Conversations With Culture

I’m very excited to be exhibiting in “Conversations With Culture” at Iwasawa Oriental Art, 75 Universtiy Ave in downtown Los Gatos! It’s an exhibition arranged by Gallerist, Kumiko Iwasawa Vadas in her gorgeous, authentically Japanese Gallery to be part of Asia Week San Francisco Bay Area 2018! Like Asia Week, the show runs October 5-14 and there is a special reception TODAY from 1-5 pm with exhibiting artists, Hiroko Ohno, James Ong, Lorraine Lawson, Patrali Paul, Evelyn Consorti and myself giving artists talks (maybe around 2 pm). The show is free and there will be wonderful refreshments.

Artists are like sponges, soaking up all kinds of influences along their path but what they squeeze out in their work should not be a mere imitation of something they’ve seen before but something new, filtered through their own idiosyncratic prism of experience, perspective and vision. The paintings I create are rooted in my own personal narrative and the manner in which I handle paint, color and line are certainly my own but I feel there is a certain Asian resonance when it comes to composition and depth of field in many of my paintings. There is also a shared reverence for the beauty of nature and sense of season.Having said this, It is quite natural that when I paint a flowering cherry branch or a lily floating on a pond, or a peony in full bloom, I can’t help but think of all the exquisite depictions of these very flowers by Japanese and Chinese artists over the centuries and this rich tradition will inevitably pull me in that direction. But it happens even with less obvious subject matter. My paintings have been made better through my exposure to Japanese prints and Chinese brush paintings as well as their influence on artists I much admire like Whistler, Van Gogh and Monet. Often this cultural conversation is taking place in our heads without us even realizing it! I will be showing the following Asian influenced paintings that I have done over the years and I will talk about how this influence came about and how it has affected my work.

Beijing Grey
Oil on canvas
48″ x 30″

Pond Lily Magenta
Oil on canvas
24″ x 24″

Mr. Katayama’s Peony
Oil on canvas
24″ x 24″

 

 

Fade – Reception

I had such a wonderful time at my Fade reception at Vargas Gallery last night!  I was told that it was the best attended solo show in the history of Vargas Gallery (since 1986)! A BIG THANKS to everyone who came out – artists, friends, curators, students, collectors and faculty! I feel very honored to show in this space and to have such a great community come out and support me! A special thanks to Lynne Todaro for inviting me to exhibit this work which spans a decade, to my collectors who lent back some key pieces for this show and to Ashley for her help with the install and staffing the show! All the albino deer cookies were snapped up and three more paintings were sold!

An albino deer cookie and it’s inspiration, Bed of Ghosts.

With George Rivera (Artist, Instructor, Curator),  Kristin Lindseth-Rivera (Sculptor, Instructor), Marianne McGrath ( NUMU Curator) and Lynn Todaro (Sculptor, Instructor, Director)

With Tamera Avery (Painter), Kathryn Arnold (Painter), Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro (Painter, Graphic Designer), Karen Gutfreund (Artist, Curator) Susan Kraft (Painter) and Hadi Aghaee (Painter) to mention a few.

I love it when people take a pic with a painting, it is such a compliment! This student had an interesting take on the deer in the nest feelings like birds eggs – such a great fragility association!

Tamera Avery & Kathryn Arnold at the Fade Reception – Vargas Gallery.
I know both of these wonderful artists through the Triton Museum of Art. Tammy has two fabulous figurative paintings in the Salon currently, one (which I’m personally in love with) took first in painting! Kathryn had a stunning solo show, monumental assemblages of abstract painting on sheaves of paper inspired by specific selections of poetry and prose as I remember….how great to see and gab with you both!

Loved seeing my collectors David and Carol Ann!

My dear friend (and collector) Judy who has to be one of my biggest supporters!

Hadi was sweet to help me carry in my albino deer cookies!

Suki Ma has one of my Bird and Teacup paintings and kindly shared the reception with her Art Experience group!

Show continues at Vargas Gallery in the Gillmor Center of Mission College through to the 14th!

 

 

 

Albino Deer Cookies!

