Lynne's Scratchboard Art
Gathering Places Through Time
Line * Light * Place * Story
Historical Context
This scratchboard exhibition examines the evolution of gathering places in Cary, North Carolina—spaces that frame everyday life and foster community. From a soda fountain to a train depot, churches, cafés, breweries, homes and historic landmarks, these locations have served as gathering points across generations. Each piece reflects not just architecture, but the shared memory embedded in corners, windows, and sidewalks. I am drawn to the familiar structures that people pass daily, yet hold decades of conversation, connection, and belonging within their surfaces. Through this collection, I aim to honor the understated importance of these places as anchors of community and continuity.
Interpretive Statement
Scratchboard is a subtractive process: clayboard layered with black India ink, then etched to reveal light through line. This technique allows me to focus on the lines and masses that are often overlooked in person. By removing darkness rather than adding marks, I uncover pattern, mood and atmosphere hidden within ordinary scenes. My work embraces a quiet contrast—moody yet welcoming—revealing the warmth within everyday spaces. Through etched light these places emerge as both timeless and intimate, inviting viewers to recognize and create their own stories within the familiar.