Cat Evans, Bill Sima, and Joyce Wycoff—Exhibiting Artists

 
Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Exhibiting Artists for May 2012: Photography of Bill Sima and Cat Evans, and Joyce Wycoff’s photography based mixed media “Dynamic Dreamscapes”

An Exhibiting Artist Reception will be held Friday, May 11th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Cayucos Sunset © Bill Sima

Bill Sima is a local orthopaedic surgeon who has been practicing in Templeton for twenty years. Growing up in Hawaii inspired his passion for photography. He primarily captures pictures of the coastline. Each picture is digitally enhanced to reflect the beauty of the central coast. Bill travels frequently to places like Costa Rica and Belize for missionary work. Besides doing photography he enjoys kite boarding, flying, tennis and bike riding. He also volunteers his time to his local church and to the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department Flying Samaritans for humanitarian medical aide in the aero squadron.

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Cat Evans (right) with
daughter Angela

Cat Evans started taking pictures many years ago to keep in the family albums, but always loved taking pictures of just about anything. She got her first film SLR when her daughter was young and it opened another door. Years went by and then came the Digital age. And with that, it resurrected a love for capturing moments, not just pictures.

Vintage Wheels © Cat Evans

Cat loves what we have here on the Central Coast and any place she can take her camera… from traveling overseas to Motorsports events and all the land between our great oceans.

Cat enjoys sharing what she sees through her lens or, should we say, “Thru Catz Eyes.”

http://thrucatzeyes.blogspot.com

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Joyce Wycoff

Joyce Wycoff loves color and light. These are the qualities that pull her into an image, and her small, go-with-her-everywhere camera is what allows her to capture images which become her “tubes of paint.” These images mix and mingle with each other through the mechanism of Photoshop, finally resulting in something beyond the realm of reality, something that captures a fleeting moment of creativity.

In the Garden of East and West © Joyce Wycoff

Each of Joyce’s digital paintings contain as many as 20-30 images, all taken by Joyce on her journeys around the world and blended together to create something completely new. Because she wants her collectors to experience the same awe and gratitude she feels in creating each painting, she includes the word “joy” in each of her works.

Joyce Wycoff is a published author of several books on creativity and personal effectiveness. Her latest book, “Joy after the Fire” is now available from iBookstore.

Joyce is an active and inspirational blogger at “Imagine Joy Art”

http://joycewycoff.blogspot.com.

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The photography of Bill Sima and Cat Evans, and Joyce Wycoff’s photography based mixed media exhibit “Dynamic Dreamscapes” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of May, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

Deb Festa—Featured Artist

 
Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for April 2012: “Beauty Across America”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, April 13th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Deb Festa

Deb Festa is opening her multi media exhibition “Beauty Across America.” Deb, a well known Central Coast Artist, layers her watercolor paintings with vibrant color combinations.

Deb finds immense joy in capturing nature’s light, color, and ever-changing moods in her refreshing watercolor and acrylic paintings. She is known for her vibrant color combinations. Painting exclusively in watercolor since 1991, she added acrylic in 2007, and has become well known throughout the central coast, with local and international art lovers collecting her work.

Deb’s purpose is to capture and share the serenity and joy of nature – a serene refuge from the modern world. Deb lives in Los Osos, California with her husband Ray. They have two grown children, Stephanie and Isaiah.

Moab, Utah © Deb Festa

Deb Festa’s exhibition “Beauty Across America” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of April, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

Friday Life Group—Guest Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Guest Artist Exhibit for April 2012: “Clothing Optional”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, April 13th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Members from the Friday Life Group who are exhibiting: Leonard Boyle, Carmen Fojo, Jan French, Jan Mannering, Kate Moldauer, Jacqueline Morello, Heather O’Connor, Rosie Rosenthal, Kathleen Schwan, Joan Sullivan, and Ardella Swanberg.

The Friday Life Group began in 1981 at an artist’s studio in Morro Bay and soon moved to the Morro Bay Community Center. It continues to this day. Many of the artists who initially began with the group are still continuing to draw nudes with the knowledge that this classic skill benefits any other type of artwork they might do. It is rather like cross-training.

© Ardella Swanberg

© Jackie Morello

Red Head © Heather O’Connor

We are fortunate to have skilled models who take 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 minute poses for us. They include a dancer, an athlete, a caregiver, a waitress and a retired person.