I think being an artist is a kind of compulsion, once you get an idea in your head, you just want to explore it and see it come to be!  It was kind of like that with my albino deer cookies, it’s not like there wasn’t enough to eat at the reception but I thought these little cookies inspired by my Bed of Ghost painting would be so cute! Tips? Do it ahead of time so the herd won’t get scruffy before the icing sets!

Fade Reception Date

Yay!

Director Lynne Todaro and I settled on a date for my Fade reception at Vargas Gallery, Wednesday, December 6 from 4-7 pm. Perfect timing for students, between classes and between holidays. I’m delighted to hear that the show, which began Nov 8, has been getting a great response and I am looking forward to entertaining visitors at the reception! I hope you can join me if you are in the area!!!

These are some of the “artist with her work” shots taken at the exhibit to come up with a show promotion…

Such a lovely space! Vargas Gallery is located in the Gillmor Center in the middle of the Mission College Campus. Gallery hours are Monday  & Wednesday 11 am – 2 pm and Thursday 3:30 -6:30 pm.

 

Honoring the Legacy of David Park – Reception – SCU

Honoring the Legacy of David Park
Edward M Dowd Art and Art History Building
Santa Clara Univiersity
April 3 − 28 2017

WOW!

The Panel Discussion and Reception for the Honoring the Legacy of David Park exhibition curated by John Seed and organized by Kelly Detweiler was truly memorable! There was a fascinating Panel Discussion with Jennifer Pochinski, Helen Park Bigelow, John Seed , DeWitt Cheng and Kelly Detweiler.

The show was juried by John Seed, DeWitt Cheng, Jessica Phillips and Andrea Pappas. Congratulations to the winners Gage OpdenbrouwKurt SolmssenMark HansonBetsy Kendall and Phyllis Hersh Gorsen!

Invited Artists:
Kyle Staver
Jennifer Pochinski

Juried Artists:
Alix Bailey, James Bland, Marie Cameron, Linda Christensen, Ashley Norwood Cooper, Melinda Cootsona, Kim Frohsin, Sonia Gill, Phyllis Gorsen, Cynthia Grili, Nancy Gruskin, Mark Hanson, Irene Cuadrado Hernandez, Mitchel Johnson, Betsy Kendall, Rachel Kline,Sue Ellen R. Leys, Kathy Liao, Fred Lower, Janet Norris, Gage Opdenbrouw, David Iacovazzi-Pau, Jill Madden, Nicholas Mancini, Sandy Ostrau, Catherine Prescott, Jose Luis Ceña Ruiz, William Rushton, Francis Sills, Kurt Solmssen, David Tomb, Christina Renfer Vogel, Martin Webb, John Webber, William Wray

There is a beautiful exhibition catalogue available online:
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1249787

David Park
Woman with Red Mouth
(reproduction – original oil on canvas

Curator John Seed with Kyle Staver’s Biker Trilogy.

Curator John Seed with Dead Dog from Kyle Staver’s Biker Trilogy.

Curator John Seed with Jennifer Pochinski’s Strand and Two Women.

Jennifer Pochinski with her oil paintings Strand and Two Women.

Mitchell Johnson with his oil painting Met Breuer 1.

Kim Frohsin with her acrylic, pencil and ink painting, Nightime at the Fair.

Gage Opdenbrouw with his oil painting Garden (Garland of Hours).

 

 

 

Mark Hanson with his oil, Late Afternoon.

Me with my oil pairing Blue Corset.

Sue Ellen R. Leys with her encaustic Asbury Surf.

Martin Webb with his mixed media painting Boatbuilding.

Kathy Liao and her oil painting Float.

David Tomb with his charcoal drawing, Quiet Conversations (and artist Kim Frohsin).

Linda Christensen and her oil painting Lifeguard.

William Rushton with his oil painting Afternoon Light.

Sonia Gill with her oil painting The Assistant.

David Iacovazzi-Pau with his oil painting Tom & Billy (portrait of Tom Schneph and Billy Hertz).

Sandy Ostrau with her oil painting Whale Watch.

Cynthia Grilli with her oil painting The Envelope.

Sonia Gill with her oil painting The Assistant.

