos taken during childhood growing up in uncommon places, as well as personal travels abroad.
DeFore gives life to the artistry and sport of hunting. He began carving contemporary hunting decoys in 2009, teaching himself by trail and error. Creating functional art is a way to merge his love of craftsmanship with his passion for hunting. Every decoy begins as an original drawing, hand carved from high density cork, head composed of light weight wood, and tail/wings varying between maple and walnut. Each decoy is made to withstand the elements and provide many years of service for the duck hunter. “It doesn’t get a whole lot better than gazing over a rig of hand carved decoys on the water…and to take birds over something you made is a great feeling,” states DeFore. During the off season, DeFore competes nationally in many duck decoy competitions, where creativity, color, and artistic ability is judged.