​Kelvin Amburgey-Waltons’s “From Within” series was created as part of the Courage Unmasked Tennessee project.
For treatment of certain head and neck cancers, a porous mesh mask is formed to cover a patient’s head and neck during radiation. The mask is bolted to the treatment table to keep the patient’s head immobile, thereby allowing doctors to pinpoint beams of radiation to cancer-affected areas. When six or more weeks of therapy are complete, the masks are discarded, destroyed or given to the patient to do with what they want. As part of the Courage Unmasked Tennessee project they also had the choice to donate them to local artist to create art out of this, sometimes negative, plastic mask. 
As an artist I wanted to explore the idea of both the cancer and the strength to survive it comes from within the person. With this series you see moments from being whole to feeling shattered and broken as well as the thought of breaking the self free from the idea of being a cancer victim to a Survivor and renewed. I used the concept of the elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air for colors and inspiration.
Each piece is developed using a Shadow box, Patient’s Mask, Acryilic paint and Mirror.
The mask are bolted down to a table to hold the person in place for radiation treatment to very specific areas without movement. It has been an honor to be given the chance now 3 different times to create something out of this time in people’s lives.

As an untrained artist, I have continually experimented with technique, style and medium as well as subject matter. I have used acrylic but in recent years use only oils when I paint - though I do enjoy using charcoal and chalk pastels occasionally. It has been said that one may place 5 paintings of mine on a wall and it will look like the works of 5 different people. I personally believe this to be a good thing - at least for me - as I think I would get bored painting the same subject matter the same way all the time. I am a member of the Charlotte Art League, in Charlotte, N.C. where my works are exhibited in monthly gallery crawls. I have also exhibited at other Charolotte galleries and currently have pieces on display at local restaurants and a furniture showroom. 

Born in 1945, I was raised on the coastal regions of North Carolina's outer banks until the late 60's when my mother remarried, and we moved away. As a child I spent a great deal of time exploring the woods and marshland areas - collecting shells, bugs, bones and often hunting and fishing. 

Those childhood experiences are reflected in my paintings of landscapes - a subject I enjoy painting - generally from my imagination that surely are from visions embedded in my mind. I love "playing" with color and create abstracts (which have received much interest). Painting abstracts helps me experiment with color which aids in determining how to use color in the painting style I most prefer. That being my passion for painting in a style I call "Chromorph" (color/shape) - in which I express form with use of contrasting colors rather than shadow in "natural' tones. It is a pleasure working these pieces in oil and spending hours "testing" and working the colors to achieve the look I desire. Each peice is an experiment to me and I love watching it develop step by step with the end  result giving me somewhat of a "parental" feeling about the piece - as though it were an offspring of mine! 

Most of these peices in the Chromorph style are people - some famous (Einstein, Picasso, et.) - some inspired by the works of others and some creations using my imagination. In the case of the "imagined" faces I tend to paint the eyes first, then they "tell" me what colors they choose the rest to be by virture of the expression I see. Famous people tell me in advance.

Aove all, where oil or pastel, on canvas or paper - and occasionally scupting in clay - creating art is not a "want to" for me - it is a "Have to.." And I love sharing my artwork and making it available to to others for their enjoyment and inspiration. My philosophy is create to inspire to create.  

I hope you enjoy viewing my selctions and I welcome and appreciate any and all comments. 

I can be contacted, jwsawyer1945@yahoo.com

Jim

Jim's art can be seen at Pecker's Bar & Grill and is for sale. Please contact the bartender on duty or you can personally contact Jim my phone or email. 

Lambda Car Club Int'l is the largest collector car club for gay and lesbian people in North America. Membership is at 2,200, and there are 32 active regions throughout the U.S, and Canada. The club's annual gathering - The Grand Invitational - is held in a different city each year and is hosted by their respective chapter. In 2018, Music City will be hosting this event! It's an exciting time for Nashville to host, since becoming the "It" city in recent years. Several hundred classic and collectible automobile enthusiast and their cars from all over the country will converge on Nashville for an entire week visiting local businesses and attractions . The Grand Invitational is also open to our sister car club members in the Freewheelers and Great Autos clubs. This is an event you won't want to miss. 

We are pleased to know that a portion of the sponsorship funds received will be given to the charity of choice for our event, Nashville CARES. 

For more information, please feel free to contact Anthony Wilfert at wilfert.anthony@gmail.com, or Kerry Garner at kerrgarn@gmail.com. You can also find out more about our organization online at Icccumberland.com.