Friday, March 22, 2013

Featured Artist Betty J Schaefer

by ©Peggy Gabrielson

Accomplished artist from Atlanta now resides in Blue Ridge, Georgia.  


My eyes traveled from one corner to another visiting Betty in her 'Reflections in Blue' Summit Studio taking in her art. Nearby my eyes fell on a framed watercolor picture this stood upright facing me on the floor waiting to be hung. The magnificent colors caught my attention my eyes lingering there a little longer. 

Betty sat in a chair at a large table where she was hand stitching a large blue and red log cabin quilt she had promised her husband for their home. In the middle of the quilt was a large heart that symbolizes the hearth of home. Listening to her as she explained the history of the makings of the quilt I began to realize that her skill in fine detail started early on in her successful career as a Certified Public Accountant. 

Betty a graduate student from Georgia State retired recently to fulfill her love and passion for her family and art full-time opening up her Reflections in Blue Summit Studio to the public. She is a member of the Association for Traditional Hooking Artists and the Atlanta Dogwood Chapter. Betty is also a member of Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, Southern Appalachian Artist Guild and the Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association. She has created fabric art for over 40 years designing and hooking rugs from recycled wool. 

Her voice was full of enthusiasm as she explained her upcoming class a scheduled workshop in April at the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association 'Primitive Rug Hooking' a pillow she designed using different colored strips of wool. Stepping forward to take a closer look I reached out to touch her sample as she continued to speak. It was displayed on a shelf across from me. 

Betty smiled leading me outside to show her art displayed in the hallway. An array of paintings hung on the walls and a shelf attesting to her many talents. I saw her passion in her eyes as she continued to chat about herself as we entered the gallery. 

Arriving at our destination she pointed out proudly of her still life pencil drawing. “My love of the arts came from the association with beautiful and interesting hand made things from my prior generations of relatives. My earliest memories are of my great grandmother sewing clothes and hooking rugs.”

The real honor came to Betty at a young age of eight when she was allowed to join in her grandmother’s quilting group to hand stitch. “Both of my grandmothers were seamstress, made quilts and did other handwork. My grandmother Rose was crocheting until she approached 100 and her eyesight was failing.”

Betty has been commissioned for painting indoor murals, fiber pictures, watercolor portraits, and hooked rugs. To contact Betty J Schaefer for private or group instruction in drawing, crocheting, knitting, and rug hooking please email her: 
        bjschaefer@bellsouth.net or
        bjsreflectionsinblue@gmail.com
             You may also visit her 'Reflections in Blue' Summit Studio in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Glossi E-zine




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