Arts group names first member of the month

CAVA's Member of the Month Elizabeth Welsh stands beside some of her paintings currently being displayed at the Gaffney Visitor's Center.

By JOE L. HUGHES II Ledger Staff Writer joe@gaffneyledger.com

As a means to present the talents of its many artists to the community, the Cherokee County Alliance for Visual Artists will now name a "member of the month."

"It really gives the artists a chance to be recognized for their hard work," CAVA President Cindy Wilson said. "We have a lot of talented people who are members here and the community should definitely know who these people behind the paintings and other artwork are."

Wilson said the process of naming a person for the award is often difficult due to the many talented people who display their art in CAVA's section of the Gaffney Visitor's Center.

"There are so many people who produce good work here," Wilson said. "They make it hard for us."

There is no set of criteria helping to decide the award aside from the artist being a member of CAVA. This month, the art alliance awarded Elizabeth Welsh top billing among CAVA members.

"It is definitely an honor," Welsh said. 'I was very surprised... primarily because it was so unexpected.

A native of New Jersey, Welsh has painted since high school where she experimented with various mediums and fell in love with watercolors, pastels and colored pencils.

"I enjoyed the medium and felt comfortable with them," Welsh said. "Especially in the case of pastels, I like them because of how they feel, for their creaminess and smoothness. It really creates a good 'painterly' finish."

Welsh would move on to the Newark School of Fine Arts in Newark, N.J., graduating with a degree in graphics and fine arts before serving briefly in the U.S. Navy.

Welsh moved to Gaffney eight years ago with her husband, Mitch, and their two children. The artist currently works in the banking and customer service industry with the Robert Allen Group.

Despite having a full-time job, Welsh still finds time for her craft by painting portraits primarily of children and landscapes.

"There is something about each of those that draws me to them," Welsh said. "The faces of children are so innocent and their skin tones so clean. But I love being outdoors, being able to take in a sunrise or sunset and see light change...it is amazing.

"But so I never get tired of one, I float between them. That way neither one ever gets stale."

Welsh has had some of her work displayed in galleries in New York and New Jersey. She hopes to eventually do the same here in the Palmetto State.

"I definitely hope to continue painting and become more recognized," Welsh said. "I am going to have more time with both of my kids soon going off to college so I am eager to see where this goes."