Watercolors, colored pencil, collage and ink converge in the surreal artwork of Karen Noel, who says she feels “captivated by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the colors of the seasons” and challenged to “capture the magical spirit of the environment” rather than its exact likeness on canvas. Lauren Loercher is also inspired by her Appalachian surroundings, often pressing live foliage into her pottery for realistically earthy textures. The two artists — alike in their reverence of Western North Carolina, yet divergent in methods of expression — will display “Nature in Art” at Woolworth Walk for the entire month of April and host an opening reception at the gallery on Friday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m. woolworthwalk.com. Photo of “Circle of Love” courtesy of Noel
Smart bets: Karen Noel and Laura Loercher

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