Los Gatos Plein Air Art Show and Sale

The Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club hosts the the annual Los Gatos Plein Air Art Show and Sale. Artists from all over the US are juried into this week long event where artists paint throughout the area, producing an amazing oeuvre of fresh work to be auctioned and sold at the end – the results are always impressive!Here a few shots I manage to capture from today’s sale at the Town Plaza (artists websites are linked to their names).

Greg LaRock (Newport Beach, CA) – Best of Show

Suzy Long – ( Mendocino, CA) The Copper Bucket – People’s Choice Award

Susan Elwart Hall  (Atherton, CA) – Artist’s Choice Award

Susan Elwart Hall – Pink Buzz – Oil – Honorable Mention

John Guernsey (Marietta, GA) – Courtyard at the winery -Oil -Second Place

Waye McKenzie (Truckee, CA)

Wayne McKenzie – Mountain View – Oil – Third Place

Wayne McKenzie – Friendly Rivalry – Oil

Wayne McKenzie – Santa Cruz Surfers – Oil

Anton Pavlevnko (Mollala, OR)

Anton Pavlevnko – Trickling Creek – Oil – Honorable Mention

Terri Ford (San Jose, CA)

Terri Ford – Valley Vista – Pastel – Honorable Mention (with a bit of reflection)

Kevin Kasik (San Jose, CA)

Kevin Kasik – Shannon Road (detail) – Oil

Me and Kevin hanging…

David Stonesifer (Los Gatos, CA)

David Stonesifer – Foot of Shannon Road – Oil

Ed Lucey (Los Gatos, CA)

Will Maller ( Los Altos, CA)

Sergio Lopez (Santa Rosa, CA)

Sergio Lopez – Capitola Rooftops-  Gouache

Barbara Clark (Corrales, NM)

Barbara Clark – painting detail – oil

Sterling Hoffmann (Sebastopol, CA)

Abby Zhang (Los Gatos, CA)

Laura Wambgans (Santa Clarita, CA)

Art Docent Volunteers, Julia and Judith

Art lovers

Artist Lorraine Lawson volunteering with the Morning Rotary.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2015

I love plein air!  It’s magical how artists go out and brave the elements and a cacophony of input and paint up a little gem in a matter of minutes – so fresh, so immediate!  Los Gatos Town Plaza was filled with such gorgeous wet paintings by artists from all over the West Coast that had been juried into Los Gatos Plein Air 2015. Artists had begun painting on location last Tuesday with canvases stamped at NUMU and had wrapped up their work by Friday night with a VIP Auction.

Plein Air 2015 - viewing- photo Marie Cameron 2015

Organized by the by the Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club, proceeds from the event are going to support Montalvo Arts Center, the Museums of Los Gatos, Lighting for Literacy, Los Gatos Music and Arts and Art Docents of Los Gatos (which was represented by this great group of women – Hey Louise and Elizabeth!).

Plein Air 2015 - Art Docents - photo Marie Cameron 2015

The Los Gatos Museums Gallery was well represented with five member artists participating, Ellen Howard, Ed Lucey, Will Maller, Carole Rafferty and David Stonesifer. In fact, Carole Rafferty was awarded best in show!

Plein Air 2015 - Carole Rafferty - photo Marie Cameron

Congratulations to Carole Rafferty who was awarded Best in Show!

Plein Air 2015 - Caole Rafferty, BEST IN SHOW - photo Marie Cameron 2015.

Plein Air 2015 - Carole Rafferty, Golden State - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Plein Air 2015 - David Stonesifer - photo Marie Cameron 2015

David Stonesifer.

Plein Air 2015 - David Stonesifer, View of LG from Olive Grove - photo Marie Cameron 2015

David Stonesifer‘s oil, View of Los Gatos from Olive Grove.

Plein Air 2015 - David Stonesifer, the piece I shot him working on- photo Marie Cameron 2015

I shot David working on this piece last week on Overlook Road.

Plein Air 2015 - Will Maller - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Will Maller.

Plein Air 2015 - Will Maller, Morning Walk Vasona - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Will Maller‘s oil, Morning Walk Vasona.

Plein Air 2015 - Ed Lucey - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Ed Lucey.

Plein Air 2015 - Ellen Howard - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Ellen Howard.

Ellen Howard  - oil painting -  LG Plein Air 2015

Ellen Howard‘s oil painting.

Plein Air 2015 - 2nd place Greg LaRock - photo Marie Cameron 2015

2nd Place was awarded to Greg LaRock for his oil painting of a creek in Saratoga.

Plein Air 2015 - Honorable Mention- Erich Neubert, A Walik in the Park - photo Marie Cameron 2015

I missed 3rd place, but an Honorable Mention went to Erich Neubert for A Walk in the Park.

Plein Air 2015 - Kim VanDerHoek - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Another Honorable Mention went to Kim VanDerHoek for this lake scene below.

Plein Air 2015 -Honorable Mention  - Kim VanDerHoek- photo Marie Cameron 2015

 

Plein Air 2015 - Lorraine Lawson - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Lorraine Lawson.

Plein Air 2015 - Susan Elwart Hall - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Susan Elwart Hall.

Plein Air 2015 - Susan Elwart Hall , Pentouse View- photo Marie Cameron 2015

Susan Elwart Hall‘s Penthouse View.

Plein Air 2015 - Susan Elwart Hall, the piece I shot her working on - photo Marie Cameron 2015

I shot Susan painting this piece on Overlook Road.

Plein Air 2015 - Sylvia Dahlgren - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Sylvia Dahlgren painting away.

