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2008-09 Art Exhibits
Up one levelInformation on the artists, opening receptions, schedule, and photos.
Art Exhibit: Alan Plisskin - photography "India - An Ancient Land of Beauty and Contrast" - 7/11-8/5
Traveling through Rajasthan for 3 weeks revealed a country of great beauty and contrast. In spite of the harshness of survival in this desert area west of Delhi, the people are proud, positive and entrepreneurial. The colorful saris that they wear are a sharp contrast to, and add a colorful palette to, this stark landscape. India is a country of ancient traditions and architecture. With one of the oldest continual civilizations in the world, dating back to 5000 BC, it was not unusual to visit monuments dating back to the 16th century or earlier. The tradition of the Pushkar Camel Festival was an amazing experience, with thousands of camels, cattle, horses and vendors, you are taken back in time to an era that could have existed any time in the last 400 years.
Art Exhibit: "Art by Committee" - 8/8-9/10
This show involves an eclectic collection of art contributed by six gifted artists from the Art Committee of The International House of Davis.
Art Exhibit: "Between Worlds: PTSD and Other Effects of War" - 9/12-10/7
Phil Dynan, a past-instructor at the Davis Art Center and formerly an Artery member, is the lead artist in a show that features work by nine International artists. The group collaboration focuses on PTSD and the effects of war. It is a diverse presentation, including actual photos from Iraq interrogation centers taken by an embedded photojournalist; abstract paintings by Dynan and others; as well as work that falls into the spectrum between realistic and abstract.
Art Exhibit: "From Iceland to Istanbul: Photographic Vignettes from the Old World" - 10/10-11/11
Photographer Darlene Riel of Davis California presents an exhibit of evocative compositions of lesser known parts of Europe and Asia Minor. These intriguing and vibrant images capture details of scenes with unique and interesting perspectives with splashes of color and light.
Art Exhibit: Lillian Seto - "Flora Exotica from Paradise Maui" - 11/14-12/9
Chinese brush painting is a traditional art form with close ties to calligraphy. The current exhibition displays works by Lillian Sate and her students. These students have studied the painting style called xieyl, which means to paint an idea. The paintings are done with spontaneous brush strokes on very absorbent xuan paper. Under Ms. Seto’s instruction and guidance, the students have used their disciplined practice and learned techniques to capture the spirit and liveliness of the subject matter. Chinese landscapes are distinguished by their texture strokes and panoramic views. The current group of students is diverse in ethnicity, some have never painted before attending Ms. Seto’s classes, and others have studied western art. These paintings represent the results of a few months to several years of study with the artist. The current painting class is funded by the Cultural Awards program of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.
Art Exhibit: Michele McCarthy - "Two One Three" - 12/12/2008-1/6/2009
213 is a California telephone area code that originated in 1947. At that point, it contained all of Southern California. Although, 213 was one of the first area codes in the state, it has long since been subdivided and is now only associated with downtown Los Angeles and its immediate environs. By area, it is one of the smallest area codes in North America. These photographs are images of the life I see living in the 213. They include scenes from Echo Park, downtown Los Angeles, Pico Heights, Central City East, China Town, and Little Tokyo, all of which are located within approximately an 8-mile radius. Although I was born and raised as a Texan, I take great pride in calling Los Angeles my home. The city is alive with cultural diversity. This urban landscape of colorful concrete and palm trees houses a raw, unpolished beauty unseen, and at times unnoticed, by many. It is life in the 213.
Art Exhibit: Robert Tonjes - "Paintings of Southern France – the Languedoc Region" - 1/9-2/10
Bob Tonjes will display his reverse glass and watercolor paintings from his 2008 summer visit to France.
Art Exhibit: Laura Caron - "What Lies Within: A Journey of Joy" - 2/13-3/11
This whimsical, appealing collection from local artist Laura Caron blends striking portraiture and dreamy images for a thoroughly engaging exhibit. Her unique mixed-media display encompasses acrylic on canvas and acrylic on fabric, often accented by hand stitched embroidery threading.
Art show - Anna Skacel and Bob Horowitz - "Eyes Opened Wide..." - March 13th through Apr 7th
Artists statement: When we travel, we become transformed. We leave the comfort of our own society and make ourselves available to unfamiliar cultures and unknown landscapes. In these valuable ways, travelling opens our eyes and, hopefully, our soul. The adventure and the challenge of putting ourselves, however temporarily, in another place and a different way of life, can transform any person who makes themselves available to such opportunities.
Art exhibit: Jerry Schimke - "The Essence of Time in Two Hemispheres" - 4/10 - 5/4
Artist's statement: I consider myself a product of the West Coast who lived on the East Coast for fifteen years, and started my family in Concord, MA, before returning west in 1981to live in Davis, CA. My professional career centered on oceanography and environmental consulting in the private sector, and emergency planning as a civil servant, for the State of California. I have been retired from civil service since 1997.
Art Exhibit - Ted Fontaine - "Road Trip" - 5/8 - 6/9
The present body of work represents a renewed interest in painting. Due to some health problems in 2002 I all but gave it up, however in 2007 my desire to return to painting overcame any negative feelings I had about the pursuit. The subject of the paintings, which appear to be cars and houses in a western landscape is the result of my impulse to paint and was the simplest subject the rose from the depths of imagination and memory. The shapes derived from the play of memory are there to support the formal elements rather than the other way around, where composition, value, texture, form, space and shape are there to carry the picture. The interaction of the paint is more important to me than the subject. The subject serves the process. Any illusion is secondary.