MacCallum More Museum & Gardens will feature the art of R F Timberlake for the museum’s first art exhibition this year. Timberlake, who grew up just across the state line on the Carolina side of Kerr Lake will feature over 30 colorful prints from various collections in his online Shutter Art Gallery, plus several new prints not yet seen by the public.
“Mr. Timberlake has a special treat for all of us in the area as he will be presenting a special collection of local art within the exhibit that is entitled “Meanders in Mecklenburg,” said museum spokesperson Liz Lowrance, adding, “These prints are all about things and places that have touched Timberlake’s eye and heart. We will be as surprised as the public because no one has seen these pieces and he will not add them to his web gallery until after the show.”
The second treat for MMMG visitors during the exhibit is that they can register for a drawing to win one existing print of their choice, signed and numbered by Timberlake, worth up to $200 in value, with no purchase required, only a filled-out registration slip.
The exhibit begins on Monday, February 6th and continues through Sunday, March 5th, concluding on that Sunday with a free admission “meet the artist” reception from 2:00 – 5:00PM in the museum on the MMMG grounds. Visitors can see and talk with Timberlake about his art works. “Everyone connected with MMMG is excited to bring this exquisite and unique type of exhibit to the area,” says Lowrance, further saying, “his adaptive approach brings local art to all the communities he touches, and now, that includes ours.”
Timberlake’s PhoArt™ prints will be on sale the entire month with a gracious amount of sale proceeds going to help sustain MacCallum More Museum & Gardens, located in Chase City, VA.
He is a familiar face in Southside Virginia as a frequent camping visitor and as a cofounder of the 500+ member Kerr Lake support group, Kerr Lake Park Watch. Timberlake is a former news broadcaster and broadcast owner and for the last 26 years has been president of the award-winning advertising & PR firm, R F Timberlake & Company, Inc. “I can paint but not to the point of detail I like and I don’t have the time,” says Timberlake. “So, I worked, studied, got tutoring to improve my photography and then I incorporated digital technology to create PhoArt™ which is simply making a photograph appear that it is painted and it’s a lot more detailed than people might think. My wife and business partner of 40 years, Linda, a Virginian by the way, said that I should show and share my art. I did as she said and wham, it took off!” The artist adds that producing Digital Fine Art allows him to take on more projects in a variety of locations.
“We’re capturing some communities previously ‘dry of local art’ and that fills a void for me and for them. We recently sold a western Virginia historic site dozens of signed and numbered prints they could not have found a year ago,” said Timberlake. “We’ve made adjustable sizing and affordability priorities right behind subject matter and people like it!”
“It also seems to mean a lot to our customers and clients that each print we produced will be signed and numbered with no more than 200 issues of any print, and that adds a touch of exclusivity,” says the artist. Timberlake’s like to present his work as “gallery wrapped” meaning the canvas is stretched around a wooden frame, backed and prepped for hanging. All prints, however, are offered printed on smooth or slightly textured fine art papers, unframed.
“I hope my family and friends in Virginia and North Carolina, plus new friends and art enthusiasts will visit MacCallum More Museum & Gardens to see and enjoy my work. Seeing the delight on people’s faces when my pictures take them somewhere is my very best reward,” commented Timberlake. He opened his own online art gallery late last summer at https://shutterartgallery.
Ms. Lowrance added,” We hope the public will take a little time to kick back and use a daycation to visit Chase City, Mecklenburg County and the museum to see the R F Timberlake exhibit.”