Plein Air 2015 - Sylvia Dalhgren, Point Lobos - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Sylvia Dahlgren‘s oil, Point Lobos.

Plein Air 2015 - Yong Hong Zhong- photo Marie Cameron 2015

Yong Hong Zhong.

Plein Air 2015 - Yong Hong Zhong, Hiding From the Sun - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Yong Hong Zhong‘s oil, Hiding from the Sun.

Plein Air 2015 - Anton Pavelnko - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Anton Pavlenko  was awarded an honorable mention, for a beautiful little painting, I was going to take a photo of it but then I got distracted by this one:

Anton Pavlenko‘s oil, Morning Meditation.

Plein Air 2015 - meeting with an artist- photo Marie Cameron 2015

Plein Air 2015 - Elvis and gentleman companion - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Elvis and his gentleman companion taking in the art.

Plein Air 2015 - Mira and Me - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Mira Petkova, a fabulous new volunteer at the gallery who is helping with promotion material, and myself shooting the event (Thanks Thuy Le).

Plein Air 2015 - Nancy MacDonald, title unavailable - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Nancy MacDonald‘s oil, Joined at the Hip – love those stabs of red!

 

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 – Silent Auction

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 - Town Park PlazaI was able to catch the last few hours of the Los Gatos Plein Air Art Show down town after taking in the Triton Midsummer Art Celebration last weekend. I knew I was in the right place as there was a steady stream of people leaving the Town Park Plaza laden with heavy gold frames holding freshly painted works of art!  Los Gatos Plein Air is a fundraiser presented by the Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club. Jurored artists have nearly a week to paint at least six plein air pieces of local vistas.  This event supports the arts, music and youth in the South Bay, and the humanities programs of Rotary International.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Town Park PlazaIt was amazing to see what these talented plein air artists were able to whip up in such a short time! I can imagine the pressure is so intense to produce your best work on demand like this! I’ve provided links to their websites, which can be reached by clicking on their names.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Ed LuceyEd Lucey is a Los Gatos artist,  a member of the LGMG and LGAA  who was recently featured in Artist’s Magazine! He specializes in local landscape and playful still life oil paintings.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Ed Lucey's cactus painting

Hey I know that cactus!  I pass it on my favorite evening walk. It’s funny how I’ve photographed it, been photographed with it but never though to painting it.  Ed Lucey has done such a beautiful job with it – I’m loving all those warm rich tones!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Terri Ford

Terri Ford (in the shades) is an accomplished pastel artist from San Jose who used to be a member of our gallery. I miss seeing her paintings there as I always covet them!  Her use of color and material is always gorgeous, sadly not so evident from this photo as her display was hopping! Her website is great though and she teaches classes!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Sergio Lopez

Sergio Lopez, from Santa Rosa, reminds me of one of my favorite impressionaist artists, Childe Hassam, especially the painting of the bluff (upper left). I think he said it was from Wilder State Park in Santa Cruz. Sergio also paints an exquisite series of women overlaid with floral patterns, called Painted Roses,  how I adore them! For a full rundown on all the pieces he did for the show, check out his great blog!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 John WhiteJohn White of Long Beach is a plein air and studio artist. I love the seascape on the bottom right. See all those empty hooks? Those paintings went off  to new homes before the close of the auction, one of them (a fresh vineyard scene) can be seen on his website.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 David Stonesifer and

Exhibiting artist David Stonesifer of Los Gatos and artist Lesley Underwood (both Los Gatos Gallery Members) were enjoying a moment at David’s display.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 David Stonesifers Laguna Road at Santa Teresa

I love the compostion, the square format and the pink undertones in Here  is David Stonesifer’s oil painting, Laguna Road at Santa Teresa!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Tonja Zenin

Tonja Zenin of Cupertino painted several views from one of my favorite spots, Shark Tooth Cove in Davenport!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Anton Pavleko's work

Anton Pavlenko also did several paintings from Shark Tooth Cove too, I mean who could resist (not me) It’s beautiful there!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Anton Palenko's seascapeLook how the color of the water warms up as it hits the beach and goes cool and deep as it hits the shadow from the rocks!  Those loose, buttery brush strokes make me salivate!

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Anton Pavlenko's Waiting to Cross

For me,  this little oil painting, Waiting to Cross also by Anton Pavlenko is what plein air is all about!  With only a few exuberantly textured and vibrant strokes he has captured but also transformed a familiar scene. The staccatos of red and green really animate the piece and the entire image seems to shimmer with the movement of the juicy brushwork. I go for burgers now and then at that building on the right, It overlooks the plaza where the silent auction was held.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Brenda Boylan Coffee Break

Here’s another familiar haunt charmingly rendered in pastel by Brenda Boylan of Beaverton, Oregon in Coffee Break. How did she capture moving people like that! This is clearly the Los Gatos Roasting Company on Main Street where there’s always a good crowd and on weekends there are hoards of cyclists and dogs of all breeds added to the mix! I love her use of color and raking lines.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 John Ag and Kee JinI ran into John Agg, Executive Director of the Art Museum of Los Gatos and artist Kee Jin who were taking in the event.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Sterling Hoffman
I got to meet Sterling Hoffman of Sebastopol for the first time. You can see some of his work is on the left,  paintings from Garrod Farms, a spot with which I’m very familiar with as my daughter loves the horse camps they offer there.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2013 Marti Walker

Marti Walker of West Sacramento did this charming pastel of one of Los Gatos’s storefronts (Tassels, I’m guessing). Just one of the many paintings proving the town to be as pretty as a picture!