Artists such as Blake, Degas, El Greco, Gauguin, da Vinci, Matisse, Michelangelo, Parrish, Picasso, Rembrandt, Rodin, van Gogh and Wyeth have drawn, painted and sculpted nudes for various reasons such as the study of anatomy, gesture, form having produced final finished pieces of art. It takes great skill and years of practice to render the human form convincingly and properly expressed.

The Friday Life Group’s exhibition of drawings “Clothing Optional” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of April, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Beth Sargent and Cheryl Strahl—Featured Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for March 2012: “The Magic of Light”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, March 9th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Beth Sargent

Beth Sargent loves nature’s beauty and mystery. The vision that she sees when she looks through her camera is a world of wonder. She wants to share that wonder of nature with everyone through her photography.

Inspiration © Beth Sargent

Beth has always loved photography, even as a child. While in college, her interest grew into a passion that really shines through her award winning photography of today. Her photography incorporates a technique called high dynamic range (HDR). This process blends three or more images at different exposures to create an exceptionally beautiful photograph that has a full range of light, color and depth.

Beth prefers to print her photography on professional metallic luster paper. This adds to the already diverse range of light, colors and depth and creates stunning photographs like no others.

Beth’s passion is photographing nature for all to enjoy.

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Cheryl Strahl

Cheryl Strahl says that California, and specifically the Central Coast, continues to provide her
with an infinite source of spectacular images for her photography. She enjoys the challenge of creating a balance of lighting, composition and emotion in each image that she captures. The camera grants Cheryl a personal window to the world, allowing her to capture an image frozen in time - possibly never to be repeated - and make it hers. With her recent retirement from the high tech industry, Cheryl has ample time and opportunities to use her technical skills for developing her images, rather than developing software.

Yosemite Sunset II © Cheryl Strahl

Cheryl’s photography has won several awards and recognition, including acceptance into juried fine art shows at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Both the History Center of San Luis Obispo and Schmap Los Angeles have published her work. She is an active member in the local photographic community, which includes serving on the boards of the San Luis Obispo Camera Club and Morro Photo Expo 2012. Organizing mentors for the advanced photography students at Morro Bay High School is one of Cheryl’s favorite projects. Cheryl is also a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).

It pleases Cheryl to know that others enjoy her photography, and share her love and passion for this beautiful area!

Beth Sargent’s and Cheryl Strahl’s exhibition “The Magic of Light” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of March, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Jim Carlisle—Guest Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Guest Artist Exhibit for March 2012: “People in Places”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, March 9th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Jim Carlisle’s “People in Places” exhibit demonstrates the artist’s expressive peopled landscapes, both in oil and watercolor. Their forms are generally built around loose application of color so as to catch the essence of the interactions between people and the places they inhabit, as shown in “Travelers,” which portrays tourists standing at the edge of a river bank, facing a dark Costa Rican forest, and in “SLO Criterium.”

Jim Carlisle with “SLO Criterium” and
“Travelers in Costa Rica”

Jim fell in love with the Central Coast as a result of the bicycle races he witnessed in San Luis Obispo. He decided that this is where he wanted to retire. The places and people of the Central Coast are a primary factor in the revival of his life long passion in art. After his first wife died, he met Pat Cairns, a retired art teacher, and accomplished artist, and became involved in the Central Coast Watercolor Society, in which he served as president. His work has been in juried shows and is in many homes and businesses.

Riding the Petrahue © Jim Carlisle

Jim Carlisle’s exhibition “People in Places” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of March, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

George Asdel and Philip Carey—Featured Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for February 2012: “Capturing Dreams”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, February 10th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

George Asdel

George Asdel has had studios and galleries in Newfoundland, Canada, and in Shell Beach, Morro Bay, and Atascadero, California. His work is in public and private collections around the world. His work has appeared in numerous publications, radio and on television. He has thirty-five books of his art completed and has illustrated several books for other writers. He is writing poems for many of his drawings.

Much of George’s art is a whimsical narrative between humans and other creatures, in pen and ink, acrylic paints, and lino prints. George has taught art at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero. He also paints on location with plein air landscape groups. George studied art at three universities.

George advises utilizing the very best materials. Cheap or student grade materials can be very frustrating and give poor results. Start with small pieces, especially with pencils or pen and ink. Miniatures can give you confidence to try larger pieces.

