The Rockmart Art Gallery through middle of October is playing host to a celebration of decades of creativity put out by a local artist who in the latter years of her career has used music as the inspiration to keep her moving ever forward with new pieces.

Susan Gore Gardner is the featured artist for the show currently hanging in the gallery in the city hall complex, which started in August and continues through October 15.

Gardner, who began her life as an artist in her youth, graduated from college in the 1980’s and decided then that she wanted to be able to continue her artwork while also being a stay-at-home mother, and learned different techniques along the way that today shows in her translation of the emotional connection she has with musicians and the songs they perform into pictures capturing a guitarist’s passion in a moment for all time, or a drummer finishing an exciting solo.

A fan of the blues and the classic rock inspired by the genre, Gardner said her transition from wildlife, still life and landscapes to musicians began with a portrait of Eric Clapton, which she worked on several times until she felt she got it right. Then it expanded into Tom Petty, Stevie Ray Vaughn and others.

“I responded so strongly to the music, I wanted to try to capture that on paper,” she said. “From there it just took off.”

She said of her favorites in the show, guitarist Mike Campbell (he played with Tom Petty) remains an inspiration for her to continue her work and try to capture the essence of how the sound inspires her visually.

“He’s the one I listen to, to be encouraged and to be uplifted, and he’s 70 now,” Gardner said. “If he can play that good and he’s 70, I’ll be able to draw for a long time too. He encourages me in a lot of ways.”

Be encouraged to be creative by checking out Gardner’s show on Tuesdays from 1 to 7 p.m., and Wednesday, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Rockmart Art Gallery is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays.

Call for more information about the show and upcoming art classes at 770-684-2707.