The conflict and change of life was inspiration for local artist Amy Potts' collection "Ebb and Flow," which will be part of the "Give the Gift of Art: Affordable Gifts and Artwork" exhibit Friday through Dec. 31 in Jefferson City at Capital Arts, 1203 Missouri Blvd.
The 2016 Middle School Art Educator of the Year has created six non-objective pieces and one with a recognizable image to express "how we see life grow and change, if we keep looking long enough."
Potts has had pieces part of previous Capital Arts shows, but she has never been the featured artist, she said.
She has been involved with Capital Arts for many years, starting with the Chalk Art festival, as well as teaching summer classes and taking students to the gallery.
When the local nonprofit asked Potts to be the featured artist, she already had been sketching on the idea of the ebb and flow of life, Potts said.
Translating the ink drawings into paint on canvas brought about some changes to her original ideas, she said.
However, overall, the Ebb and Flow collection reflects Potts' artistic transition.
"This set of paintings is the next step toward something more developed," she said.
The Russellville Elementary and Middle School art teacher will discuss these concepts at two talks during receptions at the gallery 1-4 p.m. Nov. 13 and Dec. 11.
On her classroom wall is a blank canvas as a thought-provoker for her students.
"I tell them, 'this is what life is like without art,'" Potts said.