The Urbana Analog Wine Library held Vibrant Vibes Friday night, a gallery reception celebrating the work of local artists.
The gallery showcased works by photographer Coriando Brown, photographer and printmaker Teresa Ellis, painter Leslie Kimble and painter and drawer Sheila Parinas.
Folk and bluegrass instrumental sounds filled the room with live music by Tom Faux and Robin Kearton. Parinas said the event was “artists supporting each other.”
Parinas is a Chicagoland native who has lived in the Champaign-Urbana community for over 20 years. She said she draws inspiration from local music, nature and the cityscape around her.
“If I had to describe my art, I would say my style is impressionistic, and my goals are to celebrate and share being human,” Parinas said in an interview with Shoutout Atlanta in March.
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It reflected her inspiration for the “Weeping Cherry at Japan House” drawing. Parinas expressed how, while on a walk during COVID-19, she noticed the beauty of the Japanese tree. The art helped her make sense of the present situation, especially since no one knew what was happening.
Another inspiration drawn from Japan House was the “Koi Pond at Japan House,” by Parinas which was also painted based on photographs.
Similarly, Brown, a photographer from Champaign, captures the beauty of everyday life. A few notable highlights of Brown’s work include the University’s campus: the Illini Union, Campustown Entrance, Round Barn and Memorial Stadium.
“I want to share artwork and put it out there so people feel how I feel when I see it,” Brown said. “Art is important in the world.”
The gallery showcased various subjects, but a nature and landscape theme was prominent.
Ellis is from Shenandoah Valley with a joy for printmaking, photography, sculpture and digital art. Her work focused more on nature-theme photography, which she talked about on WCIA in December 2013.
“(Photography) made me feel so much better during a time when I really felt horrible,” Ellis said in the interview.
Kimble, a self-taught artist from the Midwest, shared her inspiration for her vibrant art pieces.
“A lot of the inspiration comes from the places around here, especially a lot of the statues from Allerton or Meadowbrook,” Kimble said. “One thing I really like is catching the vibrance and the beauty of nature but kind of taking my twist on it.”
It is emphasized in “The Marker,” which shows the pop of color of the statue found in Meadowbrook. Kimble said the color pop was used to represent the strength she felt from the statue before her.
Kimble shared that “Conversation Hearts” was a piece she was also very proud of, explaining that the intentional message conveyed by the piece has deep meaning.
“‘Conversation Hearts’ takes a different approach to the typical messages seen on conversation hearts and brings up important topics that should be talked about as artists,” Kimble said.
The closing reception will be on Friday, Sept. 25, from 6-8 p.m. A little different from the opening reception, the artists will paint a selected photograph live and auction it later in the evening.
