Artist's Statement

Even as a child, I appreciated natural beauty. I've always loved growing and arranging flowers, but never really thought of capturing their beauty by painting them. I graduated with honors from North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega. After my children had grown, I decided to take hart classes with a group of friends, beginning at the Renaissance II Studio studying under artist Mary Lydia Banks McCrary. Starting with the basics, drawing, watercolors and oils, I learned from the ground up how to grind my own paints and stretch my own canvases.  It was here that I knew I had found my passion and that the way I wanted to paint would take a lot of study and hard work.

Artist's Statement

Gene Coker feels that creative value in art should be made rather than found. The artist must take responsibility for who he is and reflect this by making his artistic expression a spirit of place. 

You may view Gene Coker's website at www.genecokerwatercolors.com. 

Artist Biography

Nona H. Stephens is a Gainesville, Georgia landscape artist who first displayed an interest in art at the age of six through a coloring contest through a local departments store in her hometown of Forrest city, Arkansas. She won first prize for girls, and as fate would have it, her future husband won first place for boys. For Nona, art has continued to be a nurturing and identifying part of her life. She studied at the University of Central Arkansas, Tulane and Louisiana State University. The artist moved to Georgia in 1967, graduating magna cum laude from Brenau University with Bachelor's of Art degree in interior design.