First Friday May at area 61 | Cinco de Mayo with Anna Carll & Paul Fontana

Spring Fever X2 continues featuring new works from Anna Carll’s abstract Elemental Series and Paul Fontana’s acrylics and encaustics. First Friday May, 5/5 (Cinco de Mayo) from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, is your second opportunity to meet the artists and discuss their work, their process and purchase or commission.

Anna Carll, American Abstract Artist, began her career as an illustrator and graphic designer but always nurtured her love of art history with continued education. Her private study with the late painter Ouida Canaday, who founded the Artists’ Atelier of Atlanta and was the co-founder of the Atlanta Piedmont Arts Festival, led to her decision to became a devoted full-time painter and career artist. Her work is diverse, and since her move to her Chattanooga bungalow, her colorful figurative techniques have evolved and become something completely new in her abstract work. She says her Chattanooga home allowed her spirit to be reborn as well as her work and has formed the basis of her latest collections – The Erosion and Elemental series. Spring Fever focuses on her Botanicals from the Elemental Series and displays beautifully her depth of color and texture and in a range of collectible sizes.

Paul Fontana, picked up a paint brush after two satisfying careers- one in the Navy, and one as a middle-school educator in Dalton – intending to entertain himself only. He accidentally discovered a third calling and natural ability. Several years and hundreds of paintings later, he considers himself a full-time artist and describes himself as a colorist. He says he began painting realistically, but felt his real calling was expressing himself more through color than form. His abstract and encaustic (oil paint and bees wax) paintings are rooted in intense color – how one color looks when it is next to another and how it complements or contrasts are all areas of his exploration. In Paul’s work for “Spring Fever”. there is plenty of color and texture options for collectors to pick from.

Anna and Paul’s work will be on exhibit, for sale and expanded through May 27th. Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10am – 6pm and Saturday 9am – 2 pm or by appointment – 423.648.9367.

About First Friday Chattanooga:

Since 2014, most of the Chattanooga galleries united to host opening receptions and new art events on the FIRST FRIDAY of each month. We added Chattanooga to the ever-growing list of cities that host First Friday art crawls, walks, and events. Visit First Friday Chattanooga - The Arts Facebook page monthly as participating galleries' and artists' (open studios) event details will be posted so you can plan your monthly arts evening.

Get Out! Support your local artists, local galleries, because we really need YOU and other art appreciating adults to ensure that we live up to our "Thriving Arts Community" reputation.