Los Angeles is still considered the Wild Wild West
and there is no better way to see the history of the Wild West evolve in splendid color
as it is embraced by the artists of California Art Club!
Right inside the George Montgomery Gallery space at the Autry National Center
audiences will delight in the realistic charms, the precise detail, and the dramatic impressions that document a paradise all along the Pacific Rim of the California landscape.
On this Fine Art Trekkin' tour through the area pertaining to the Griffith Park Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo and the intersection of the major freeways of Interstate 5, and the 134 Ventura Freeway, I took my mother Martha to admire the work of one of the oldest arts organizations in California.
We received a comprehensive personal gallery tour
from Beverly Chang who described each artwork and artist
as if she had known them for years, which she does, as her work with CAC spans 10 years!
It was really difficult to have favorites in this show,
but we managed to select a few that particularly captured our hearts.
Additionally, it was wonderful to experience the paintings and sculptures up close as these pictures I took that day do not do the work justice. One has to stand in front of the work to realize the breathtaking emotion that comes from stepping into paradise
and watching a historical moment of pleasure leap off the canvas.
I will include the Gold Medal winners in this review as well as talk about our favorites.
Keep scrolling down to view all the images in this story. You will NOT be disappointed; nevertheless, I encourage you to attend this exhibit so you too can marvel at the texture, the character and the dimension of the work to get the full experience!
There is still time to enjoy this marvelous exhibition
of work by the California Art Club until April 22nd 2012.
Of particular note are the events planned around the closing of the show.
There will be a "Paint-Out/Sculpt-out" on Sunday April 22, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
California Art Club painters and sculptors will set-up the tools of their trade on the grounds of the Autry in Griffith Park to create new artwork featuring live models. This event is free and open to the public.
The Closing Tour and Membership Open House is later on, Sunday afternoon, from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
The Gold Medal artists will lead tours and share insights on the artwork on view.
It is free with museum admission.
THE GOLD MEDAL WINNERS!
 |
| Ray Roberts, winner of the Gold Medal for Painting. From left: David C. Gallup, Vice President of the Club; Ray Roberts, winner of the Gold Medal for Painting for "Crashing Waves at Garrapata"; and Peter Adams, President of the California Art Club. Photo Credit: James Carbone |
 |
| Lynn Christopher with her Gold-Medal award-winning art - The Silence of No - Figure 1 and 2. Photo credit: James Carbone |
 |
From left: Sergio Sanchez, winner of the Guy Rose Gold Medal for Best Multi-Figurative Composition; Jeffrey Lutz, the tattoo artist at work in the painting No Pain No Gain; and Elaine Adams, Executive Director of the California Art Club.
|
 | ||
Lynn Christopher
The Silence of No - Figure 1 and 2
Terra cotta and paint
|
 | |
Simon Lok
Oil 20" x 30"
The Edgar Payne Award for Best Landscape Painting was bestowed upon Simon Lok for the urban landscape California Temple, San Diego.
|
 | |
Ray Roberts
Oil 30" x 40"
Photo courtesy of California Art Club. 2012
|
 |
Sergio Sanchez
No Pain No Gain, Portrait of the Artist Jeffery Lutz
Oil on linen 30" x 48"
The Guy Rose Award for Best Multi-Figurative Composition was awarded to Sergio Sanchez, an up-and-coming figure painter and former tattoo artist, for No Pain No Gain, Portrait of the Artist Jeffery Lutz, an internationally acclaimed tattoo artist.
