MEET THE ARTISTS

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Tim and his wife, Debbie, built a house in the Fancy Gap area in 1992. Debbie relocated from Michigan at that time while Tim stayed in Michigan, working for Chrysler. After retiring in 2001, Tim became a full-time resident as well.

Tim built kitchen cabinets for G & G Construction for ten years and has always loved woodworking. He made his first bandsaw box in 2008 and he has made around 700 since the first one. Each box has the wood that was used on the bottom.

Tucked away near the Blue Ridge Parkway, you can step into the upcountry studio of Fancy Gap, Virginia, artist D'Linn and you've entered the world of her very own personal expression.

Extensive formal training in the Bauhaus tradition and unbounded experimentation transform her artwork into something meaningful that belongs to life itself. Unique sunlight plays across her canvasses and captures the essence of her museum quality images. "Color creates a specific vibration and is an elemental aspect of my work", she tells us. With originals, limited editions, and collages available, you'll find something in every price range. 

A joyful spirit who speaks from her heart and paints from her soul, D'Linn invites you to view her work by making an appointment and visiting her studio. Leave your message at 276-728-2827 or email:  dlinnart@gmail.com and you will get a return message asap.

Debbie Culler is an artist residing in Ararat, Virginia. She is a native of Patrick County, Virginia. Acrylics are her favorite and the primary medium in which she creates. 

At about age 11, Debbie recalls being bored with watching television. She began picking up her crayons (her first medium) and studying the model's faces in magazines. Today, most of her artwork reflects her love for God's handiwork in nature; He has such incredible colors in His palette!

In addition to her canvas paintings, Debbie has created two book covers and completed a church mural. She has won numerous awards for her art including the "Best in Show" at the 2010 Reynolds Homestead in Critz, Virginia.

Debbie has a passion for budding young artists and implores you, if you have such a young artist on your hands, to please encourage them all you can! She stresses, "I would not have come this far without the love and encouragement of my mom, Nerina Culler!"

Linda Erskine has always hesitated to call herself an artist. She loves to take photos with no special equipment. But there are things she is passionate about--nature, historic buildings, antique cars, and most especially the Blue Ridge Mountains where she now calls home. 

She is widowed, retired, and looking for inspiration; and she finds it here in the hills. She has lived in New Jersey and Virginia and traveled through 44 of our United States seeing God's handiwork everywhere. 

She hopes you enjoy L'art de' Collines, The Art of the Hills! 

Janet Evans lives in Fancy Gap, Virginia. Quilting, painting, and reading keep her busy. She has traveled to fifty states, Canada, Mexico, England, Wales, France, the Caribbean Isles, and Belgium. She has worked as a teacher, union organizer, and NEA organizer, but her best job of all is as MOM.

Janet's art includes many of the sites she has seen in her travels. 

John Falls started painting in his youth and enjoys landscapes and wildlife. His preferred medium is oil. He attended the Colorado Institute of Art and had a 25-year career as a graphic designer and art director. 

Having recently relocated to Virginia, John and his wife, Marilyn, have immersed themselves in nature. They cannot believe how lucky they are to be in such a beautiful place with such nice people. 

Since relocating to Virginia, John has expanded his art into acrylic abstracts. 

Marilyn Falls has found painting to be pure joy. She relocated to Virginia with her husband, John, and their 2 puppies. She is near her grandparent's graves who are buried near Fancy Gap.

She hopes you enjoy her artwork as much as she enjoys sharing it. 

Brenda Jones is a lifelong resident of Hillsville, Virginia. She lives with her husband, Rick, and their granddaughter, Haley. Along with her love for art, she and her family are huge dog lovers.

Art is Brenda's passion, and each new project fuels her creative drive. The stunning and earthy charm of the local landscape of Carroll County inspires her to paint. She is an acrylic artist and also enjoys sketching. 

Each month, she shares her zest for creativity with others through painting classes at The Gallery. For those who don't think they can paint, a quote by Vincent Willem van Gogh sums it up pretty well: "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced." 

Whether it is with paint and brush, or by taking the time to see the art that lives all around us, it is never too late to begin your art journey.

Amy LaChance is a native of New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from Rutgers University before moving to the coast of North Carolina. She now lives with her husband, John, and their pup Greta, in Fancy Gap, Virginia. 

Despite her love for the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sea still flows through her veins and influences her work. 

Amy enjoys nearly all crafts, from quilting to baking to refinishing furniture.

Paula McKeag lives in Fancy Gap, Virginia, but has roamed the back roads of many of our states for years, with camera and beloved labs in tow. Her work in photography tends to be eclectic for her subjects represent one of her favorite quotes, "There is beauty everywhere, you just need to slow down and look!"

Raised in a military family, she had the opportunity to live in various places in the world, but called Fayetteville/Fort Bragg, North Carolina home! Paula has raised three beautiful children and had a very successful career in business management.

Her love for nature and the simplicity of life will most likely keep her in the mountains with a camera in hand!

Celeste Springthorpe Tsaklis, a Fancy Gap resident, is an artist and creative thinker who loves experimenting with diverse art styles and repurposing materials. She is dedicated to continuous learning and visual exploration. She enjoys connecting with fellow creators here at The Gallery. 

Linda Vaught has been a lifelong crafter who fell in love with wood. She and her wood lathe turn wood pens in addition to many other interesting items. Some of her favorite woods to work with are walnut, cedar, cherry, ash, purple heart, holly, and Jerusalem olivewood. When she is not turning wood, Linda is one of many quilters at Sky View Baptist Church in Fancy Gap. She and her husband, plus two cats, live and work in Cana, Virginia.

Susan Woods has always had a passion for drawing since she was a small child. Her mother always drew in between her housework as well. Drawing was a God-given talent handed down from her mother. She was raised in the countryside on a farm, and after her chores, she would go back to the barnyard with a pencil and paper to draw all the critters she could see. She loved being around animals; it was peaceful, and being an only child, they were her companions. Susan wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up, but childhood dreams don't always become reality.

Susan's dad had several horses, and she especially enjoyed drawing them and learning everything about them. She showed and trained horses in 4H for years. In school, art was her favorite subject. Her teachers encouraged her to practice and learn how to paint and shade her artwork. There was an art schoolhouse at the county fair each year, and Susan's artwork was always among the chosen to be displayed. She won many blue ribbons.

After high school, Susan married and had children of her own. Her girls received the God-given gift as she had, and Susan would show them many tips she had learned. She was a stay-at-home mom and homeschooled her girls, so drawing was mostly put to the side for many years. When one of her girls went to college, she decided to go with her and took some Graphic Design computer classes. Susan eventually got a job at a local newspaper and designed ads. Susan is retired now and returned to her passion for drawing animals. With a few years of practice, she has been noticed and had others admiring her paintings on wine glasses, which she sells at local markets. Currently, Susan is drawing with mixed media, drawing the animals she loves and enjoys from when she was a child. Susan is pursuing her love of drawing to help her health, to overcome anxiety, and to just do what she loves. Draw!