Honoring the Legacy of David Park Panel Discussion. Jennifer Pochinski, Helen Park Bigelow (Davis Park’s daughter and author of  David Park, Painter: Nothing Held Back, John SeedDeWitt Cheng and Kelly Detweiler.

Linda Fleming’s newly installed painted steel sculpture.
Edward M. Dowd Art & Art History B

Linda Fleming’s newly installed painted steel sculpture.
Edward M. Dowd Art & Art History Building
Santa Clara University

Abstracts From Life at NUMU

So nice to meet many of the exhibiting artists in Abstracts From Life: Bay Area Figurative Past and Present at the Members Reception held at NUMU last night in Los Gatos, California. It’s a beautiful exhibit curated by Marianne McGrath with exceptional work by Michael Azgour, Joan Brown, Suhas Bhujbal, Linda Christensen, Richard Diebenkorn, Dennis Hare, Mitchell Johnson, Brigitte McReynolds, Nathan Oliveira, Joan Savo, Jennifer Pochinski, William Rushton, Terry St. John and James Weeks. The show continues on until September 10, 2017. The following are a few photos from the evening and a small sampling of the work which glowed dramatically off of the dark walls (so hard to shoot)! All the more reason to come in and see it for yourself! For additional information on the artists, click on their names for links to websites and bios.

Suhas Bhujbal – Flower Market – oil on canvas

Mitchell Johnson

Brigitte McReynolds

Jennifer Pochinski – The Wonderful Race, –  Penelope, Livingroom

(detail from The Wonderful Race)

Linda Christensen – Tableau – oil on canvas

Linda Christensen -The Writer – oil on canvas

William Rushton – Street Play – oil on canvas

(detail)

Michael Azgour – Canal Street – oil on canvas

Joan Savo – Untitled (figure)  – oil on canvas

Richard Diebenkorn  – Untitled – charcoal on paper

Richard Diebenkorn – Untitled – charcoal on paper

Nathan Oliveira – Untitled Figure.  Crown Point Press Nude 14 – watercolor on paper

James Weeks – Promenade Under the Trees – oil on canvas

 

womanKind Reception

The womanKIND reception was a warm-hearted gathering on a very cold night at the Citadel Gallery in San Jose. The exhibition, a Cole / Drews Watkins project was held in support of the YWCA Silcon Valley – eliminating racism, empowering women! Last day to see the show is Monday, December 19th from 12 to 6 pm.

Power houses Susan Drews Watkins and Sara Cole who put together the show welcoming us all to the exhibition.

Tanis Crosby, CEO of the YWCA Silicon Valley speaking eloquently about the importance of being there for each other as women, as community. Very inspirational!

                             

We were touched by the powerful spoken word poetry of Diana D’Angelo, Sara Cole and Ashlie Andrade.  Check back soon, I’ll be posting video links to these readings!

Many of the exhibiting artists were present, here I am with my floral paintings.

Jhina Alvarado with her Mixed media encaustics.

Diana D’Angelo and her mixed media paintings.

Ashlie Andrade with Sara Cole’s paintings on paper.

Sara Cole with her self portraits.

Susan Drews Watkins and friends.

Susan Drews Watkins sculpture, metal, water and glass.

Joy Redick and her watercolors.

Lisa Renée Falk and her Citrus Dress – glass, silk and plastic citrus bags.

Lisa Renée Falk and her Citrus Dress, glass, silk and plastic citrus bags.

Trace Galbraith and her slumped glass work.

My Birds and Teacups cards.

Tableart by Henri Mansfield Herns.

Work by Tableart, Gutfreund, Cole, Cameron

       

        

Marti Somers Squirrel over Tumbleweed, Mixed media on panel.

Karen Gutefreund‘s Perpetual Motion,  mixed media on canvas. Karen had been to the show early in the afternoon before racing off to Arc in San Francisco for the opening of the F*ck U! exhibition reception!

Brigitte Carnochan‘s  Pot of Daffodils , silver gelatin print.

Jhina Alvarado’s Alberts, mixed media encaustic paintings.

Jamie Woods, YWCA Silicon Valley’s Associate Director of Philanthropy and Sara Cole.

It was an honor to meet Tanis Crosby and help to support the YWCA Silicon Valley for all that they do – eliminating racism and empowering women! I hope we’re able to raise lot’s of money with this show for the important work that they do in our community!

