To the editor:

The Tryon area has a population of about four or five thousand and Hendersonville has about 75-80,000, yet Tryon has painters and sculptors with some of the most beautiful works imaginable.

I’m sure Hendersonville has some fine artists too, but walking into our galleries is like walking into some New York galleries.

There are shows right now that are a delight and a joy.

For one, there is the Upstairs Gallery with a dramatic show. In the front room near the entrance there is a sculpture of a woman on a cross. She has a very rough surface, but you can still see how graceful she is. She seems to be going through some tough times. Is seems to be a plea for justice for abused women by Bonnie Bardos.

High drama is seen in “Nightfall,” with a fire between low buildings and great masses of black smoke blowing across the sky by Courtney Chapell.

Next is a large painting with magnificent clouds rising with electric and I do mean electric blue sky showing through. The painting seems to be strongly mystical.

There is another work in the downstairs gallery with the same type of sky, but with windblown tree branches.