Butterfield Garage Art Gallery will feature Mary K. Shaw as the artist for the month of November and her exhibit titled “Keep the Light On,” which is inspired by the St. Augustine lighthouse.
As an iconic landmark, the lighthouse has a meaning beyond the functional purpose of guiding mariners. It is also a symbol of community pride, a historical marker of times past, a beacon to lost travelers and a repository of personal memories for countless visitors and residents.
The show title also refers to the human desire to seek encouragement in dark times. As author Clarissa Pinkola Estes says, “Struggling souls catch light from other souls.” Shaw said her job as an artist is to make the sparks.
“Keep the Light On” opens during the First Friday Artwalk, 5-9 p.m. Nov. 7. Shaw will present an artist's talk at 6 p.m., discussing her work and the current exhibit.
Shaw is a mixed-media artist who employs collage, hand lettering and monoprinting to create vibrant, layered artwork. A gifted wordsmith, she often includes the written word as part of her composition or as the genesis of specific works. Her poetry has been published in several anthologies.
Shaw has exhibited her artwork in solo and group shows since 1995. She has taught workshops on gel plate printing and has a passion for artist books, altered books and handmade books.
She pursues her artistic impulses with zeal and “a dash of spontaneous combustion” from her home studio in St. Augustine.
Butterfield Garage Art Gallery is located at 137 King St., St. Augustine. For further information, call 904-825-4577 or email info@butterfieldgarage.com.