Holiday Tree Trimmed with Paintings

The Holiday Party is tonight!

It is the tradition at Gallery 24 (formerly Los Gatos Museum Gallery) to trim the tree with little paintings, small treasures all $100 each, this year I have two of my 4×4″ hummingbird paintings at the tipity top – can you spot the white hummingbird? It’s a bit like seeing it out in the wild!

 

 

 

I know that David Stonesifer will have some of his very popular Vintage Santa paintings on the tree as well!

I’m still trying to decide whether to wear my hummingbird dress or something more sparkly?  Throw something fun on and come down for  a drink and a bite, some art and lots and lots of fabulous company!  Party runs from 6-8:30 tonight, 24 N Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Los Gatos, California!

Holiday Party at Gallery 24!

 

Our Holiday Party at Gallery 24 is tomorrow night from 6-8:30 pm!

Everyone is welcome to stop by for a cup of good cheer and festive nibbles! We have a tree covered with tiny paintings and you can see the work of the following artists, many who will be present!

Shannon Amidon
Debbie Baker
Andy Ballantyne
Marie Cameron
Noreen Christopher
Gary Coleman
Nancy DeWeese
Vernon Dittenbir
Chris Dok
Marilyn Dorsa
Joan Drennan
Danielle Dufayet
Lance Glasser
Georgesse Gomez
Scot Grabowski
Veronica Gross
Mary Ann Henderson
Ellen Howard
Yao-pi Hsu
Phyllis Ann Jenkins
KevinKasik
Ellen Kieffer
Katy Kindig
Carolyn Larsen
Lorraine Lawson
Belinda Lima
Vincent Liu
Ed Lucey
Will Maller
Betty Turrentine McGuire
Maralyn Miller
Susan Miller
Linda Mitchell
Sandi Okita
Donna Orme
Sam Pearson
Judith Peterson
Leslie Rock
Michael Rogan
Julia Munger Seelos
Pat Sherwood
Linda Smythe
Lucas Stamos
David Stonesifer
Pat Suggs
Jeanne Tillman
Janet Trenchard
Karen Van Galder
Julia Watson
Alice Weil
Colleen Wilcox
Tonya Zenin

We’re at 24 N Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Los Gatos, California.

(artwork by Janet Trenchard)

Anne & Mark’s Art Party Closing Bash

OK – it’s been over a week now and I really should have had this post up long ago but I’ve been suffering from an art hangover like you wouldn’t believe (unless of course, you were at the party)!

In fact, this is what the inside of my brain looks like now – a cacophony of pattern, lights and color like this giant kaleidoscope by Ned Greene!

Or this detail from Emanuela Harris-Sintamarian’s gouache Die Gesteze der Stukturen!

And here are the synapses of my grey matter firing in pops of dreamy florasl and dandelion puffs of exploding fractals seen here in Carrie Lederer’s Clear Night!

The computer of my mind is overloaded and is threatening to crash (detail from Karen Gutfruend’s CTRT ALT DEL)!

And my dreams are haunted by a blind white rabbit, thank you Tulio Flores and Asiel Design….so here we go – one more trip down the rabbit hole before I move on!

First of all I’d like to thank everyone who made it out to see my Florilegia and shared with me their response to the work – this input is simply invaluable to an artist  and means do much!  Thank you , thank you , thank you!

And then there were the visitors who seemed like they were exertions of my paintings!

So Fabulous!

And then there were my art crushes…..like this discarded cigarette packaging piece by Robert Larson.  He was able to take something dirty and disgusting and transform it into something sublime!  I smelled it too  – not a hint of nicotine or anything else. Pure alcmemy!

I also adored this woman’s torso fashioned from safety pins, Lacey by Bob Marzewski, like little stars or snowflakes tenuously welded together.

Lorraine Lawson’s missed media paintings,  Bob Marzeweski’s torsos and Tessie Barrera-Scharaga’s Matrix of Chaos, an installation piece of multiple images of the Virgin and kneeling benches.

So easy to get lost wandering through the maze of galleries – at least if you’re doing it right.

Kristin Lindseth’s prints.

