Allied Arts of Milledgeville/ Baldwin County is hosting two exhibits during the month of June to highlight two teenage artists, Harmony Brynteson and Emma Berry, as well as local painter and muralist Grace Phenicie.
Sixteen-year-old Brynteson and 15-year-old Berry are young business owners and artist friends who have been working with Allied Arts for various events. Harmony’s Handcrafts sells handcrafted wool pieces, including home décor, ornaments, and unique gifts.
“I got started through homeschooling because it revolves around owning a small business. My friends were doing needle-felting and I asked if I could try it out for a few days and I fell in love with it,” said Brynteson. “I’ve been doing it for five years.”
Brynteson sells her works at Charmed Salon and Spa and often hosts a booth at local events such as First Fridays, DeepRoots, and Allied Arts Markets. She also does custom orders. To learn more about Harmony’s Handcrafts visit instagram. com/harmonyshandcrafts.
“I’ve worked with Allied Arts for a while and I have fallen in love with their team. I’m grateful to have this chance to showcase my work and put my name out there,” said Brynteson.
Berry began painting when she was 13 years old and takes inspiration from the landscape around her. She picks a single subject and then adds elements from different thoughts or other settings she remembers to create a unique image.
“I had an art class and our project was to do a cartoonish painting. I made the subject more realistic than cartoonish, which I thought was a mistake but became one of the best things I have ever done,” said Berry.
Berry is the owner of Emma’s Arts, which sells her paintings. As she strengthens her business, she hopes to grow with her art and be able to inspire others to pursue art. To learn more about Emma’s Arts, visit instagram.com/emmas_arts_ handmade_paintings_.
Like Berry, Phenicie is a business woman and painter but also a muralist. She creates “emotionally resonant scenes” on large canvases. Growing up in Indiana, her father restored furniture which led her to learn about antique restoration and ultimately inspired her to begin oil painting.
“That got me into oil postings because a lot of the materials used in restoring antiques is used in oil painting,” said Phenicie. “My mother is also always painting so it came naturally to me from an early age. I was about nine when I painted my first mural in my old treehouse.”
Phenicie has lived in Georgia for about five years and has been inspired by the “vibrancy” of the state’s landscape. Phenicie credits herself for having a “keen eye for color” that greatly influences her paintings.
Each of the pieces selected for Phenicie’s exhibit were chosen from her personal collection. She highlights “Blue Heaven” and “Bear Catching Salmon” as her favorite pieces.
“Blue Heaven’s stag is very detailed but then there is a checkerboard underneath. Part of the inspiration for that painting was the checkerboard kitchen mat in my home,” said Phenicie. “Bear Catching Salmon has a lot of motion and action but it is in a similar style to the stag.”
The exhibits will be on display until June 26. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Marlor House in downtown Milledgeville.