“Remembering Tibet” by Green River artist Angi Bennett is showing in the gallery at White Mountain Library in May.
The exhibit moves to Sweetwater County Library in June for one month. The exhibit is comprised of 18 mostly watercolor renderings of Bennett’s September 2002 trip to China with a side trip to Tibet.
She said painting Tibet was a challenge.
“I had a hard time observing all the aspects of Tibet from the architecture to the culture, the prayers and the people. I could not ignore the woman with the round brown face. She was smiling and giving me a welcome greeting by sticking out her tongue. That is the custom. At the same time I was pre-occupied observing the shape and patterns of the rocks under my feet.”
“The spiritual quality of the people influenced my perception. Prayer flags, prayer wheels, Yak butter lamps and prostrating pilgrims make prayer constant, public and creative. The capital city of Lhasa is made up of prayers and pilgrims,” Bennett remembered. “Joyful bright colors and crisp blue skies were an inspiration. Decorative architecture, chunky jewelry and interesting clothing became ideas for paintings.”
According to Bennett, the people of Tibet are friendly and demonstrate a mischievous sense of humor.
Bennett has an impressive resume of accomplishment in the art world. She is a member of Local Color Artists Coop, an art gallery in Rock Springs, and is current president of the organization. She’s a signature member of the Wyoming Watercolor Society. Once an artist is juried into two shows by the Watercolor Society, they are entitled to use WWS after their name. In March, Bennett was juried into “The Spirit of Wyoming”, an exhibit at the Old West Museum in Cheyenne where she has exhibited for several years.
She graduated from Western Wyoming Community College with an associate’s degree in art. During a three-year stint in Guilford, Conn., Bennett studied at Guilford Handcraft Center from 1990-93. She exhibited with the Bridgeport Connecticut Art Association and was awarded a second place in watercolor.
Bennett has served as a member of the Sweetwater County Library System’s Exhibits Committee since the mid 1980s.
Art exhibits are sponsored by the Sweetwater County Library System. Applications are available at library circulation desks. For more information go to the Library System’s web page, http://will.state.wy.us/sweetwater/.