Gianfranco Paolozzi’s Journal, enamel, robber paint, glue on recycled role of paper.

Will Marino’s Paradigm Shift , wound and folded paper

Patrick Hofmeister’s Aware.

Malia Landis’s IIiima in Kiawe.

Marianne Lettieri’s Memory Bank.

Lynn Dao’s Domestic Apocalypse

Love the simplicity of this delicate bowl  against a simple grey background in this oil painting by Deborah Trilling.

John Hylton’s Moon Watcher, canvas, paint wood.

Monica Van den Dool’s Behold in front of Emanuela Harris-Sintamarian’s gouache  Die Gesteze der Stukturen.

Wesley T. Wright – California Coyote – Stoneware, underglaze, glaze, concrete, steel in front of Nanette Wylde’s monoprints.

It was such a delight to meet Natalia Bertotti and Michael Garlington who collaborate on intensely dark, curious and magical images that somehow tap into some cultural core of ours – Grimm’s American fairytale crossed with something ripped out of the headlines of an old newspaper – or rather the stories that was never fit to print or maybe a precursor to a circus side show. They photographed Susan Sarandon in amazing paper dresses here’s a link to this process.

          

Love the flask action!

I’m not even sure what I’m looking at here, but it feels like a pierced and leaking Padora’s Box emptying out into a sea of melting glaciers – a big old barrel of global warming by Briget Henry with Ann Altstatt. Feel free to go with another interpretation!

Grant Wells’s  Ocean Structure 1, pigment transfer on canvas.

Tim Craighead’s oil and alkyd on linen, Without Constantini.

Adon Vaneziano’s sculptures.

Brian Taylor’s  Changing Nature, photography.

Dotti Cichon with her installation she collaborated on with Jamila Rufaro.

Pantea Karimi and her paper vovelles.

With Lorraine Lawson and her mixed media paintings.

Sara Cole’s Forgotten Women 2 , acrylic, graphite, gesso on paper.

Oleg Lobykin’s bronze Flex Cube.

Ann Sconberg’s  photography,Thirteen One and Two.

Quinn Peck’s archival ink jet print on fabric.

Betsy Braun-Kernaghan and her mixed media work.

Michelle Longosz photographs.

A detail from Jenifer Renzel’s The Contraption.

Vanessa Callanta’s self portrait.

Marc D’Estout’s A Briefcase of Puppetry  (detail)  found objects, fabricated steel, paint, patina.

Joe Uglyeye – Personal Demons – spray paint, screenpaint, acrylic on birch panel.

Denise Harris-Olenak’s Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, photographic plates on copper and wood.

Beyond the visual art, the big draw go the Closing Bash was the fabulous runway put on by Pivot:  The Art of Fashion!  The lights the crowds, the fantastic music and and even more fantastic fashion! Above are Charlotte Kruk’s  Bossa Nova Bombshells made from recycled Ferrara Pan Chewy Lemonhead & Friends, Lemonhead, CherryHead, Grapehead wrappers!

And her Godiva coat!

                         

Tullio Flores

Lace design work.

                          

Tulio Flores

                          

                         

IB Bayo

                          

Rose Sellery (left) Charlotte Kruk’s Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend, recycled Tiffany bags and chandelier pieces (middle) Katraa (right)

Rose Sellery

MC Kim Luke thanking Pivot Oraganizers Tina Brown, Rose Sellery and designers, Charlotte Kruk, Tulio Flores, Katraa, Sudnya Shroff, Ruby Roxanne, Ricochet, IB Bayo and Many others…

Food truck fun.

Rose Sellery’s designs and sculpture

D’Arcy Couture models in front of Khaled Akil’s Requiem for Syria.

D’Arcy Couture.

Model Izzabelly Santos in IB Bayo.

Pivot MC, Kim Luke in front of

Sunya Shroff’s designs and painting and models in a moment of pre-composure

Pivot models in front of art.

Jessica Hilltout’s phtographs of handmade balls.

Pillar Aguero-Esparza’s multicultural Crayolas on paper.

Pivot model in front of Miguel Machuca’s Orchestrated Religion.

Butterfly model wafting by Teresa Cuniff’s There and Back

Glowing butterfly floating by Alan Silver’s oils on canvas.