|
 "Morning Bath" by Gayle Garner Roski Watercolor 22" x 30" Photo of Gayle Garner Roski Painting by Ginger Van Hook@2012 In this exquisite watercolor painting by Gayle Garner Roski, she reveals the tranquility and harmony of the environment blending both the light filtering in through the leaves of the trees as well as the personality of the pelicans enjoying their "Morning Bath". This is one of my favorites in the show and my mother agreed with me wholeheartedly. For the watercolor enthusiasts, the work by Gayle Garner Roski is a treat especially if one were to explore the entire range of subjects which she has mastered throughout her career. In her website, Gayle Garner Roski has organized a number of galleries by subject matter. Her work is innovative as well as traditional. She creates soothing images rich in color and depth of character. Gayle Garner Roski states she enjoys traveling and has numerous subjects involving countries she's visited, for instance Italy where she created luscious images of the traditional pottery of the culture. Her travels to China influenced her images to evolve into the exploration of brushes and her love affair with antique calligraphy brushes began. She created a number of meditative and contemplative paintings involving the seascape, pelicans, ocean views and a great deal of 'still life' work as well. Although watercolor painting can be traced to cave painting of paleolithic Europe, the history of watercolor as an art medium developed more fully in the Renaissance era and has enjoyed notoriety of such greats as Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) with a school of watercolor painting begun in Germany led by Hans Bol (1534-1593) Among notable early practitioners of watercolor painting were Van Dyck (during his stay in England), Claude Lorrain, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, and many Dutch and Flemish artists. (Source information courtesy of Wikipedia.Org) Gayle Garner Roski is in good company of a number of watercolorists at this California Art Club Exhibition on view at the Autry National Center which also includes works by, |
| Gerald Brommer (Pt. Piños Lighthouse Watercolor on paper 15" x 22"), David Damm (Lido Bridge, Late Afternoon Watercolor 11 1/2" x 15 1/2"), Ray Hunter (Santa Barbara Harbor Watercolor 16" x 12"), Carolyn Lord (November Afternoon Watercolor on paper 11" x 15", and Michael Reardon (Palace of Fine Arts Colonnade Watercolor 18" x 11"). |
 | ||||
|
 |
| Lee MacLeod Sonoma Oaks Oil on board 18" x 24" Photo of painting by Ginger Van Hook©2012 This exquisite painting of the ancient Oak tree took my breath away! Lee MacLeod said in his statement: "Last summer, I had the privilege of painting with Craig Nelson in and around Sonoma.We spent five days exploring the varied locations of that area, from the coast to the vineyards. The ancient oaks and field of golden grass were some of my favorite subjects. When I returned to my studio in New Mexico , I want to create an image that summed up my experience--and this painting is the result. With luck, it evokes what I felt for the Sonoma countryside. |
 |
| Jackie Chiu Still-Life with Persimmons Oil 24" x 30" Photo of painting by Ginger Van Hook©2012 I love the way Jackie Chiu has arranged the persimmons with the basket, the tablecloth, the pitcher and the sugar bowl. Such attention to detail brings this image to life for me! -- Ginger Van Hook Jackie Chiu states: "Artist by nature are creative. It is not uncommon for artist to sep changes after working in a fixed way for a period o time. I too yearned for change in the last ew years. Inspired by Cezanne, I have picked up still-life painting, a genre that never interested me before. Painting still-life has not only allowed me to create, it also makes me more sensitive to the relationships of forms and colors in space." |
 |
| Cathy Cadieux What's Past is Prologue Pastel on paper "20" x 18" Photo of Cathy Cadieux Painting by Ginger Van Hook©2012 This particular portrait of a blond haired child is both elegant and mysterious. It is my mother's favorite painting in this exhibition and I totally agree with her. It is not just the connection about the innocence of childhood that my mother makes with this image; It is additionally that the portrait Cathy Cadieux has created engages my mother to think of the joys her own grandchildren as well. The reason I find this image incredible is because I see the values of the pinks in the background that complement the pink of the subject's sweater and the pinks of her cheeks as well. Her face is radiant with inquisitiveness. According to the artist Cathy Cadieux, she states: "In this painting, our young subject looks backwards, while the wind carries her hair forward. It is as though she is contemplating her past, yet unaware of those events that are sweeping her into the future. Her life is about to be changed forever." |
Of Special note, is the realistic detailed strokes of the brush that Alexander V. Orlov utilized to create a scene of pleasure with with the senses. Depicting the female subject sipping a glass of White California Chardonnay with the brilliant sunshine splashing into her cozy nook of her home inspires a moment of quiet contemplation. I cannot emphasize enough that the details created in oil painting are so meticulously rendered that at first, I thought this image was a photograph. Yes, while the artwork I create is often a detailed photograph, I can really appreciate when a painter takes that much time and attention to demand the reality of a scene and emphasize the dramatic details recreated in oil paint.
