Figures and Faces

The Figures and Faces exhibition on at the Pacific Art League of Palo Alto untill the end of the month looks great! Juried by Lynne Todaro (sculptor and director of Vargas Gallery at mission college) selected a wide variety of media with diverse approaches but all very emotive and expressive!

Lynne Todaro, director of Vargas Gallery at Mission College and sculptor in some opening remarks.

First place was awarded to GayLynn Ribeira for her oil Stages.

She could have picked up a co-first for her second piece, Memory!

I was awarded second place for my oil, bugatha1!

Here I am with juror Lynne Todaro, so honored that she chose three of my portraits for the exhibit, bugatha1, Tiny as the Universe and Eden!

                          

The gallery manager Stephanie Amon asked me to give an artist’s talk about my People in my Neighborhood series.

Third place went to Tanya Larin‘s oil Christoph Köln at the Age of 50.

Cherryl Pape received an honorable mention for her graphite drawing Omonike seen here with her lovely model.

                          

Jiajun Lu , was also awarded honorable mention for his ceramic sculpture, S.J. in 3D.

Connecting with Ganesha, an archival pigment print was awarded an honorable mention.

Archival pigment print.

Maura Carta and her self portrait in oil.

Maura Carta and her handsome model.

The man and his portrait!

Carol Bower and Her pastel Kami

Weijue Wang and her Graphite powder on paper, Now You See Me.

“la Dance” Revisited: This Side / The Other Side  archival pigment print photograph by H. Dogus Akaydin.

Venus and the Dark Veil of Censorship an Arista print digital photograph by The Antic Staatsoper.

Judy Kramer with her digital photograph and her darling model.

The Age of Wisdom, oil by Ayelet Gal-On.

Lamentation: A Sculpture for my Mother the Dancer by Ciaran Freeman a steel, nylon, spray paint and wood sculpture.

Ciaran Freeman gave a talk about his concept, research and process. His sculpture is much like a drawing in the third dimension welding together lengths of steel like individual lines from a pencil. He had looked toward Martha Graham  and her work with jersey for insights into his mothers dancing practice and designed this sculpture for her.

Dave Woodard was the final talk of the evening. He told us the fascinating story behind his terra cotta sculpture with fishhooks, Dream of a Spontaneous Utterance.  It was literally based on an actual dream he’d had after saying some things he’d regretted to a friend! How fabulous to dream in metaphor like this!

He had me at fishhooks!

Fins, Feathers and Fur

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Marie Cameron 2015

One of the really nice things about the Fins, Feathers and Fur Exhibit at the Pacific Art League (besides the soulful art) is that many of the exhibiting artists have chosen to donate 10% from the sale of their work to the Peninsula Humane Society / SPCA!

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Voulnteers with the Peninsula Humane Society 2015

On hand at Friday night’s opening reception were two of their friendly volunteers and Swiss, a very cute and totally adoptable puppy! Here he is happily flaked out after so much adoring attention.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Swiss - adoptable puppy Peninsula Humane Society 2015

This show was juried by Bradley Platz of Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco. He spoke at the reception but sadly before I had arrived.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Blake McFarland, Cougar, Recyled tires...- photo Marie Cameron 2015

1st place was awarded to this striking sculpture, Cougar, made from recycled tires by Blake McFarland. The photo does not show how the great texture and personality in this work, for that, see the artist’s website – I’ve provided links on all the artist’s names where available.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Maura Carta, Rabbit, Oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

2nd place went to Maura Carta for her oil painting Rabbit.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Denise Howard, What is it? Colored pencil, 3rd place- photo Marie Cameron 2015

3rd place was awarded to Denise Howard for her flawless colored pencil drawing What Is It?.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Elaine Heron photography  - honorable mention for her Sled Dog Guarding her Pups in Greenland- photo Marie Cameron 2015

Honorable Mentions were awarded to Elaine Heron for her photograph, Sled Dog Guarding her Pups in Greenland.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Honorable Mention - photo Marie Cameron 2015

This abstract drawing which I failed to get a name or title on.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL -  David Fleming, The Wayward Bus, Oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

And to David Fleming’s oil painting, Wayward Bus.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Carol Rafferty, Two Cows, oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

There were three artists from the Los Gatos Museums Gallery with work in this show, Carol Rafferty with her oil painting, Two Cows.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Ed Lucey, I See You, Oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Ed Lucey with his oil painting, I See You.

Strawberry Demitasse Trio - Marie Cameron -  Oil

And myself with my oil painting, Strawberry Demitasse Trio.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - Marie Cameron and Strawberry Demitasse Trio, photo 2 Denise Howard 2015

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - reception- photo Marie Cameron 2015

It was fascinating to see all the different takes on animals, from the realistically observational, the whimsical, the symbolic and the political / environmental.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Janice Wong, Spring Hill Way Series, Autumn, Oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Janice Wong’s oil painting, Spring Hill Way Series – Autumn.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Jean-Marc Brugeilles, The Stool and the Rabbit, Oil - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Jean-Marc Brugeilles’ oil painting, The Stool and the Rabbit.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Diana Lee, Guess What, Scatchboard - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Diana Lee‘s scratchboard drawing Guess What.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL -  John Haynes, Which Brush? Watercolor - photo Marie Cameron 2015

John Haynes watercolor painting, Which Brush?

