Fabulous Fakes, Opening May 4

All that sparkles is not gold — unless you’re referring to Austrian painter Gustav Klimt’s so-called “Golden Period” (1901-1909). Inspired by the gold mosaics of Venice and Ravenna, Klimt incorporated gold leaf into his oil paintings, producing sumptuous scenes rich with symbolism. Hendersonville watercolorist Susan Webb Tregay will offer her take on this sparkly style during Fabulous Fakes. Presented by the Art League of Henderson County, Fabulous Fakes is an annual treat that is “always just plain fun and funny,” says Tregay. During the show, League members recreate works by Old Masters. But rather than simply reproduce “Mona Lisa” or “The Starry Night,” artists incorporate a modern twist. Nodding to Klimt’s most famous work, “The Kiss,” Webb painted two smooching sweethearts in 24-karat gold. “As the figures joined in an overlapping kiss, the wine glasses began to shake, and the painting began to take on a passion of its own,” she notes. “I had no control over it.” All artwork will be on display at various locations in Hendersonville from May 4-12. The pieces will then be consolidated at Art Place Gallery through May 31.