 |
| Alexander V. Orlov "Lazy Afternoon with a Glass of California Chardonnay" Oil on Canvas 38" x 48" Photo of Painting by Ginger Van Hook©2012 |
Do check out that in the details of this painting, Alexander V. Orlov does not ignore or forget, even the most simple detail of all...the manicured and painted toenails of the foot!
 |
| In this quaint Oil painting titled "Glenrose" by Meredith Abbott, I found a part of myself and my own history. At once, this image of a Victorian farm house drew me in with familiarity. And then I realized I had been inside this house! This white house located near Carpinteria, California, with the French Style windows and yellow window frames drew me into the memory of the time that I was a broadcaster with KLITE radio in Santa Barbara and I attended a party there. This home was built in 1874, and Meredith Abbot explains that this home has lasted nearly 150 years with grace and steadfast courage through major earthquakes-floods-fires and intrusions. She states that her painting of this home is a portrait of reverence. I must concur. My experiences while living in Carpenteria for a time helped me to gain compassion for an area hard hit by wildfires. The importance to capturing this historical frame of reference is that these artists document a real memory of the way our culture lives and lived during a unique part of our growth as a community. |
 |
| Another delightful image captured our attention and our hearts as Candice Bohannon painted the delicate portrait of "Grace" Oil on Linen 67 3/4" x 35" The expression of quiet joy as depicted on the figures by Candice Bohannon comes across as the peaceful moment when the young female subject holds her little pet dog who sits, patiently upon her lap. Truly an elegant portrait, the "Grace" of this painting comes from within the depths of this artist's soul. My mother and I were transfixed with this painting for quite a while and came back to it to enjoy it once more with a deep regard before retreating into the gift store at the Autry. |
The California Art Club (www.californiaartclub.org),
established in 1909 by early California Impressionists or plein air painters,
is recognized as one of the oldest, largest and most active leading professional art organizations
in the world.
The mission of the Club is to promote traditional fine arts in the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture; produce and promote art exhibitions that foster greater understanding of traditional art heritage
and California history; and furnish educational opportunities in the fine arts.
Members include nationally renowned artists, art students, art scholars and patrons,
and leading collectors and members of the business community
in order to interject different perspectives into the ongoing dialogue about traditional fine arts.
 |
Note
to Editor:
Photos are available of the Artists Gala Reception and the artists with
their award-winning works. Please contact Beverly Chang at (310) 472-9323 or
beverly@brcart.com.
About the Autry
National Center
The
Autry National Center (www.theautry.org) is an intercultural history center
dedicated to exploring and sharing the stories, experiences, and perceptions of
the diverse peoples of the American West. Located in Griffith Park, the Autry's
collections include those of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian and
the Autry Institute’s two research libraries: the Braun Research Library and
the Autry Library. Exhibitions, public programs, K–12 educational services, and
publications are designed to examine critical issues of society, offering
insights into solutions and the contemporary human condition through the
Western historical experience.
Weekday
hours of operation for the Autry National Center’s museum at its Griffith Park
location are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday hours for the museum and the Autry Store are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Museum admission is $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors 60+, $4 for
children ages 3–12, and free for Autry members, veterans, and children age 2
and under. Admission is free on the second Tuesday of every month.
|
 |
| Spring Snapdragons in brilliant color, swaying in the breeze at the Autry National Center in April 6, 2012 Photos by Ginger Van Hook©2012
CALIFORNIA ART CLUB ANNOUNCES
GOLD MEDAL HONORS AT THE OPENING
OF
THE 101st ANNUAL GOLD MEDAL JURIED
EXHIBITION AT THE AUTRY
Veteran
California Landscape Painters Ray Roberts and Charles Muench,
as
well as the Up-and-Coming Former Tattoo Artist Sergio Sanchez Receive Top
Awards
at
this Annual Showcase of Contemporary-Traditional Fine Art Paintings and
Sculpture
LOS ANGELES (April 2, 2012) – As a nod to its rich history and a glimpse
into its future, the California Art Club bestowed Gold Medal honors upon both
veteran and up-and-coming artists at the opening for the 101st Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, on view
through April 22 at the Autry National Center.
