Faculty art exhibit makes for a 'strong show' at South Walton campus

The Northwest Florida State College campus at South Walton's Government and Education Center has lent its walls to serve as the site of several art shows during the past year that are sponsored by the Cultural Arts Association to show off the talents of CAA members.

The newest exhibit opened Jan. 6 at the campus, but this time, instead of CAA members, the talents of three members of the art faculty at the college are being highlighted. The three are Lyn Gray Rackley, Steve Phillips, and Jb Cobbs.

Rackley is a versatile artist who says she enjoys working with subject matter that has interesting textures and values.

Rackley holds a bachelor's of art degree in art education and a master's in art education with emphasis in studio art. She has received several awards for regional and national shows and is a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society and the Pastel Society of North Florida.

As an illustrator, Rackley has eight published children's books, she has illustrated greeting cards for Centaworld and posters for Northwest Florida State College.

She teaches two- and three-dimensional design, drawing, watercolor, figure drawing and sculpture and presently works in the mediums of watercolor, pastels and oil.

Her choice of subject matter includes people doing everyday activities, seascapes, landscapes, old buildings and things outside that show interesting textures and value patterns. Her most recent works are of people and boats in and around the bay and gulf that surround her home.

Rackley's work is in a loose style with emphasis on the abstract qualities of recognizable objects. Natural light intrigues the artist and finds its way into her paintings.

Living in varied locations and traveling has influenced Rackley's work as new people and experiences allowed for personal growth and artistic expansion.

She says her work nurtures her inner self and she feels a need to record her visual exploration of the world through her work.

Phillips, meanwhile, teaches pottery, black-and-white photography and printmaking at the college's Niceville campus. He received his bachelor's of art and master's of fine art from Florida State University, specializing in photography, printmaking and ceramics.

An underlying theme in both his ceramic pieces as well as his photographs is the relationship between humans and between humans and their environment.

Rounding out the trio is Cobbs, who has taught at Northwest Florida State College in the visual arts, performing arts, and humanities division since the early 1990s. Her preferred media are oils, charcoal, and pastels. Presently, she is teaching oils, drawing, two-dimensional design, and humanities.

Cobbs' art is diverse in subject matter, which might be portrayed as realism to abstract.

She holds a bachelor's degree in fine art from Florida International University, a master's in art education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and has completed graduate studies in art therapy at Northern Illinois University.

This faculty art exhibit is chaired by artist and Cultural Arts Alliance member Lauren Carvalho, who owns the Hidden Lantern Gallery at Rosemary Beach.

"This is an exciting faculty show with these three representing all art faculty members," said Carvalho. "The college has been really gracious in allowing us to use their space for our exhibits and we wanted to show the talents of these teachers who teach art at the college. Stephen does ceramic pieces with organic feel; Lyn does amazing boat and ocean paintings; and Jb does oils with some abstract movement and is fascinating. It's a strong show and the artists complement each other."

The exhibit is on view now and an artist reception will be held Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. at the campus just off U.S. Highway 331S.