Local painter Edwards' art featured in museum exhibit

Thursday, July 19, 2012
This is one of the many paintings by local artist Stephen Edwards currently on display at the Putnam County Museum.

Paintings by Stephen Edwards, a longtime Putnam County resident, are featured in a new exhibit at the Putnam County Museum.

The exhibit will remain on display through July.

Edwards, who moved to Roachdale in 1983, began painting while at North Putnam High School under the direction of recently retired teacher Linda Gjesvold.

His subjects run the gamut from landscapes and animals to sports and environmental portraits.

"I don't really have a strong preference in subject matter," Edwards said. "I'm simply drawn to strong contrast and the play of light on a subject."

He paints from pictures he sees in magazines or on the internet, or his own photography, which is a skill he credits to another former teacher, Don Steward.

Edwards considers painting strictly a hobby, though he has had a few works commissioned by friends. His work has also been exhibited at the Putnam County Fair for many years.

"It's very relaxing, and nice, to have positive reinforcement from family and friends who like my work," he said.

The museum exhibit features 18 paintings, including some of Edwards' earliest work from the 1990s.

"It's clear that the longer I paint, the better I get," he said. "It's great to see progress."

Visitors are welcome at the museum Tuesday-Friday from 1-4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission is free. For more information on the museum or the current exhibits, contact Tanis Monday at 653-8419 or tanis@putnamcountymuseum.org.

The Putnam County Museum is located at 1105 N. Jackson St. It was founded in 2000 with a mission to collect, preserve and interpret the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the county and its people through education, exhibits and special programs.

The museum's permanent collection of more than 2,000 Putnam County-related artifacts offers visitors a historical overview of the county.

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