Renowned landscape painter Ray Roberts and sculptor Lynn Christopher received Gold Medals
for “Best of Show” honors before the more than 400 in attendance at the
exhibition’s Artists’ Gala Reception on Saturday, March 31. Christopher’s terra
cotta and paint sculpture The Silence of
No and Roberts’ seascape Crashing
Waves at Garrapata were selected by their peers, the 163 exhibiting artists
in this extensive unthemed exhibition.
Paying
tribute to the Club’s founders, the organization also presented two additional
Gold Medal awards named after leaders of the California Impressionism movement. The Guy Rose Award for Best
Multi-Figurative Composition was awarded to Sergio Sanchez, an up-and-coming figure painter and former tattoo
artist, for No Pain No Gain, Portrait of
the Artist Jeffery Lutz, an internationally acclaimed tattoo artist. The Edgar Payne Award for Best
Landscape Painting was bestowed upon Simon
Lok for the urban landscape California
Temple, San Diego.
Selected for the Irvine Museum Gold Medal Prize for the work of
art that best represents the California
Impressionism movement was Charles
Muench for Parker Lake Waters.
Other
honors announced that evening included awards presented by magazine sponsors of
the exhibition. D. Eleinne Basa
received Art of the West’s Award of
Excellence for Warm Spring Dawn and Brian Blood received the award of the
same name from American Art Collector
for China Cove, Point Lobos. David
Kassan received Awards of Excellence from two magazines, Southwest Art and Fine Art Connoisseur, for his painting of a
Belgian baron in Solemn. Fine
Art Connoisseur also honored Tanya
Ragir for her cast stone sculpture Doubt
Kills the Warrior, and Plein Air
magazine singled out Jeffrey Horn
for this landscape Crown of the Sea.
The
award-winning artworks can be viewed at www.californiaartclub.org.
Majestic Realty Foundation, Tejon Ranch Company and Tejon
Mountain Village and First Foundation Bank are
sponsors of the 101st Annual Gold Medal
Exhibition, which will be on display through Sunday, April 22.
LOS ANGELES – The California Art Club will present its signature
exhibition, the 101st Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, for the very first
time at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles from April 1 to 22, 2012.
The highly anticipated display of more than 200 representational
works of art is unthemed to encourage artist members of the Club to challenge
themselves and significantly raise the bar with their art. The featured works in this year’s
event, selected for inclusion by a jury that included representatives from five
major California museums, spotlight sculpture and paintings of genres
ranging from pristine landscapes and grittier urbanscapes to figures and still
lifes.
“The
California Art Club is honored that the Autry National Center will present the 101st Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition,
as the Center’s dedication to sharing the stories and experiences of
the people that have lived in the American West provides an ideal platform for
documenting in artwork the Club’s unique voice and vision in American art
history,” said American artist Peter Adams, who has served as the
organization’s president since 1993.
The exhibiting artists include
a number of renowned contemporary-traditional fine artists,
who have been active in expanding the interest in the plein air heritage associated with the organization’s beginnings in
1909. Among these artists are painters Peter Adams, John Cosby, Dennis Doheny,
David C. Gallup, Steve Huston, Ray Roberts, and Mian Situ, as well as sculptors
Béla Bácsi and Christopher Slatoff.
(more)
During
the exhibition, the California Art Club will present a number of events and
educational programs that will enable art enthusiasts to meet the participating
artists and learn more about traditional art forms. Information about these activities, which include the
Artists’ Gala Reception on Saturday, March 31, a panel discussion on “When Fine
Art Meets Moviemaking,” and a “Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out at the Autry” on the
closing day for the exhibition, is detailed at www.californiaartclub.org.