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Skye Becker-Yamakawa and her BIg Cat paintings, Acylic- photo Marie Cameron 2015          Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL -Tulio Flores, Morph, Found Objects - photo Marie Cameron 2015            Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Jeffery Anthony Baylon, Bottled1 and 2, photo manipulations on metal prints - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Skye Becker-Yamakawa and her Big Cat acrylic paintings (left), Tulio Flores‘s found object sculpture, Morph (center) and Jeffery Anthony Baylon’s manipulated photographs on metal, Bottled 1 and 2 (right).

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - Jenefir Renzel, Walking Stick,  Assemblage - photo Marie Cameron 2015

Jenifer Renzel‘s assemblage, Walking Stick.

Fins, Feathers and Fur - PAL - photo Marie Cameron 2015

 

Fur, Feathers & Fins – the Beat Goes On

Pre-FF&F Asian Pear Sangria

First Fridays – It’s when all the arts all over the Bay Area  seem to be on display.  The Pacific Art League, for instance had an opening reception for four exhibits in their make-shift facility on Forest (their longtime, historic home next door is undergoing a major retrofit overhaul). There was a solo exhibition of watercolor paintings by Zhao Nan Duan,  Fur, Feathers & Fins, a regional group exhibition juried by Michael Azgour,  a group exhibition of contemporary abstract work and The Beats – Back Where It All Began, poetry and music presented by Leah Lubin. A lot going on in a very small space!

Poetry reading presented by Leah Lubin at PAL - FF&F 2013


Poetry reading.

When I arrived with my family we had just missed the announcements and award ceremony. My painting, End of Spring, was hanging in the corner behind the large watercolor by Zhao Nan Duan which had been placed there to introduce him but remained for most of the evening. The poets and musicians were in full swing and my family left without getting to see my piece on exhibit. Sigh!

First Friday Opening Reception at PAL-Fur, Feathers & Fins & Poetry


Large turnout for First Friday reception!

The poetry and music was a big hit and there was a great turn out for it, something I may have been in the mood for if I was in a different frame of mind but I was really more interested in speaking with the other visual artists who were attending the reception.

FF&F at PAL Isaias Sandoval - Sad Rose - Oil

Congratulations to Isaias Sandoval, who I know from the Los Gatos Art Association. He was awarded first place for his oil painting Sad Rose. He had both fur and feathers! The juror loved his use of metaphor.

FF&F at PAL - Denise Howard - Golfer's Error - Graphite

Denise Howard took second place for her graphite drawing, Golfer’s Error. Here the juror appreciated her light consistent touch and the clear telling of a complete story. And I had asked my kids before the show if they thought I would have the only dead animal in the show! Denise tells me that she’d also drawn a sparrow, called Ascension, who had sadly hit her window.

FF&F at PAL - Maura Carta - Rabbit - Oil

Maura Carta was awarded third place for her oil painting Rabbit. Here the juror commented on the varied but cohesive brush strokes that beautifully evoked the softness of the plush toy and blanket.

FF&F at PAL Mei-Ying Dell'Aquila - two oil

My friend Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila was awarded honorable mention for Liberty Prometheus : Gift, the oil painting on the left. Her Liberty Prometheus : Punishment was also selected for the exhibition.  Mei-Ying’s works are rich with symbolism and allegory, my photo caught too much glare and doesn’t do them justice.

FF&F at PAL Mei-Ying Dell'Aquila - oil (detail)

Here’s a detail from Liberty Prometheus : Gift – her crow and pomegranate are two subjects I’m always drawn to and she’s rendered them so lushly!

FF&F at PAL - Jaya King - Black, White and Red All Over - Acrylic and Collage

I’m a big fan of my friend Jaya King’s work she has a playful and whimsical side as seen here in her painting, Black, White and Red All Over and a moving lyrical side which is evidenced in her work through Nieto Fine Art.

FF&F at PAlL - Ellen Litwiller -  Quagga - Oil

My daughter and I were quite taken with this oil painting by Ellen Litwiller entitled Quagga (Last One Died August 12, 1883). It’s faded sepia tones are like an old photograph, it has a loose ghostly quality so suitable for a tragically extinct animal, the repetition of vertical lines throughout bring to mind a cage and echo the pattern of it’s coat. The incorporation of text not only lends context but is a great graphic element that helps to anchor the piece.

FF&F at PAL - Matre Thompson - Discussion ( Dicus Pair) Acrylic

The soft patterns and richly subdued color palette of Marte Thompson’s acrylic painting, Discussion (Discus) were really lovely.

FF&F at PAL Marie Cameron- End of Spring - oil


End of Spring unveiled!

Finally, my oil painting, End of Spring was revealed near the end of the reception, just in time for a snap – compliments of my photographer friend, Ron Dell’Aquilla (who just won first place in the the Triton Museum of Art’s  2013 Statewide Photography Competition/ Exhibition where he was awarded his own solo show)!  I capped off my evening over impossibly viridian green Italian drinks, mint in name only, with my very first Californian friend, artist Ai Aroner, who used to work at the Pacific Art League in the days that I volunteered there back before the dot.com bust. Cin-cin!