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SUNDAY,
JANUARY 23, 2005
Painting on a grand scale
Warner Robins artist enjoys creating murals for homes and churches
Story and photos
by Laura Ingalls
Gunn
WARNER ROBINS -
Michelangelo is well known
for the magnificent work he
created on ceilings and walls
while teetering high above
the ground on self- built
scaffolding.
Linda Auxier could well be
called Warner Robins’ own
Michelangelo.
Auxier (pronounced Ox
yer) is an accomplished
muralist whose work graces
the walls and furniture of
several residences and
churches in the Middle
Georgia area.
Auxier’s love for her work
is quite evident. She creates
breathtakingly beautiful
works of art with a paint
brush, varying her style to
suit each space and the
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ABOVE: Auxier painted her own version of Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” for a clients
bathroom.
RIGHT: Auxier paints directly on walls to trick the eye.
1
PEOPLE
Penny Loafer lime
That indomitable hostess
with-the-mostest, Joyce
Hutcherson, is planning
another great evening for
seniors. This year’s
“Surprise Party” will be at
the Warner Robins Wellston
Center, starting at 5 p.m.,
Monday, Jan. 31, and is $lO,
including dinner and enter
tainment. A tip: Joyce is
calling the theme a sur
prise, but if you’ve got a
poodle skirt or penny
t loafers, this is the night to
wear them. Skip Holmes of
WNNG will be the DJ and
the Kappa Alpha Zeta high
school sorority will join in
the fun. Call (478) 929-4711
Monday to make reserva
tions.
Wild Hog Dinner
Rob and Le Ann Tuggle,
and Brian and Kellie Bowen
were among those attending
the annual Wild Hog dinner
in Atlanta last Sunday. This
event kicks off the start of
the legislative session.
wishes of the client.
Her work ranges from an
impressive recreation of
Botticelli’s “The Birth of
Venus” in a master bath; to
a trompe l’oeil (trick of the
eye) frame painted to show
case a plate collection.
Her trompe l’oeil frame,
painted directly on the wall
with a three-dimensional
light-and-shadow technique
is so real that it seems you
could reach out and touch it
the edges of the imaginary
lattice work.
Auxier will often create
her own tools in order to
achieve the look she desires.
She enjoys watercolors and
oils but most often uses
acrylics.
How does she come up
with her designs?
She says, “The creative
side of me takes over,” she
says. “I know what is possi
ble.”
Creating murals on a
grand scale is one of her
Welcome to Tahseria
Julie Moore let us know
that the Tahseria Club of
Perry held a New Member
Dinner at Sandy Cooper’s
home on Jan. 10. Among
the new members are Amy
Newhouse, Debbie Mullis,
Sheila Fowler, Leah
Lightner and Mia Geiger.
(See photo in this section)
Home and feeling fine
In case you missed seeing
Jillinda Falen’s column last
week, she was being a full
time mom to her 13-year
old son, Steven who had a
bout of appendicitis. The
good news is that with won
ders of laparoscopic surgery,
he had surgery at 9 a.m and
was on his way home at 2
p.m. the same day.
Free Spirits in p.J.s
The Free Spirits of
Centerville enjoyed a paja
ma party at the Cracker
Barrel last Saturday. See
inside this section for a pic
ture of these Red Hatters
having fun.
Sogadera meets at
Watson homo
Members of the Sogadera
Club of Perry met on Jan.
13 at the home of Dawn
Watson. The meeting was
co-hosted by Toni Smith.
On the agenda were a dis
cussion of the recent
Lifestyle
favorite artistic
expressions.
She’s not afraid
of heights and
finds it exhila
rating to be up
high.
As far as what
the future holds,
Auxier says, “I
hope to be
swinging from
the scaffolding
for another ten
years.”
However, to
prepare for an
artistic life
beyond the scaf
fold she has
turned to mas
tering the art of
painting on
porcelain. She
states, “I want to use every
single day of my life.”
After one look at her art
work you will hope that she
never puts her paintbrush
away.
Christmas party party at
Linda Bishop’s home, and
plans for their bake sale at
this spring’s Mossy Creek
Festival. Nancy Hildebrand
is current Sogadera presi
dent.
A big honor indeed
Becky Mann of Kathleen
was named one of the
“Twenty-five Most
Influential South
Georgians” in the
December/ January issue of
South Georgia magazine.