# # #
Media
Contact:
Beverly Chang
(310) 472-9323
KEY
INFORMATION FOR THE 101ST ANNUAL GOLD
MEDAL JURIED EXHIBITION
Exhibition
Dates: April
1 to 22, 2012
Location:
Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462 Telephone: (323) 667-2000
Public Information: (626) 538-9009 or www.californiaartclub.org
Related
Programs and Events:
Artists’
Gala Reception - Saturday, March 31, 6 to 9 p.m.
Art enthusiasts can meet the exhibiting artists
at this preview reception. Tickets are $75 in advance, $100 at the door, and
include a copy of the exhibition catalogue. (626) 583-9009.
Figure
Painting Demonstration with Steve Huston - Sunday, April
1, 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Gold Medal
artist Steve Huston, best known for his iconic archetypes of both the masculine and feminine forms, will present a figure painting demonstration. Tickets
are $20 for members and $25 for non-members (does not include
museum admission). (626) 583-9009.
“When
Fine Art Meets Moviemaking” Panel Discussion - Sunday,
April 15, 1 to 3 p.m.
Gold Medal artist William
Stout, whose credits include Jurassic
Park and Pan's Labyrinth, will moderate this discussion, at which
panelists will discuss the intersection of traditional fine
arts and filmmaking. Panelist include Peter Brooke (Jim Henson's
Creature Shop), Glen Eisner (Terminator 2,
Passion of The Christ), Ernesto
Nemesio (Pixar), and Drew Struzan (Star
Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones). Tickets
are $10 for members and $15 for non-members (does not include
museum admission). (626) 583-9009
“Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out” at the Autry - Sunday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
California Art Club painters and sculptors will
set-up the tools of their trade on the grounds of the Autry in Griffith Park to
create new artwork featuring live models. Free.
Closing Tour and Membership Open House - Sunday,
April 22, 3 to 5 p.m.
On
the closing day of the exhibition, Gold Medal artists will lead tours and share
insights on the artwork on view. Free with museum admission.
Digital
images of artwork in the exhibition are available upon request.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Beverly
Chang
(310)
472-9323 office
(310)
709-4922 cell
CALIFORNIA ART CLUB
ARTISTS SET UP EASELS AND SCULPTING WHEELS
AT THE AUTRY TO CREATE ARTWORK OF
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
IN THE WILD WEST
DURNG THE LATE 19th CENTURY
More
than a Dozen Costumed Models will Recreate Scenes to Inspire both Painters and
Sculptors
to
Create New Works “en Plein Air” on the Closing Day of the Club’s 101st Annual
Gold Medal Juried Exhibition
LOS ANGELES – As the California
Art Club closes its 101st Annual Gold
Medal Juried Exhibition at the Autry in Griffith Park on April 22, painters
and sculptors affiliated with the 102-year-old organization will set up their
easels and sculpting wheels on the museum grounds for a “Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out”
of vignettes of life in the Wild West during the late 19th century.
More
than a dozen models donning authentic period costumes will pose in a series of
scenes that artists will capture on canvas and in clay, utilizing traditional
fine art techniques associated with working “en plein air” (in the open air). Vignettes to be recreated include “High Stakes” in which two
gamblers vie for the winning poker hand and “Burro Bob,” based on the famed
frontiersman popularized in dime novels.
As
part of this free event, the Club will also have art materials for children to
use to create their own plein air
sketches of the costumed models.
“Presenting
the Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out at the Autry in conjunction with the closing of our 101st Annual Gold Medal Exhibition
allows the California Art Club to provide art enthusiasts with a unique
opportunity to both witness the creative process of representational artists
and view exceptional examples of contemporary-traditional artwork being created
today,” says American artist Peter Adams, the Club’s president.
Following
the Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the
Club will host a closing reception from 3 to 5 p.m. during which exhibiting
artists will lead tours of the Gold Medal
Exhibition. The closing tour
is free with museum admission.
Additional information on the
Paint-Out/Sculpt-Out and the Gold Medal
Exhibition can be found on the Club’s
Web site, www.californiaartclub.org.
|
