It’s a summer of new faces, new work, and bold new endeavors for Oyé Studios.
An ever-changing pillar of Greenville’s arts community, Oyé Studios is fertile ground for visionary new ideas, vibrant artworks, and inspiring collaborations. Inside the beautifully restored former Daybreak Community Church building, twelve artists hone their craft and share ideas—and are preparing for a transformative summer of festivals, residencies, educational workshops, and more.
The TOWN team stopped by the colorful collective to soak up some of the creative energy and see what some of the talented Oyé artists are working on next. “Generally, we’re all in here grinding it out on our own missions, and it’s nice to be able to do that alongside other people,” says Signe Grushovenko, one of Oyé’s founders. “We all really feed off each other. It’s an ecosystem.”
The studios recently welcomed accomplished artist Traci Wright Martin to their highly curated group, which prides itself on a dedication to intentional practice, artistic fellowship and cross-pollination. “For a group of people that are all excellent artists, I love that this is not an egocentric space,” adds studio member Glory Day Loflin. “We’re constantly pulling each other in for collaborative thoughts and efforts. It’s intellectually challenging and engaging, and makes us all really excited to come to work.” For collectors and the community, that excitement is contagious—and you certainly feel it when you walk through the doors.
Faces of Oyé Studios
Rey Alfonso
Unfolding across half of the sanctuary of the former church, Rey Alfonso’s work commands attention with bold color fields, crisp lines, and mixed-media sculptural elements. “I always have new bodies of work coming out, and right now, my horses are a very new thing,” says Alfonso, gesturing to monumental paintings featuring horse silhouettes.
“This series is called Voyagers, [reflecting] a march to immigration. The immigrant horse on a boat [acts as] a kind of metaphor,” adds Alfonso, who also incorporates painted oars into his art. “My people live in Cuba, and I came from Cuba in a boat. When you live on a tiny island, there’s no parachute and there’s no plane, so you’d leave with a boat if you have an oar. My experience influences my work, as well as currency bans, really just the way the world is now. Artists are filters . . . This is how we process the world and express ourselves, through storytelling.”
Patricia DeLeon
Known for her intuitive mixed-media work that intertwines the material and spiritual worlds, Patricia DeLeon is embarking on a new direction. After a few years of focusing on the rich and layered theme of stacked bowls, the artist is exploring new figurative work that collages found objects with silhouettes—and will reflect a deeply personal journey.
“I’m about to undergo a pilgrimage, walking from France to Spain on an ancient trail called El Camino de Santiago,” reveals DeLeon, “so these [artworks] are in preparation for when I return. The figures will be layered with embedded ephemera from the trip.” Symbolism draws collectors to DeLeon’s work, where viewers often find their own meaning within the imagery. “All my work . . . expresses my interior state. Each piece begins on a substrate of Baltic birch, and then I add layers of gesso [and] mixed media. Generally, it always includes the figure, the landscape, and then the symbol.”
“I’ve been working with liquefied paints for a long time, making the under-paintings for Signe [to then finish]—each of our paintings has abstract work underneath. It’s usually a very experimental, rather than cerebral, process,” says Genna Grushovenko, who works in tandem with partner Signe, who completes the paintings with visuals inspired by vintage photographs. Recently, however, the artist has started building out a solo collection of his own abstract work.
“These just flowed out of me easily. I’ve learned [the paint’s] capabilities and now I’m able to manipulate it like a musical instrument of sorts,” adds Grushovenko, gesturing to the expressive, colorful series. “It’s spontaneous, and I don’t measure anything, so I never know exactly what will happen. I’m drawn to artwork that looks effortless, so I’m letting the paint do [most of] the work. I’m just kind of supervising what’s happening on the canvas.”
Michelle Jardines
Known for her layered, calming impressionist landscapes, Michelle Jardines is branching out. Inside her studio, a new body of work is taking root, with dozens of smaller-scale pieces being added to a highlight wall, where buyers can mix and match compositions to build their own unique combination. “I’ve always been very known for this style, but I’m sort of transitioning right now,” says the Cuban-American painter. The new abstract work combines alcohol ink, oil, charcoal, and spray paint in a dance of brushwork.
“The feeling and movement of nature, and how my body feels in nature, is the inspiration for this [work]. And of course, I love these contrasting pops of florescent color that you find.” For collectors, part of the experience is joining Jardines in her sun-dappled studio for champagne and the chance to add your own final stroke to the piece before taking it home.
Glory Day Loflin
Having recently completed a Master of Fine Art degree in sculpture and painting, it comes as no surprise that Greenville native Glory Day Loflin is exploring new materials, themes, and opportunities to mentor young creatives. “I care a lot about education in the arts—a couple of weeks ago I had two classes of students from the Fine Arts Center here, and I’m about to do a workshop with Soteria. I basically live here, so it’s important that I feel like my environment is one that supports creativity and growth.”
From fresh tea towels to explorations of heritage, new work is everywhere in Loflin’s space. “A lot of my pieces are based off of textiles, with appliqué and quilt-like qualities,” says the artist, whose sprawling studio beckons visitors to explore and linger with storytelling elements throughout. “My grandmother made both quilts and her children’s clothes, and when those clothes would fall apart, she would braid them and crochet them into rugs. So, that whole language is kind of how I’m [expressing my work] now.
Oyé Studios, 37 E. Hillcrest Dr., Greenville, oyestudiosgvl.com
Book Your Oyé Experience
Behind-the-scenes tours and the chance to meet artists are available through website reservations at oyestudiosgvl.com.
Save the Date: Open Studios
Many of Oyé’s in-house artists will be open for the Metropolitan Arts Council’s annual Open Studios event this fall.