George was influenced by Albrecht Durer, an amazing German painter, printmaker and draughtsman. Other influences were Rockwell Kent, who did the woodcuts for Paul Bunyan and many other old books, and M. C. Escher's wild and crazy drawings. George had a studio/gallery in Brigus, Newfoundland, where Kent also had a studio during the 1920's.

Black Cat © George Asdel

Philip Carey was born in a humble log cabin in Long Beach, California during WWII.

Philip Carey

“I’m still amazed that my subconscious sends me on these weird 4AM journeys. Unfortunately, some times they’re the best part of my day.”

After failing at being a surfer-dude, Philip toured the country and Europe as a choral singer, and sang on 3 Grammy-award-winning record albums for Columbia Records. After working as an exhibit designer for California State Parks—creating exhibits and graphics for over 100 state parks, he had the rare and challenging opportunity of being Maria Shriver’s “exhibit guy” for several years—he retired at last after 20 years.

After retiring from California State Parks in 2008, Philip moved to Morro Bay and began creating drawings of his vivid dreams. He published three Dream Books (the third is available at Gallery at Marina Square), designed and built a cactus garden, and a 30 foot desert mural behind his cottage, and started his inevitable dialysis—having not only inherited his Mom’s lively spirit, but also her bum kidneys. He hopes to continue living and creating artwork along California’s amazing Central Coast.

Dream October 9, 2009 © Philip Carey

George Asdel’s and Philip Carey’s exhibition “Capturing Dreams” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of February, from the 1st through the 28th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

David Johnson—Guest Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Guest Artist Exhibit for February 2012: “Abandoned and Forgotten”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, February 10th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Dave Johnson’s love affair with photography started when his neighbor gave him his first Kodak 35mm camera in the early 1960’s. He began to experiment with black and white work and his interest in photography blossomed. In the early 1970’s he began working with a professional photographer and assisted his night class at University High School in Los Angeles. During this time, Dave started working with his Calumat large format 4x5 camera, and was inspired by the landscape work of Ansel Adams. Further expanding his hobby, he built his first darkroom in his garage in 1975. As a heavy machinery mechanic by trade, Dave was able to travel around to different job sites, always with his camera in tow. In the 1980’s he began participating in co-op art shows and selling his work to various private collectors.

Don't Worry, It Will Be Ready By Morning © David Johnson

While Dave still maintains a love of film and old cameras, he is now fully entrenched in the digital age. Beginning in the year 2000, he traded his darkroom for a computer and his 4x5 for a Nikon DLSR camera. In October of 2008 Dave retired from his day job and was able to turn his hobby into a full time adventure. This new free time allowed him to join various photo groups further expanding his knowledge and creativity. Dave is proud to be involved with groups such as the San Luis Obispo Camera Club, PhotoMorroBay, and the Photo Society at the San Luis Obispo Art Museum.

Dave’s current work shows his keen interest in HDR (high-dynamic-range imaging) and post-processing work using software such as Photoshop, Topaz, Photomatix, and Nix. Dave’s use of the HDR technique allows him to increase the level of intensity found in real scenes such as a landscape or sunset. His most recent work is heavily influenced by “Urbex” photography, also referred to as “urban exploration.” His work involves the examination of the normally unseen or off-limits parts of urban areas or industrial facilities. The unusual environments Dave seeks out, combined with his HDR and post-processing work, make for extremely powerful images. His most recent photography allows the viewer to see that decay of an uninhabited space can be, in fact, profoundly beautiful.

David Johnson’s exhibition of photography “Abandoned and Forgotten” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of February, from the 1st through the 28th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

Gregory McIntosh & Linda Bench—Featured Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for January 2012: Gregory McIntosh and Linda Bench

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, January 13th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Self-Portrait © Gregory Stephen McIntosh

“The paintings of Gregory McIntosh are romantic expressionistic images. His work teeters between abstract and figurative forms generating atmospheres reminiscent of the field paintings that were popular in the 60’s. They harbor anthropomorphic shapes lurking in swirling pools of color that simultaneously imply something ominous, co-existing with a love of paint and process.

Literal narratives make way for psychological introspection when sinuous clouds mystify faceless figures.....competent and accessible, an opportunity to view some very unusual paintings of a well-known artist.”

