Inspired by Rust, Opening July 1

For the past year, River Arts District painter Joyce Thornburg and her husband have been exploring the world via sailboat. So far, their oceanic travels have taken them to exotic places like Mexico and Portugal. But it was in Slidell, Louisiana, that Thornburg found inspiration for her latest series. “I recently became fascinated by the rusting metals in a construction site and boatyard near our slip,” says Thornburg. “On my daily walks, I began to take photographs of anything and everything riddled with rust. I became more and more enthralled with the possibilities this presented to me for my art making.” The subsequent pieces are mostly abstract in nature, nodding to the delicacy of decay with a color palette consisting of deep reds, burnt oranges, and brilliant shades of blue reminiscent of patinated copper. “I describe my artistic style as intuitive and raw,” says Thornburg. “My process begins in my right brain, and only in the final stages of a given piece do I allow my left brain to have a voice.” The artist will debut her works at Spotlight Gallery at Wedge Studios this July as part of Inspired by Rust, a solo showcase.