O'Brien watercolors take FMAAA exhibit in June

FORT MADISON - The FMAAA Art Center welcomes award-winning water-colorist, Nicole O’Brien, for the month of June for a solo exhibition of her recent works.
This exhibition commences with an Opening Reception on Thursday, June 4 from 5-7 pm. This event is open to the public and everyone is welcome to come meet the artist while enjoying light refreshments. The FMAAA Art Center is located at 825 Avenue G in Fort Madison, next to the Fox Theater. The exhibition will be on display from June 4 through June 26, when it will come down after Lunch ala Art scheduled for that date.
The FMAAA Art Center provides regular exhibitions of local and regional artists in the Main Gallery through the financial support of sponsors. This month’s exhibition was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Kris and Tenneille Speer

Artist Nicole O’Brien lives on a very small farm called Color Splash Ranch in a beautiful rural corner of Iowa. There O'Brien believes she is living her best life there with her family and farm animal friends. The area of northeast Iowa where she resides is filled with rolling hills and limestone cliffs. Inspiration is all around her through “the color, sights, and sounds of four full seasons all coming together to produce the full spectrum of nature's color wheel,” states O’Brien. Indeed, the name of her family farm, Color Splash Ranch, comes “from the diversity of animal, plant, sky and atmospheric colors that creates an ever-changing palette of inspiration,” says O’Brien.

This artist has a lovely inspiration statement on her website colorspashranch.com where she attributes her skillfulness has a painter to the Creator “inspiring the created to create. Although there may be unpleasant experiences in our world, we can overshadow them by deliberately choosing to surround ourselves with that which is peaceful, lovely, beautiful, uplifting, and brings us joy,” she writes. She also writes that she strives to incorporate movement, life, and color to best reflect the natural properties of the watercolor medium. 

In her work, inspiration combines with elements of the accidental (because watercolor can often be unpredictable) to produce art that the viewer can add their own ending to. The artist hopes viewers are drawn into a story, as well as becoming inspired themselves “to appreciate and protect the beauty around us.” O’Brien further states, “People often comment that my art just makes them happy- that is the ultimate compliment to me and the end goal- to elicit a positive emotion that people can take home with them." 

O’Brien has a master’s in art history from the University of Iowa, BA in Art and Design from Iowa State University. She will be on hand for a gallery talk after Lunch ala Art scheduled for Friday, June 26 at noon. Lunch ala Art is a lunch and artist talk series held March through November each year bringing together those who would like to learn more about the artwork on display while connecting with others to enjoy a delicious lunch catered by Garden of Eatin. Cost for lunch is $12 and reservations are required by noon on Wednesday June 24. Reservations can be made by calling the FMAAA Art Center at 319-372-3996 or registering online at fortmadisonart.com by selecting the date you wish to attend via the Events tab. Attendees are not required to eat/pay for lunch to be able to come and hear the gallery talk.