Bill Anderson, Art Critic

Lady of the Night © Gregory Stephen McIntosh

(oil on canvas, 42'x42') 

Linda Bench learned to appreciate art growing up. Her father supplied plenty of art materials and she was exposed to varied art forms, as a child. Therefore, it comes as no surprise, with this kind of influence, that Linda would become an artist.

Linda, a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, earned her BS degree in Landscape Architecture Design.

Linda Bench, Featured Artist

Linda fell in love with professional quality, soft, thick leaded, Prismacolor pencils. She appreciates quiet tranquil moments, whereby she can put the outside world on hold and focus completely on her art work. Linda begins her drawing with a light coat of pigment, then builds and blends 8 to 10 layers of color over her subject through completion. While working with pencils her hands gently warm the lead, making the color spread in thick, even coats.

Tomatoes © Linda Bench

Linda Bench and Gregory McIntosh’s exhibition can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of January, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Ken Christensen—Guest Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Guest Artist Exhibit for January 2012: “Dazzling Light”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, January 13th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Ken Christensen is a classic on site landscape painter in the bold tradition of the Post Impressionists and the Fauves. He is the founder of the group The New Fauves, www.newfauves.com, an international collection of artists working in a similar colorful style. Christensen was born in 1951 and raised in Flint, Michigan. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in History. He also studied a year at the University of Manchester in England. He began his art career primarily as a watercolorist in Traverse City, Michigan where he designed Christmas Cards, illustrated “All our Yesterdays” by Larry Wakefield, published a set of post cards of historic buildings, and participated in group shows. 

Jade Cove © Ken Christensen

In 1980 Ken moved to London and remained in Europe the following nine years, primarily in France. While living in Paris he began painting more in oils. He also experimented in other techniques including printmaking and pastels. While in Paris he became an official copyist of the Louvre Museum. He learned greatly by working with other artists in Paris, notably Spanish Inversionist painter Manuel Gil and American realist painter Frank Bruckmann. He had three one man shows in Paris, two in Italy and one in St Tropez, France, celebrating the publication of a book of his watercolors, “St Tropez: Notes et Croquis de Voyage.” He spent one year in San Sebastian, Spain and the following year he met his wife, Maria, in Granada, Spain. 

Ken and Maria moved back to the U.S. in 1988. Two daughters followed, Claudia and Laura. Over the next five years they split their time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Petoskey, Michigan. During this period Christensen developed The Christensen Puppet Theater, performing in various locations in both New Mexico and Michigan. In Santa Fe he exhibited at the Linda McAdoo Gallery where he was featured in two exhibits. In 1999 Ken and his family moved to San Luis Obispo, California to take advantage of the ideal climate for landscape painting and the beauty of the Central Coast.  Christensen quickly became a local favorite, being the subject of a major one man show at the San Luis Obispo Art Center in 2002. He also became a well loved participant in many plein air festivals around California. 

Big Sur © Ken Christensen

Ken has taught watercolor and printmaking at the North Central Michigan College and regularly teaches workshops in both oil and watercolor. He exhibits widely around the country as well as another exhibit in St Tropez in 2006 as part of the New Fauves. He is also the author of three novels and a collection of letters available at www.lulu.com. More information about Ken and images of his work can be seen at www.kenchristensen.net.

Christensen strives to glorify the mundane and show the beauty that surrounds us. Exaggerating colors and simplifying forms helps give the viewer the shock to see things with fresh eyes. Ultimately a painting is something which gives you joy to look at. To this end, Christensen’s paintings are a delight to the eye, rich in thick paint which give them the allure of an art object, fresh with views and sights that others overlook, and a bold, solid construction which exude confidence and a personal take on reality. A Christensen painting is quickly recognized for the bold style and delightful vision of its creator.

Ken Christensen’s exhibition “Dazzling Light” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of January, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Shelley Myers—Featured Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for December 2011: “Ocean Earth”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, December 9th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Shelley has worked in the graphic arts field since 1983, transitioning from traditional methods to digital over the years. While working on projects with a client's vision, she has also been creating artwork to satisfy creative expression with or without having to convey an intended message. Living on the central coast has provided limitless inspiration from the ocean to the hills to the blooming wildflowers of spring.

