BACK AT THE LIBRARY

AMONGST FRIENDS

    My California Grown series will be spending the Holidays at one of my favorite Cambria locales, the beloved library.

     You may recall I told you how honored I was to be the first artist to hang work in the new Library. I learned that in such a large public space larger pieces of art seem to display better. When Destiny called, in this case manager Destiny Carter, I was delighted to fill the walls with a bright and colorful series.

I remember reading the Cambria branch is the busiest and most used in San Luis Obispo County California. Our village is obviously full of readers.

     Pablo and Andy will stare down at buyers of used books. Tom, who gave up his 7: 30AM Thursday tennis match to help, noticed a Picasso book on the shelf. Volunteers help guide the used books to new homes in this used book sales room.

   Another well used spot is the copy machine corner and it was a good spot for the Calla Lily and Tulip.

   Being a new "Nanny" and making a couple of trips to Florida to be with Kristin and Adelaide Rose as well as a few new projects has kept me busy and I'm sorry to say I have not updated this blog as frequently as I should.  I'll try to do better in the new year.

   I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Holiday and peace and health in the New Year.  

   Thanks for your support.

927-THE UNCONVENTIONAL

FIRST PLACE

WADING FOR EQUALITY

    I'm surprised but pleased to tell you my paper mache sculpture won first place in our annual 927 ART SHOW.

    927 dates to the early 1970's when the local arts community created an annual event for wacky, ironic, zany and satirical art, often with a political edge. It is unconventional and unexpected art but is always a lot of fun.  The 927 derives from what was then the only pre fix in our local phone number. Today the entries come from all over California's central coast.

    WADING FOR EQUALITY features a woman created from faces of other women, family, friends, equal rights pioneers and powerful women. She is wearing boots and wading on a stand that is covered with a variety of topics-discrimination,  sexual harassment, equal pay, rape, reproductive rights, pregnancy leave, body image, glass ceiling and under representation.

   Here's a look at other pieces that placed or won honorable mention.

 Best of Show

What Me Worry by William Barnhill

 The Candidate by Art Van Rhyn

 A Bad Week in the USA by Penny Fitzgerald

 Mosaic Mermaid by Sara Blair Field

 Mr Pothead by Richard Morris

 Do You Know the Way to Morro Bay

by Tish Rogers

 And You Wonder Why I Hate Garden Work

by Franz Affentranger

   In the past the 927 show has been up for only a weekend. This year in the Cambria Center for the Arts the exhibition will hang all month.

     Art Van Rhyn, one of our favorite people and an accomplished artist as well as the cartoonist for The Cambrian, our weekly paper, was one of the founders of the 927 Show. Art's sense of humor is on of the joys of our village and art colony. In the last few years he has added glass blowing to painting, sculpting and drawing. 

    If you are near the California Central Coast I hope you'll visit the gallery at the Cambria Center for the Arts and enjoy our artistic humor and observations.

    Thanks to this year's Judge, Sam Peck, an acclaimed artistic photographer.

    Thanks to my husband Tom for his continued support and encouragement. He also helps me with the title of my work.

AT THE BIG SKY

SAN LUIS OBISPO WELCOMES 

CALIFORNIA GROWN

    Several years ago we attended an artist reception for the renown water colorist Shirley Pittman at the Big Sky Cafe in San Luis Obispo. Shirley was a wonderful painter and her remarkable work looked beautiful in the bright and airy space of Big Sky. I thought privately how nice it would be to be chosen to hang in the popular San Luis Obispo dining landmark.

      We've dined at Big Sky countless times over the last 10 years and Tom always encouraged me saying how nice some of my work would look in the space.  Well now thanks to Big Sky's management and ownership an artist's fanciful private wish has come true. 

  Big Sky is a delicious restaurant and immensely popular with central coast diners. It is a wonderful place to display the California Grown series. 

   Thanks for reading.  

SOMETHING NEW

CREATIVE DIVERSIONS

     I've always admired artists who continue to push themselves into new areas or who try new mediums. I've taken a bit of a break from Plein Air painting and have been trying a few new things.

      I call this Picasso's dream, a mixed media of acrylic and oil. Picasso is done in oil and the background, a representation of his Dream painting, is done in acrylic.

ANDY IN PROGRESS

      I'm still working on this Andy Warhol.  I've got a couple of things I'm going to do with it yet.  I'll give you and update later.

NEW CHINOISERIE 

     After last year's California Grown series in this style I've moved from fruit to flowers.  I've recently read several books about Dutch Tulips, both historical and fiction and decided to continue the style in a series of flowers. The new works are 16X20, while The California Grown series is 24X24.

      By the Way the California Grown series is moving from Thomas Hill Organics in Paso Robles to the Big Sky in San Luis Obispo.

      Thanks for your attention.

     

NEW HOME FOR CALIFORNIA GROWN

CURATOR HELPS HANG COLLECTION

AT THOMAS HILL ORGANICS

 California Grown the Chinoiserie tribute to California crops has a new home in the wonderful Thomas Hill Organics Bistro and Wine Bar in Paso Robles. An empty space in the beautiful entrance and bar at THO has been transformed with the help of artist and curator Neal Breton.

     Neal is an award winning painter and illustrator. He has organized and curated several successful shows around the Central Coast including the YOUNG SAVAGES exhibitions.

           Katherine helped Neal as he put California Grown into its new home.

   I am so pleased to have the series hanging at Thomas Hill Organics.  THO is a favorite of many and it has drawn praise from serious foodies and diners from across the US. From San Francisco to Los Angeles people make a point to dine here. 

      You can learn more by linking here.

   Relaxed and relieved the hanging is complete, Tom catches a scene where I'm waiting to have dinner.  I figured it was the perfect way to celebrate this exciting new hanging.

   Thanks for reading this post.  I hope those of you who visit the Paso Robles Wine Appellation will see Californian Grown and then treat yourself to a meal at Thomas Hill Organics Bistro and Wine Bar.

CALIFORNIA GROWN

OPENING AT WINDWARD

CALIFORNIA GROWN

My latest series of oil paintings, are a celebration of California fruit and a traditional Chinese craft.

The series is done with frames painted on canvas that are reminiscent of Chinese lacquer ware, known as Chinoiserie. The fruits are done in a heavy oil painting technique that sets off the botanical renderings of the orange, lemon, pear, avocado, grape and olive.

                        

“I’m an avid gardener and love that we see all these wonderful fruits growing here on the Central Coast. I have always enjoyed the fruit crate art of the early 1900’s and wanted to profile a few of the beauties that we have in our area.”

California Grown will be at Windward Winery August 1 thru through October 31^st. Windward Winery is located at 1380 Live Oak Road in Paso Robles.  Marc and Maggie and the crew at Windward are always wonderful hosts.  Their tasting room gallery is a beautiful place to display art.  If you are in the area of the California Central Coast between now and the end of October, I hope you'll stop at Windward, enjoy the wine and original art.

   Thanks for your attention.  Remember to support an artist or musician and have a great summer.

  

IN THE NEW LIBRARY

VILLAGE PRIDE

     I'm happy and proud to report that my work is hanging in the new Cambria library.  I am especially proud to be the first artist to be in the new facility.

     It is a large space so we hung a combination of my recent abstract expressionist series Lyrical Abstracts, as well as classical Plein Air. Of course Tom was there to "document" the hanging.

   It is a wonderful new library, the busiest in San Luis Obispo County, and artists are pleased we can help add some color and personality.