Finally alighting on chair sculpture.

The morning after….picking up my work there are still a few remnants from the Art Party – Bill Gould’s sculpture tinkling overhead and the fabulous murals painted with Empire 7 glowing in the early morning sun. Farewell Wonderland, you will haunt my dreams until the next occasional and irrational art fest! Thanks to all involved with Anne and Mark’s Art Party – you’re the best!

Update – I’m delighted to hear that Anne Sconberg and Mark Henderson have just been presented with the Creative Impact Award for their extraordinary vision and hard work with Anne & Mark’s Art Party!  So well deserved!

In case you’re still game for more and missed previous Art Party posts, here are the links:

Tower of Bauble

Angels Among Us

Down the Rabbit Hole

Anne & Mark’s Art Party 2014

Lorraine Lawson – A Sense of Place

A Sense of Place is a beautiful exhibition of Lorraine Lawson’s mixed media paintings showing at the Triton Museum of Art until August 21. I was delighted to attend the opening reception last Friday and take in these sophisticated, zen-like pieces that are so richly layered and textured. Gorgeous work!

Lorraine Lawson with Gallerist Kumiko Iwasawa Vadas, of Iwasawa Oriental Art.

 

Silver Lining – Mixed Media

 

David Ligare at the Triton

There is an absolutely stunning retrospective of David Ligare‘s paintings currently on at the Triton Museum of Art.  I could try to stumble around a description of his work, the impeccable technique, the fine draftsmanship, the exquisite sense of light and place, the billowing drapery caught on a sea breeze, the classically themed allegories with their sensitively rendered figures and buildings but all of this seems to exist on a higher plain that needs to be seen and experienced rather than clumsily communicated by me. David Ligare – California Classicist runs until August 14 and must be seen to be appreciated!  Here are a few pictures from last Friday’s Opening Reception:

Me standing in front of Arete – simply a stunning masterpiece!

And better still standing in front of Arete with the artist David Ligare himself!

                       

Coung Nguyen, getting his book signed by the artist,  Docta Pietas – Oil on Canvas – Collection of Barbara N. Hyland and William G. Hyland,   Preston Metcalf Executive Director of the Triton and Marianne McGrath, Curator NUMU in conversation.

David Molesky and David Ligare in front of Landscape with an Archer – Oil on canvas –  collection of the Pasadena Museum of California Art.

Artists David Molesky and Holly Lane viewing the exhibition.

The model for Penelope was present at the reception and inspired a photography frenzy!

                          

Rock – Oil on canvas – Collection of Lorna Meyer Calas and Dennis Calas

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!

Rick Guidice – Plein Air

So THIS was the gorgeous sunset over Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company last night where Rick Guidice was having his opening reception for his plein air paintings! The exhibit will run through October 31.

With all the tables cleared away, the cafe made a great venue to exhibit art and host a ton of people!

For someone to just pick up oils and produce a fabulous body of plein air work within a year and a half would seem pretty unreasonable, but this is Rick Guidice who has spent a lifetime working in art, as an architectural illustrator at the age of 16, space art for NASA (now on view at NUMU), advertising illustration for Atari and creating residential and commercial designs for his own firm. Pencil, acrylic, watercolor now oil. The medium doesn’t matter it’s the skill and the eye and the passion that matters.

Me and Rick at his very well attended reception.

Moss Landing

Scotts Valley Two

 

Rick Guidice with artist Maralyn Dorsa and Frank Dorsa.

Elk Horn (a personal favorite)

Rick Guidice’s wife, artist, Susan Jaekel.

Artists Ed Lucey, Maralyn Miller and Veronica Gross

Ed offered to get me in there too!

NUMU Curator, Marianne McGrath with Rick Guidice.

 

Champagne and Chocolate LGMG

We held a champagne and chocolate reception at the Los Gatos Museums Gallery on Sunday to usher in the new hang. It’s a great way to see the new work and meet the new artists that have joined our ranks!

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015- A.d. Ballantyne - Mother's Teacup - oil - detail

Here’s a lovely detail from A.D. Ballantyne’s oil, Mother’s Teacup, one of our newest member artists.