Tunnel Vision © Shelley Myers

Shelley combines media, painting with acrylics, drawing with prisma pencils, collaging, scanning painted images and creating digital collaged images.

www.visualsolutionsgraphicart.com

Shelley Myers’ mixed media exhibition “Ocean Earth” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of December, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Dave Coronel—Guest Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Special Guest Artist Exhibit for December 2011: Dave Coronel’s Photography

An Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, December 9th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

What more could a person ask for than a camera and good walking shoes? Well, for Dave Coronel it’s a tripod, a bag full of lenses and the beautiful State of California. So with these things he has spent many hours walking and shooting as much as possible.

Spooner’s Cove © Dave Coronel

Dave Coronel’s photography exhibition can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of December, from the 1st through the 29th.

http://davecoronelphotography.com

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Charles Pruitt—Featured Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for November 2011 “Reflections of Nature”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, November 11th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Charles Pruitt began taking photographs over 40 years ago when he was given an old 35mm camera by a family friend.

While living in Hawaii, Chuck was mentored by Boone Morrison, founder of the Volcano Art Institute in Volcano National Park. This association led to meeting and learning from Brett Weston, Minor White, and Paul Caponigro. During this time Chuck began working in large and medium film formats, abstract photography using color infrared film and long exposures; often taking a 4x5 Crown Graphic on backpacking trips.

Chuck studied photography after returning to California. While in college he combined chemistry and photo classes to recreate historic techniques of wet plate negatives, cyanotypes, platinum and albumin printing methods. Chuck received state and national recognition for his experimental prints.

Chuck took up digital photography in 2004, but still uses his 50+ year old Hassleblad.

In 2008 Chuck began printing on canvas and other fine art media. This process is called Giclée (zhee clay) and uses archival inks and media.

Spring Storm Half Dome © Charles Pruitt

Charles Pruitt’s exhibition “Reflections of Nature” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of November, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

Annual Holiday Gift Show—Special Exhibit

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Special Exhibit for November 2011: “Annual Holiday Gift Show”

An Artist Reception will be held Friday, November 11th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

Our crafty artists, from left to right: Janice Ray-Lehmkuhl, Sandy
Christey, Rodney Meador, Beverly Brown, Bonnie Werring,
Gay McNeal, Hope Myers, Lois Pruitt, Debbie McCrigler 

Gallery at Marina Square is pleased to present the wonderful work of our wonderful craft artists—just in time for holiday gift giving. We will be displaying their work in jewelry, ceramics, glass, and wood.

Glass creations...

Getting the show ready...

Setting up the displays...

 
Our Annual Holiday Gift Show can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of November, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

Susan Wood—Featured Artist

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for October 2011: “Celebrating the Central Coast”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, October 14 from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

“I grew up with artistic parents, and liked to draw and paint from a very young age. When I was six, my family moved to Italy so my dad could paint. Later we moved to New York City, and I went to the High School of Music and Art and was able to develop my artistic talents. I started college at Boston University, in liberal arts, but after a year decided to switch to the School of Fine Arts, where I received a very classical art education. I chose sculpture as my major. Life happened, and I was involved in work and raising a family, doing very little artwork for many years.

Rocks and Fog © Susan Wood

Moving to the Central Coast from Massachusetts in 2003, I resolved to get back into doing artwork, and started doing sculpture again, as well as life drawing with the Friday Life Drawing Group in Morro Bay. I was also attracted to the beautiful local scenery and soon found myself doing watercolors. Encouraged by the positive response to my work, and to the enjoyment and challenge of painting outside, I continued, participating in several Open Studio Tours, and I joined Gallery at Marina Square in late 2005.

Painting “plein air” is challenging—as the conditions are changing moment by moment—the light and the shadows move, the tide comes in or goes out, and the wind and temperature can impact my comfort level and the ability to keep my easel standing (I carry a large rock in my car that I can tie to my easel to weigh it down if necessary)! I feel my most successful paintings have a quality of spontaneity and freshness that watercolor is so suitable for.”

Susan Wood’s exhibition “Celebrating the Central Coast” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of October, from the 1st through the 29th.

www.susanwoodart.com

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068

Friday Life Drawing Group—Guest Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Guest Artist Exhibit for October 2011: “Clothing Optional”

A Special Guest Artist Reception will be held Friday, October 14th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

A few members of the Friday Life Drawing Group. From left to right:
Frederique Rostovsky, Jan Mannering, Al Musso, Ardella Swanberg, Jackie Morello.

