Chihuly Glass Ceiling by Sheila K. Ter Meer

A mix of representational and abstract photographic works by River City Art Association member Sheila K. Ter Meer will be featured throughout August in RCAA’s Artist of the Month gallery space at the Vigo County Public Library in Terre Haute.

The Brazil, Indiana, native is a self-taught artist honored for her nature photography and expressionistic digital designs at regional, national and international juried exhibitions.

She has artwork in the Permanent Art Collection at Indiana State University and at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, an abstract in the “Red” exhibition currently in Arts Illiana Gallery, and an abstract recently selected for Swope Art Museum’s 75th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition opening in September.

To satisfy her childlike enthusiasm for fantasy and whimsies – anything playful or fanciful, as an artistic creation – Sheila takes creative license with many of her traditional images to design one-of-a-kind photography-based digital art abstractions for emotive or expressive purposes.

Sheila combines digital processes with traditional photography techniques to intensify the colors and contort the form. Brilliant designs in black negative space liken some of her artistic expressions to blacklight and scratchboard art.

Once an abstract design is complete, the first image or emotion evoked by her mind’s eye often determines its title. Much like the Rorschach test, the subjectivity of her “inkblots” is open to interpretation by the viewer.

To make many of her unique art pieces command even more attention, she tries to think outside the frame. Stripping away conventional parameters and exposing the image on canvas, leather, Masonite, acrylic and aluminum, she believes, creates a unique presentation and dramatic viewing experience.

Middle Child Born on the Libra-Scorpio Cusp by Sheila K. Ter Meer

Sheila’s display in the library will include abstract “Middle Child Born on the Libra-Scorpio Cusp,” recently invited to be in the “Self Portrait 2019” international juried exhibition set for October at Specto Art Space gallery in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

She also will show “Chihuly Glass Ceiling,” a photograph that received a First Place in May at the Wabash Valley Art Guild Spring Art Show in Clabber Girl Museum at Terre Haute; and “Tennessee Whiskey,” a double exposure image awarded Second Place in the Covered Bridge Art Association Associate Members’ Show in July 2018 in the CBAA Gallery at Rockville.

Also at the library will be abstract “Party Girl,” awarded First Place in RCAA’s 10th annual juried exhibition in August 2018.

In addition to her display at the library, Sheila has two award-winning photographic works in the current show at The Link Art Gallery in Bicentennial Art Center at Paris, Illinois; two new abstractions in RCAA’s 11th Annual Juried Exhibition currently in First Financial Bank Plaza in Terre Haute; and several award-winning abstractions in a solo exhibit in RCAA’s Community Outreach Gallery in Terre Haute Regional Hospital.

In November, she will be the solo artist in The Gallery at Clabber Girl Museum.

Sheila shares her photographic works and digital abstract designs on Sheila T Illustrated, her website at SheilaTphotography.WordPress.com.