The award was based on her
extensive volunteer efforts
and community service in
Tifton, where she formerly
lived. She is a nurse at
Houston Healthcare Center
and the wife of Dr. Charles
Mann. Irene Hamer, who is
a neighbor of the Manns, let
us know about this impres
sive honor.
Pride of Perry honoroos
Congratulations to John
and Marsha Christy of
Chinaberry Lane, and to the
Perry Arts Center for
receiving the January Pride
of Perry beautification
awards.
Cooper tafts with
PiUihinitt
Vickie Malone, publicity
chair, reports that the
Delphian Club met at the
home of Connette Gayle on
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Linda Auxier is mastering the art of
ceramic painting. This Victorian tea set
features pansies.
About the artist
Linda Auxier was born in Charleston, W.
Va., the was the middle child of five girls
born within six years.
Early on she had artistic influences in
her life.
Gayle Lanham, Auxier’s father, was a
dental technician who made jewelry in his
spare time.
Her mother, Jenny, always had an eye for
color and created beautiful surroundings.
In addition, her uncle, George Lanham,
led safaris in Africa and was a wildlife
artist.
She remembers that during her elemen
tary school years, the principal would play
classical music over the intercom and urge
the children to draw what they felt. This
was always her favorite time of the school
day.
As her artistic talent emerged, she was
encouraged by many of her teachers and
received several art scholarships, but par
■ 11
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Following their Breakfast with Santa fundraiser, the Mahala Club of Perry presented a
check to the family of Bobby Arrington for a fund to help with his medical costs fol
lowing a car accident From left, Mahala president, Melissa Langston, Tiffany Arrington
Pelissier and Rob Pelissier with their daughter, Tinley, and Jennifer Hartman.
Jan. 13. Co-hostesses were
Norma Cheek and Carolyn
Ethridge. Margaret Watson
gave the devotional and
Jackie Cooper, writer and
film critic, was the guest
speaker. He told the group
about his new book, which
will have an introduction by
Terry Kay. Marcilla Health,
president, presided over the
meeting. The next meeting
will be on Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.
at Summerhill Senior
Living Community, with
Alice Gilbert as hostess.
Young author
Congratulations to Rick
Shelton on the publication
of his book, “Devotional
Tales.” That is quite an
accomplishment for a 20
year old. (Rick was featured
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HIM Laura Ingalls Gunn
Linda Auxier holds one of her recent works, which fea
tures the three graces. She works in acrylics on a vari
ety of surfaces.
ents, concerned about her financial securi
ty, urged her to major in business instead
of attending art school.
She received her associates’ degree from
Tennessee Temple University and went to
work for a food and drug broker in the
Atlanta area.
She married her high school sweetheart,
and had three children, John, Julie and
David. When her youngest entered kinder
garten, Auxier decided to return to the
classroom to major in commercial art and
advertising.
It was a difficult task attending night
classes as she continued to work and raise
her children, yet she persevered.
She began her professional career by
painting furniture and soon progressed to
murals.
Her sister, Sherry Wells, is a Macon inte
rior designer, and all three of her children
now live in Georgia, so Auxier followed
suit.
in the HHJ’s Family &
Faith section on Friday)
Mahala Club busy with
good works
April Pearson reports that
the Perry’s Mahala Club
has donated proceeds from
their first annual, very suc
cessful, Breakfast with
Santa, to the Bobby
Arrington Fund. (Bobby is
recovering from a car acci
dent.) Melissa Langston is
current president of the
club, which is a community
service organization and
makes regular contribu
tions to benefit the commu
nity. Their next big event
will be the Attic Sale on
Saturday, April 2, in the
Salvation Army parking lot.
SECTION
c
Fun coming up
The American Cancer
Society will host a
Bachelor/Bachelor ette
Auction and Charity Benefit
on Saturday, Feb. 12 at
Chevy’s on Russell Pkwy. in
Warner Robins. This will be
a Valentine’s night to
remember for married cou
ples, dating couples and sin
gles. Proceeds go to the
ACS. Hold the date and stay
tuned for more details.
If you have news for “Real
People, ” e-mail
cperkins@evansnewspa
pers.com, or call Charlotte
Perkins at (478) 987-1823,
Ext. 234. Also, please let us
know if you enjoy this new
HHJ feature.