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Georgia artist Trish Land was like a breath of fresh air floating through the Johnson Center for the Arts during TroyFest weekend.

Land is the featured artist at the Johnson Center through June 15. She was honored with an artist’s reception on Friday night and was also featured in an Art Talk about her exhibition, “Painted Poetry” a noon on Saturday.

Brenda Campbell, JCA director, said the weekend events at the JCA were opportunities for the community to get to know Land more personally and to learn to appreciate her artwork even more.

“It seems that knowing more about artists gives viewers an even greater appreciation of their work,” Campbell said. “Trish is a very open and friendly. She meets people really well. She has been a storyteller all her life and that allows people to get to know her as well as appreciate her art.”

Land grew up dancing.

“It was like a dream,” she said. “I could move and tell a story with music and my body.”

She realized early-on that there are ways of communicating other than talking. Art, she realized, was yet another way of communicating.

“I found paint,” she said. “I always allow the viewers to have their own experiences with my work.  Nature is my teacher. All I have to do is pay attention.”

Land approaches painting like a conversation.

“It’s between me, the paint, the surface and my brush,” she said. “Lots of back and forth going on – inquiring, listening, asking and waiting. There’s a kindness and beauty that I always try to convey. It’s what I want around me, so that’s what I paint – kindness and beauty.”

Painting, for Land, has the essence of dreaming and dancing and the mysterious journey is the story she likes to tell, always allowing the viewer to have their own experience with her work.

“I am fascinated by stories we are able to tell with paint,” she said.

“My journey starts every day as if everything I see is new.”

And, those who view Trish Land’s artwork see the world in a new and intriguing way, Campbell said and invites everyone to experience a new and magnificent world as seen fresh and new through the eyes of Trish Land.

The Johnson Center on East Market Street in downtown Troy is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free.