Every artist who is trained in the classical style begins with drawing the nude figure. This includes people you don*t think of such as de Kooning and Picasso. It also includes da Vinci who dissected corpses to understand anatomy, despite the threat of death if the Catholic Church caught him. It takes a great deal of practice and skill to be able to draw the human form convincingly. Without this skill and continual practice, paintings of the figure will not be believable. Many artists draw the figure throughout their lives.

 © Ardella Swanberg

© Kathy Schwan             

The Friday Life Group began in 1981 in the studio of an artist in Morro Bay. Within few weeks the group moved to the Morro Bay Recreation Center and the group has been drawing every Friday at the Morro Bay Community Center since it was built. The artists who were there at the beginning include Susan Sears, Rosie and Barbara Rosenthal, Louise DeMore, Frederique Rostofsky Nancy Graham, John Barnard, Gordon Long and Jeff O’Dell. George Gibson, Stephen Rodinoff. Dorla Brebes, Mace Taylor, Walt Wedlock, Phyllis Dorn were also “charter members” but are no longer with us.

© Frederique Rostovsky 

© Len Boyle 

© Heather O’Connor

© Jackie Morello 

We are grateful for all the talented people who pose for our drawings. The sessions last for 3 hours. We begin with five 2 minute poses, three 5 minutes poses and one 10 minute pose. Most of the poses last for 20 minutes. None of them lasts for more than 30 minutes.

De Kooning said that classical training frees you for creating abstraction and non-objective art. All art is dependant on being able to draw well.

The Friday Life Drawing Group’s exhibition “Clothing Optional” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of October, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square

601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Open Daily 10am - 6pm

805-772-1068

James Crawford, Laura Dienzo and Robert Taylor—Featured Artists

Gallery at Marina Square Presents Our Featured Artist Exhibit for September 2011: “Trapping the Light Fantastic”

A Featured Artist Reception will be held Friday, September 9th from 5-8pm at Gallery at Marina Square

James Crawford

Laura Dienzo

Robert Taylor

James Crawford’s interest in art began in high school and further developed at Orange Coast College where he majored in Architecture and minored in History and Art.

I Heart You © James Crawford

James is the recipient of first place ribbons and Best of Show awards in several photography shows and publications and has been displayed locally and in many other locations, and it hangs in many private collections. James has been a winner in the first 6 years of participation in the New Times Photography Contest including 5 winning images in 1999 and 4 winning images in 2001.

Crawford believes there is more to photography than looking through the camera and pressing the shutter. He says, “ The camera is only part of the process. It’s where your creativity leads on the computer, or the darkroom. It is not a mere image, it is an extension of your whole self, your whole being, the sum of all your experiences and the influences of great artists you admire.” James continues to further his photographic education through yearly workshops with varied Master Photographers.

Laura Dienzo was born and raised on the east coast, and moved to San Luis Obispo in the early 80’s for summer vacation. She soon fell in love with her new surroundings, which ignited a flame of passion for capturing it’s beauty through photography. Laura continues to be inspired by the splendor of it all—from the rolling vineyards to the unspoiled coastline to the oak-studded, golden hills.

Morro Bay Canoes © Laura Dienzo

Laura also creates Fine Art editions of a special location or an artistic portrait of you and your favorite people: www.DienzoDesigns.com.

Robert Taylor’s earliest recollections of photography are of his grandfather taking him on photo shoots at the age of four.  He let Robert shoot his own images while all along teaching him about cameras, light and composition. In school, Robert’s studies were always centered around art and light, earning him degrees and certificates in B&W/Color Photography, Graphic Art/Design, Medical Imaging, Radiography and Landscape Design/Installation.

Sweet Dreams © Robert Taylor

One of Robert’s earliest jobs was Forest-Land-Structure restoration along the coast and mountains. While there, he developed a great appreciation of nature and an everlasting love for nature/landscape photography. Some of Robert’s ongoing projects are landscape and nature photography of Tulare, Kern and San Luis Obispo Counties, the 2011 Wildflower Season and Farm and Ranch images.

Photography: 35mm film, Digital-SLR natural-light images.www.flickr.com/photos/slo_exposures

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Crawford’s, Dienzo’s and Taylor’s exhibition “Trapping the Light Fantastic” can be viewed at Gallery at Marina Square throughout the month of September, from the 1st through the 29th.

Gallery at Marina Square
601 Embarcadero #10, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Open Daily 10am - 6pm
805-772-1068