Bright red paper lanterns are a sensory shock against the muted black-and-white pagoda and Japanese garden.
A pathway winds among giant sequoias in Northern California. The Statue of Liberty rises out of New York Harbor surrounded by hazy skyscrapers. A jaguar peers off the canvas with deep intensity.
Trunks and suitcases are stacked and ready for an adventure, including one tagged for the City of Lights.
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Alyssa Overton wants to take you on a trip. Not physically, as the pandemic has put most people’s travel plans on hold. But through her artwork, the Greenwood artist wants to encourage viewers to go around the globe.
“It’s a vacation all in one room. You’ll go from continent to continent as you go around the room,” she said.
“Explore: A Trip Around the World” showcases Overton’s work of subjects taken from around the world. The exhibition will be hanging at the Nickel Plate Arts Stephenson House gallery in Noblesville from March 5 to 27. The show will also be featured online virtually at the Nickel Plate Arts website.
Overton envisions the images allowing people to expand their perspective, even if it’s just in their imaginations.
“When someone sees my work, I hope it brings them a sense of joy,” she said. “I don’t do a lot of dark subjects; I like to have things as beautiful and a little bit of a break as possible.”
Art has been at the core of Overton’s life since she was a child. Using wallpaper samples and toilet paper rolls, she would put together project after project to display around her family’s home.
She sewed tiny doll clothes, and put hours into cutting out and coloring paper food items to serve in her makeshift restaurant.
“Growing up, I always knew that I loved art and wanted to be an artist. Ever since then, I’ve found my way to doing different jobs to make sure I was in the art field,” she said.
Overton co-owns a business with her sister making gifts and handmade fine art to sell online and in boutiques. That has allowed her to explore her creativity, trying styles and approaches in her artwork. She works in a wide variety of mediums including graphite, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil and mixed media.
When she finds success in a particular style, it provides a stepping stone to build off of and further explore.
“It grows when you’re making a lot of different things. You find something you like, and it just grows from there,” she said. “I try pretty much every style available, since I love art, and kept what I like.”
Overton has taken part in numerous art shows and exhibitions throughout central Indiana, including at the Garfield Park Arts Center, Indiana State Fair and Southside Art League.
She is a regular contributor to shows — both solo and as a group — at Nickel Plate Arts, which opened the door for this most recent exhibition opening in March.
After booking the show in mid-2020, she had to figure out the focus of what she wanted the exhibition to be.
“I like to do a wide variety of art mediums and styles, so I was trying to figure out something that could work all of that into one,” she said.
Besides her love of art, Overton has a passion for travel. She has been all over the Americas, the Caribbean region and Europe — and she particularly loves the architecture and culture of Germany, where friends and family live.
Much of that plays into her artwork.
“I take a lot of pictures when I travel, and I find myself drawn towards something beautiful or something I have interest in. It may be animals, or a certain culture I’m interested in,” she said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has kept her grounded for the past year, which has been difficult. So she pondered about a way to weave together her artwork with her wanderlust.
“I had a trip cancelled in the summer, so I was having this longing to travel, and I wasn’t able to,” she said. “If I could make an experience for people to see things around the world, it would almost feel like a travel experience.”
“Explore: A Trip Around the World” opens on Friday, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. March 6 at the gallery, 107 S. 8th Street, Noblesville. Normal gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The gallery is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, the Stephenson House gallery can have only 10 people inside the at a time. People are asked to register at nickelplatearts.org for a 30-minute time slot to view the exhibit. People can also view Alyssa’s exhibit on the Nickel Plate Arts exhibits page.
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"Explore: A Trip Around the World"
What: An exhibition by Greenwood artist Alyssa Overton featuring artwork depicting scenes from around the world
When: Friday through March 27
Where: Nickel Plate Arts Stephenson House gallery, 107 S. 8th Street, Noblesville
Gallery hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The gallery is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. March 6
COVID-19 restrictions: Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, the Stephenson House gallery can have only 10 people inside the at a time. People are asked to register at nickelplatearts.org/event/alyssa-overton-showcase-reception-for-explore-a-trip-around-the-world for a 30-minute time slot to view the exhibit.
People can also view Alyssa’s exhibit on the Nickel Plate Arts exhibits page.
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