HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - s4story -- Muse will be in the gallery May 26th through June 21^st with an opening reception during Hillsborough's Last Friday Art Walk on May 29^th from 6-9pm. During the art walk Steve Fishman & The Pied Vipers will play stringy, swingy blues and original music on the front patio.

The show will include an artist talk by Bara, Carey and Rodrigues in the gallery on Saturday, June 20th at 4pm.

Jeweler Arianna Bara's muse has always been nature: pattern, texture, shape, color, tone and shadow. Her new work incorporates stones from her travels to Tucson, where yearly gem shows attract sellers and buyers from around the world.  Some of Bara's favorite pieces in the show include Morrisonite jasper, a rare and highly sought after jasper with strong patterns and color; dendritic limestone, which is characterized by delicate trickling lines often resembling plant fossils; and subtle but striking Australian boulder opal. Much of Bara's recent work includes an ancient Korean gilding technique called Keum-boo which she has also used for some pieces in this show.

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Initially painter Ryann Carey felt the title "Muse" would cause her to focus her work in a single direction. "I admire artists who dedicate themselves in this way," said Carey "because it offers the opportunity to develop not only technical skill but also an intimacy with an idea or subject. Yet whether from a lack of discipline or scattered mind, the moment I try to settle on a singular muse, I feel an immediate sense of confinement. It is as if choosing one thing requires me to turn away from everything else. That feeling of being boxed in makes me resist the very structure I desired to attain." Still, what she creates is a cohesive body of work consisting of what strikes her and makes her pause in the visual environment surrounding her. Says Carey, "My work is an attempt to honor and share these pauses. That moment of awareness when the world feels briefly heightened and clear."

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For woodworker Pete Rodrigues the definition of Muse is someone or something that provides creative inspiration. "As I continued to think about creative inspiration, I realized that having some type of curve within my work always inspires me," he said. "So, I decided to have a curved form within every piece. My mind immediately started to design, and I'm excited to display wall hanging pieces and furniture that have this curved form within their design."

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is owned by 21 local artists featuring painting, sculpture, photography, glass arts, jewelry, turned wood, handcrafted furniture, pottery, scratchboard, and mixed media. 121 N. Churton Street, Hillsborough NC. Hours: Monday through Saturday 10-6, Sunday 12-4. For more information about the show visit http://www.HillsboroughGallery.com