The Fayetteville Museum of Art will “never” be the same.
    The art house was rocking with the music of up and coming indie band The Never on Friday, May 16, providing the background music for the museum’s Premier Party.
    Yvette Dede and Herb Parker were the featured artists at the event — artists not only intertwined by their love for their craft, but also their love for each other; the married couple are both also art teachers at the College of Charleston.
    While sculptor Parker couldn’t attend the exhibit, Dede was at the museum, showing off some of her latest work.{mosimage}
    Dede is from New Orleans, La., and moved to Charleston in 1991. She has exhibited throughout the United States, as well as in the Czech Republic. Her art has earned her a slew of awards, including the Installation/Collaboration Project Grant from the North Carolina Cultural Council and the Alternate Visions Grant from Alternate Roots of Atlanta. She is currently a full-time adjunct drawing professor at the College of Charleston, but admits she has a soft spot for Fayetteville.
    “I love the Fayetteville Art Museum,” said Dede. “I had an exhibit here once before and it’s always been a great experience.”
    A sculptor and painter, Dede had an eclectic set of art on display at the museum. Formally trained at Louisiana State University. She sites postimpressionist Paul Cezanne and neoimpressionist Georges-Pierre Serate as two of her major influences, though she doesn’t consider her art to be from the impressionist school.
    “I don’t think you can categorize my art,” said Dede. “I like to think of it as completely original.”
Though her husband was not at the museum, his art, mostly whimsical sculptures laden with religious themes, as well as some that resembled ancient fertitility statues, was well received.
    Parker’s art, as well as Parker himself, are well known to Tom Grubb, executive director of the FMA. “We actually went to graduate school together,” said Grubb as he surveyed the packed gallery. “They are both wonderful artists.”
    Grubb was excited by both the good art and the good crowd of art lovers.
    {mosimage}“We do six to eight of these during the year and it is always free to the public,” said Grubb. “People get to meet the artists and talk to them. Our mission is to bring in interesting art — art that will challenge as well as excite and please people.”
    The crowd was certainly excited by the work of both Dede and Parker, especially Sandi Bailey of Fayetteville.
    “This is the first premier party I’ve been to and I definitely plan on coming back,” said Bailey. “If these two artists are a representation of the kind of work displayed at these exhibits ... it’s a real gift to Fayetteville.”

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