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

I love when life imitates art, in this case artist Rebex Nie was visiting the gallery wearing what could almost have been one of our member artist, Belinda Lima’s, collage paintings!

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

LGMG - Champagne and Chocolate 2015

We should really do this every Sunday! Actually, next Sunday from 3-6 pm Marie Pascal, our featured artist for August, will be hosting a reception for her exquisite watercolors which are hung on this central display above. Her works are so moving they literally brought one lovely visitor to tears. She’s just that good!

 

Kevin Kasik – Myriad of Moods

Kevin Kasik is Los Gatos Museums Gallery’s Featured Artist for October and his opening reception for his show “Myriad of Moods” was today – I had to go as I have some skin in the game!

Kevin Kasik - Parade Colors - Opening Reception

 

I love Kevin Kasik’s oil paintings!  His works appear to very soft and subdued until you get up close and discover the rich riot of color and texture in the paint. His subject matter ranges from traditional landscapes, still-lifes and portraits to more contemporary subjects from street life, often imbuing the work with his own quirky sense of humor. When he asked me for a hand with his postcard in trade for a painting it was too easy to say you bet! I want to choose after his exhibition is over though – a sale is a sale after-all!

Kevin Kasik - Camper Vans

Camper Vans

You can’t feel uptight around Kevin – He’s out to enjoy himself  and hopes that you will too!

Kevin Kasik - Practice Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Kevin Kasik - Opening  Reception

 

Paintings were  being scooped up really fast!

Kevin Kasik - Sail Boats

Blue Boats

 

Kevin Kasik - Bird

Stunned Bird

As much as I love landscapes and seascapes and yes, birds, my very favorites were these cast-off street sofas , contemporary Vuillards! Maybe I’ll get lucky!

Kevin Kasik - Streetside Sofa

Sidewalk Sofa

 

Kevin Kasik - Abondoned Chairs

Sidewalk Tango

 

Kevin Kasik - Craigslist

 

Kevin Kasik - LGMG October Featured Artist

Parade  Colors

The show runs all of October with a Closing Reception, Thursday, October 30, 4-8 pm.

Champagne Reception Today

Los Gatos Museums Gallery Champagne Reception

 

Get your bubbles on with me at the Los Gatos Museums Gallery today from 1-3 at 24 N Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos where I’ll have Full Bloom and Marin Hills on exhibit. We’ve welcomed in a host of new artists too!

The Saratoga Rotary Art Show is also on todayhttp://www.saratogarotary.org/
which claims to be “the largest and finest one day art show in the west”. They have a wine tasting.

So much to see and drink in our corner of the valley!

Reception Today!

See you at the Artist’s Reception for the Los Gatos Art Association’s Spring Members Juried Show 12-3 this afternoon at the Rose Shenson Gallery at the Triton Museum of Art where I’m showing Cypress Crescent and Davenport Blue! — at Triton Museum of Art.

Triton's Sculpture Garden


Triton’s Sculpture Garden, the Rose Shenson Gallery is behind the camellias.

Breath of Spring Reception

We had a lovely opening reception for Breath of Spring at the Pacific Art League of Palo Alto Last night! Beautiful art, loads of people, wine, hor d’oeuvres and lovely music by member artist Geri McGilvray. I was even awarded honorable mention by juror George Rivera for my painting Cherry Blossom Spray, and this in a national competition for which 35 pieces were selected from 135 entries!

Breath of Spring Muses of a Garden mixed media by Dean Moniz Sacremento, CA


Muses of a Garden, a mixed media painting by Dean Moniz of Sacramento, CA  was awarded honorable mention . To visit his Facebook site click on the image. I love the happiness of this floral abstraction!

Breath of Spring Marie Squared


Textile, film & ice cream artist Marie Hetherington and me in front of my painting. Click on image for her website.

Breath of Spring Reception Pacific Art League of Palo Alto


The new temporary digs clean up nice for a reception!

Breath of Spring Reception at the Pacific Art League


Nice turn out for the Breath of Spring reception at the Pacific Art League!

Season of Renewal Lynette Cook, Daly City, CA Acrylic


Lynette Cook from Daly City won second place for her acrylic work Season of Renewal. Click on the image for her website.

