ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The 24th Annual Wesleyan Artist Market – Up Close and Personal!
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pringtime in Peachtree Corners and surrounding neighborhoods is synonymous with a visit to the Wesleyan Artist Market (WAM). What better way to find treasures for our spaces than in person, discovering pieces that speak to us while connecting with the artists who share the vision behind their work? After COVID cancelled 2020 and then going virtual in 2021, WAM is thrilled to be back on campus this year. The market runs Friday, April 29, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free for this family-friendly event. Browse an array of acrylics, oils, mixed media, watercolors, sculptures, jewelry, pottery, glass and more while enjoying gourmet coffee and treats, all available for purchase. Participating artists undergo a rigorous selection process, so WAM brings you the best. This year, 80 professionals were selected out of over 100 applicants. Also featured will be the works of 14 talented students. Prices range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. There is truly something for everyone. A percentage of every sale goes to support the Wesleyan School fine arts program. To preview participating artists and for more information, visit artistmarket.wesleyanschool. org.
By Patrizia Winsper
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Spotlight on Three Artists Elizabeth Ables
Left, Elizabeth Ables Above, Elizabeth Ables makes pottery at Spruill Center for the Arts in Dunwoody.
Art imitates life Stand by your mania to make Nashville native Elizabeth Ables had classmates with star parents like Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Rony Millsap and Ray Stevens. As a teenager she caught Amy Grant performances at local bookstores before moving to Atlanta. Peachtree Corners has been her home for 28 years. With a Communications and Sociology degree from Vanderbilt and an Education degree from Brenau, Ables has taught at Wesleyan for 15 years. She considers herself more of a creator than an artist, having dabbled in many
Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ April/May 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com
different media over the years, from fiber arts, fashion design (particularly children’s heirloom clothing) and quilting to painting with watercolors and acrylics. Ables developed an affinity for ceramics while guiding students through the toil and joy of turning globs of clarified dirt into something serviceable. “I’ve always been drawn to beautiful, functional art. I used to entertain a lot and wanted unique pieces, so I started creating my own. It feeds your soul when you create something that didn’t exist before,” Ables said.
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A sense of peace and tranquility emanate from her work. Ables finds inspiration in nature, gravitating towards layering glazes in blends of blues and greens — colors that evoke the ocean. She never tires of experimenting to get just the right blue, having long admired the striking hue of Martha Stewart’s Araucana chicken eggs, as well as robin egg blue. Even her textures are inspired by the natural world. When creating surfaces on her vessels, Ables replicates tree bark and other things found in the environment. A full-time teacher and busy mother, Ables creates her pottery at Spruill Center for the Arts peachtreecornerslife
