Exhibitions

XL-XXL Paintings: January 2008
We welcome the New Year with a group show and an emphasis on large paintings.
Holiday Salon: December 2007
Our annual Holiday Salon including all gallery artists will open on November 23 and continue through the month of December.
7th annual "Celebration of the Human Spirit": November 2007
An exhibition of the visual arts in conjunction with the 7th annual "Celebration of the Human Spirit" sponsored by the Horizon Institute will be displayed from November 3-20. The invitational/juried exhibit includes local artists who have responded to the theme, "Art Matters".

The community is encouraged to participate by offering comments about how and why art matters and the gallery will have containers to collect ideas which will be shared in a future news article.
Judy Howard & Steven Dewey: October 2007
A juxtaposition of processes includes originally designed, finely crafted guitars by Steven Dewey and abstract paintings using Steven's guitars as a resource by Judy Howard.

Steven's exhibit two years ago included a variety of "firsts"; archtop, steel string, classical, electric and ukulele. Several local musicians played the guitars and provided valuable input for the budding luthier. "Chapter Two" will show a new improved arch top, steel string, electric and a selmer.

Inspired by the "Picasso and American Art" exhibition at the San Francisco MOMA, Judy has revisited contour drawing as a format for creating abstract paintings using guitars as the subject.
Jamie Newton: September 2007

Jamie has created solar and wind powered drawing machines which become kinetic sculptures when exposed to the sun and/or wind. The exhibition also includes a variety of media including sumi brush paintings.

"I remember what a thrill it was to first pick up a sumi brush. For me it was like opening your mouth and finding you can sing. All this thought, all this feeling, just flows out the end of your fingers. It's a way of tying all of your various thoughts and influences together, a kind of funnel that brings all of that thought down through the brush and onto the paper. You start feeling, when it's working right, like you are dancing. It's really wonderful. When it works your hands are not your own. You forget who you are. There is nothing but the work in front of you. It feels a tremendous act of ego to put your name on it."

Nelson Davis: August 2007

Though the art "speaks for itself" and can be variously interpreted, if you want to know the real story, Nelson Davis is happy to share his inspiration. His process is unique – while sorting through a mountain of collected treasures, mostly rusted found objects, an idea will emerge. He combines several pieces and begins carving connecting parts from his other mountain of scrap wood. The sculpture that emerges depicts a vision or memory of some life experience.

"Epiphany", pictured above represents the transition that Nelson has made towards the realization that he can take himself seriously as a sculptor. With continued reinforcement from his patrons and peers, he trusts his visionary sensibilities. The results exemplify his profound insight and extraordinary imagination.

Marie Maretska: July 2007

Marie Maretska, well known for her large copper paintings, took a sabbatical to explore new media. ". Very shortly I became fascinated with fusing glass to copper (vitreous enameling). This led to studying with four master enamelists. I then struck out on my own to discover how to enamel in a format on copper that is larger than historically done. Because this is an unusual art form it was necessary to design many of my hand tools.

I am very grateful to have received two grants, one from The William T. Colville Foundation and one from a private donor, that helped immensely in purchasing a kiln and grinder".

Vitreous enamel is glass bonded to metal with high heat. In the process if enameling five to twenty layers of finely ground glass are sifted on to copper. Each layer is heated in a kiln at 1500 degrees. When removed the molten enamel cools to a thin film of glass that has fused to the metal. Successive firings of enamel create an unusual depth of color and light refraction. Some of the new work has a sculptural quality which was achieved by hammering the copper into shapes.