Breath of Spring Mei-Ying talking about 1st place Tribulation


Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila shared what was behind her painting Tribulation which had won first place. Click on image for her website.

Breath of Spring Mei-Ying Dell'Aquila and Tritons's Carmen Pascual


Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila and Tritons’s Carmen Pascual talk about Tribulation.

Breath of Spring Roses, Alstromenia & Ferns by Anna Chupa, Allentown, PA Acid Dye on Habatoi silk H.M.


Detail from Roses, Alstromenia & Ferns, acid dye on habatoi silk which also won honorable mention for Anna Chupa of Allentown, PA.  Just mesmerizing! Click on the photo for her website.

Painter Mei-Ying Dell'Aquila tries on jeweler Lenore Cymes's Necklace


Painter Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila tries on jeweler Lenore Cymes’s Necklace.  I have one of pieces myself! Click on image for website

Breath of Spring artists Mei-Ying Dell'Aquila, Marie Cameron and Ron Dell'Aquil


Me with the married duo of aritsts Mei-Ying and Ron Dell’Aquila. Hey Ron, I never did get a shot of you in front of your beautiful photograph. Click on the photo for his website.

Breath of Spring Chorus of Tulips, colored pencil by Denise Howard, Santa Clara, CA


Denise Howard of Santa Clara, CA was also awarded honorable mention for her colored pencil Chorus of Tulips. Click on image for her website.

 

Breath of Spring musician & member artist Geri McGilvray


Musician & member artist Geri McGilvray entertained us with her lovely voice! Click on image for her website.

 

For more photos of the evening check out Ron Dell’Aquila’s photo stream.

 

 

 

Reception Thanks

The best part of exhibiting is meeting with everyone that has come out to support me and check out the new work, seeing friends and clients and making new connections! It’s not just a social event but a real opportunity to see how people relate to the work, it’s really quite a privilege!

Thanks to everyone who was able to take some time out of their weekend to swing by, for the gift of home made ice cream sandwiches, the sprig of mimosa, and most of all your warm response and interest!

Cypress Rock at Los Gatos Museums Gallery


Cypress Rock at my Featured Artist reception at Los Gatos Museums Gallery

Reception Friends


Marie Hetherington brought delicious hand made ice cream sandwiches! mariehetherington.com

Reception Friends 2


Showing new work to dear friends (& art supporters).

Reception Pam & Marie


Happy to see arty blogster,  Pam Prentice!

Reception Larry Azrie and guests


Larry Azrie,  co-owner of the gallery,  introducing me to guests.

Reception Guests


The gallery is in the middle of downtown Los Gatos gets great foot traffic!

Third Reception Marie Cameron & my fab framer Dan Edwards


Here I am with my fab framer Dan Edwards whose shop is below the gallery.

Third Reception - Carol Ann and David


I always love talking with David and Carol Ann who have a number of my works in their collection.

Third Reception - new young fan


New fan Sophia was kind enough to ask permission to take pictures,   I asked her too!

Third Reception - Checking it out


Beyond the free standing painting display and allotted wall space I was able to set up a number of easels around the rooms and windows for the receptions.

Third Reception Marie Cameron with artists Joan Drennan and Pat Sherwood


Member artists Joan Drennan and Pat Sherwood lending a hand. Thank you ladies!

Shannon and Blue Corset


Painting Shannon’s likeness is a colorful moving target!

Odessa's Kitchen Floors Reception


Odessa’s Kitchen Floors were arrayed on easels on one of the gallery’s antiques.

Marie and Lynn LGMG


So great to see Lynn with her discerning eye and green thumb! I’m honored that she’s included a number of my works in her collection!

Gifts from D.C. Thanks, Jess, Makena & Zenia


I didn’t get to go to the inauguration, with my receptions and all but Jess, Makena and Zenia did – thanks for the souvenirs!

Painting meet iPhone case!


My dear friend Jess,  who has several of my originals,  now sports a gorgeous reproduction on her iPhone!

Cherry Blossom Spray on Jess's iphone


What to you think, should I be branching out? 

Marie Cameron Blooming Orchard 2010


My painting, Blooming Orchard, was purchased by collectors from Monte Sereno!