The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

For the Love of Art

In the world of art, where you come from doesn't matter - it's what you do with it that counts.

"A lot of artists around here are originally from some place else," said Sue Mills, proprietor for the Art Lovers Trading Company. "Even in one artist, you can see the varying and distinctly diverse style."

Opened for nearly three months, Art Lovers is located at the corner of Main and Washington and next door to The Newell House. Mills, who said she has always been connected with art, said she wants the gallery to provide a place for the "beautiful things" of Carbondale's art scene to the public eye.

While Art Lovers is housed in a renovated hotel lobby, Mills said much of the old building is present in the gallery, including the original bricks and restored ceiling tiles.

"It was quite a process remodeling to be a gallery," Mills said.

On the first Friday of every month, Art Lovers presents a showing on one area artist. This Friday will highlight Murphysboro resident and SIUC alumna Inga Silver, who said Art Lovers is notable because it refrains from the typical all-white-wall décor of other galleries.

"I have been really impressed," said Silver, 42. "I have seen a few art galleries, and Art Lovers is very stylish and homey. They are filled with color."

On the highway of life, Silver has hit many rough spots and potholes, among them being born with diabetes and overcoming brain surgery just two years ago. She keeps up her optimism though and said her past drives her to look toward the future.

"What inspires me? Myself," she said. "I have had a long tough life. But when I look at my life, I think 'Wow, I really can do it all.'

"My greatest inspiration is the fact that I am alive and well."

While she said she didn't seriously pursue art until she was in college, many people hired Silver to paint for her, including her junior high teacher who wanted a portrait of her German Shepard.

Describing herself as a "highly observant and detail oriented" artist, Silver stressed the importance of not pigeon-holding oneself to a single form of artwork.

"I think it's vitally important for artists to have several lines," said Silver, who is now working on two portraits of autumn leaves as well as a "Pisces Fish Bowl Wreath" for the Carbondale Community Arts' silent auction. "Because when you use one medium, you lose something."

When looking at artwork to be featured at Art Lovers, Mills said she looks not only for talent and appeal but also for artists who "truly have an interest in showing their work to the public."

What's so eclectic about the artists of Southern Illinois, she said, is that they all bring their own backgrounds and then incorporate them into their work.

"It's all in what the artist feels," Mills said. "We are all here for various reasons. We are all inspired by various things."

While art is a form of expression, Silver said it's still nice when a stranger compliments her work.

"I am motivated to create images that encourage lengthy observation and public fascination, " Silver said.

"But the greatest compliment I could be given is to hear someone say 'Oh, wow!'"

Art Lovers is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 351-9444.

 

 

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