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Mountain Flowers-https://original.newsbreak.com/@doc-lawrence-159
Georgia's Acclaimed Folk Artist Olivia Thomason Loves to Paint Beautiful Flowers
By Doc Lawrence
Stone Mountain, Ga- Eric Legee, the celebrated, cerebral folk artist who lives and paints in Rabun Gap, Georgia, observed that “[t]he artist who paints flowers spreads beauty and happiness. Each brushstroke captures the delicate petals and vibrant hues of blossoms, bringing joy and inspiration to those who view the artwork.” Olivia Thomason, a renowned Georgia folk artist who paints from her studio in this historic village just east of Atlanta and has for many years been painting her interpretaions of roses, lilies, magnolias zinnias and local wildflowers. that adorn the walls of homes here and throughout the country, confirming her ability to convey the essence of nature's beauty onto canvas.
Neal Arrington, a retired Charlotte N.C. educator and avid art collector owns several of Thomason’s paintings. During an interview he told me that “the flowers depicted in [Olivia’s] paintings serve as a reminder of the fleeting beauty of life and the importance of finding joy in the simple things.” He added that through paintings of flowers, “viewers are transported to a place of serenity and peace, where worries fade away.”
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A native of Hendersonville, a gentle city in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Ms. Thomason’s professional career has been largely in the Atlanta area where for two decades her gallery, The Primitive Eye, was a launch pad for self-taught artists and also showcased works by established greats like Rev. Howard Finster, Lorenzo Scott, R.A. Miller and Missionary Mary Proctor. Along the way, it was honored as “Gallery of the Year” and Thomason “Artist of the Year,” .
Although her paintings cover a wide range of southern culture and folkways ranging from the Atlanta Braves to backyard barbecues, church revivals and creek baptisms, Olivia Thomason admits that she is drawn to flowers. “Blooming flowers symbolize growth, renewal, and the cycle of life, encouraging everyone to embrace beauty and enjoy the happiness of each day.”