Meet Artist Phil Murillo, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Phil Murillo  - Artist Bio

O-064  Mill226  by Phil Murillo   53x38  $975

     From my childhood in Chicago, to my current everyday life in the central valley, art has played a vital role throughout my life.  As a kid drawing comic strips, to a teen replicating rock album covers and bands' logos, to my career choice in graphic design, art has always been at my core.

     I graduated from Fresno State with a degree in Advertising Design. Shortly thereafter I started a career in the commercial sign industry.  I had the opportunity to learn and hone my skills at hand lettering, logo design, large format graphics, wall murals, typography, commercial and electrical signage. Ultimately my artistic style and my art studio were developed from my work life experiences.

     Working Class Studios reflects the concept and approach  behind my artwork.  I have a technical working class approach to each painting. I do much planning and visualizing in the beginning stages of the piece. After the plan is in place, I apply many frenetic translucent layers. I follow the plan generally, but always allow for the colors to flow, overlap and interconnect.  These free flowing colors create new images, shapes and color schemes within themselves, a colorful planned chaos.

     Working Class Studios also reflects the importance to me of being environmentally conscious.  Whenever possible I use recycled sign surfaces, re-used substrates, salvaged wood and materials for my paintings and frames, turning landfill into artwork.

     Thank you for your interest. I appreciate it.

     Phil Murillo

O-065  Snow White  by Phil Murillo  21x28   $650

Meet Artist Charlotte Mahood, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Charlotte Mahood
Artist Biography

O-205  Barco Rifigio  by Charlotte Mahood  36x36  $3000

Charlotte makes her home in the foot hills of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains with her husband and their three pups, El Greco, Leonardo and George. Her studio is located on their property next to their home providing her the opportunity to work on projects any time of the day or night.  Printmaking and Oil Painting are her passions.  Her printmaking work includes, etching, Chine Colle', Monotypes and mixed media.  Charlotte observes and records her impressions of the world around her in colorful passages.  Her figurative work records humanity at work and at play, evoking strong emotion on the part of the viewer. She imparts a sense of design that is uniquely her own.

After earning her Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Degree with high honors at Cabrillo College, Charlotte pursued further studies at The Scottsdale Art School, Kala Art Institute of Berkeley California and The Monterey Peninsula College.  A long time resident of Santa Cruz County before locating in the foothills, Charlotte was a member of The Santa Cruz Art League and the Pajare Valley Art Council. Presently she is a member of The Calaveras Arts Council, Arts of Bear Valley, the Golden Pallet, The Oil Painters Alliance and The Monterey Peninsula College Printmakers.

Her work has been selected for a number of juried shows and is in private collections throughout the Untied States.  Charlotte's work is available for purchase and is exhibited at the Art on Main Gallery, Murphys, California

Meet Artist John Lovewell, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

O-207  Leapard by John Lovewell  36x24 $2400

JOHN LOVEWELL                                                                                                        WILDLIFE ART
BIO

Statement from the artist:

It is my pleasure to personally share some things in my life that have contributed to my love of wildlife and the wilderness and the desire to express this in the field of art.

     I was born in Cody, Wyoming and raised in Kalispell, Montana, not far from Glacier National Park.  What a great time I had growing up, going fishing and hunting with my father and as a teen hiking with my buddies into the back country wilderness with my trusty 35 mm SLR.
     I guess I was drawing birds and animals as soon as I could hold up a pencil, I took up taxidermy at 12 years old, and bacame the town stuffer as people began dropping off specimens on the front porch. I was also called on to draw and paint things, even symbols on the sides of Teepees, and I enjoyed illustrating the High School Annual, with scenes from Indian life.
    Although I left the area, my heart was always there, like getting all choked up in cowboy movies when I saw the Mountain Scenery. I did make it a point to always take my wife and sons to Yellowstone Park every summer for vacation, where I continued to take pictures of old snags and rocks and scenery that I filed away for future use in bringing back old memories on canvas when I had free time.

     That is why I strive for realism, so the painting can be convincing enough that you fell you have stepped into an actual scene of nature and you are there for real, witnessing some kind of drama or action, which then usually means ... predators.
     I was largely self-taught, but felt encouraged when individuals would buy my efforts ... and even more so when some of my pieces were accepted into the Los Angeles Audubon Society Wildlife and Environmental Art Show.
     When I found time, I would take hikes into the Sierras and so finally I decided to move to Sonora, to be c lose by the mountains.
     This was a great decision ... here the Oil Painting World of technique and color was really opened up to me by a local artist and teacher, Gereon Rios of the Sonora Academy of Fine Arts.
     I hope then, that for my efforts will be successful in bringing a measure of appreciation for God's wonderful creations and that my experiences and memories will develop scenes that will perhaps evoke the same joys I have and that lie deep in the soul of those who have tramped in the woods ... or even maybe those who were only able to dream about it.

John Lovewell

Vaughn Pottery delivers! New Arrivals!

Life Force  - #310101  $600

 Bill & June Vaughn of Vaughn Pottery have blown us out of the water with this stunning new piece!  It is an eye stopper!  No one just glances at this piece. It draws you into it layer after layer - textures, colors and a richness that older pieces only hint at.  Inlayed with turquoise and ammonite fossils that interplay with the deep designs and rich earth colors this piece is a life force in and of itself.

Life Force  - #310101  $600

Meet Artist Ronald Houck, Ironstone Spring Obsession Open Division Accepted Artist

Ronald Houck
Lodi, Ca
www.rounaldhouck.com

Artist Bio:

Ronald Houck was born in Salem, Oregon, but grew up in the greater San Francisco Bay Area of California. Ronald received a BA in Studio Art from California State University San Francisco in 2010.

During his high school years he developed a love for both art and misic. After high school he continued to develop as an artist, while also becoming a professional musician, singer and songwriter. He then formed a vocal trio with his wife and brother and preformed throughout Northern California and Nevada for more than eight years.

He is best known for his expressive and figurative oil paintings that capture the mood, emotion, and spirit of people in a variety of environments. Blending traditional and contemporary painting techniques, the artist compels viewers to uncover the mysteries and narratives within his work.

Ronald has been privileged to work with several nationally and internationally renown artists throughout his education, such as Craig Nelson, Warren Chang, Tae Park, Dean Larson, Zackary Zdrale and Baoping Chen.

Ronald has done commissioned portraits for prominent patrons in Central California and is beginning to achieve national recognition as an artist through his award winning work displayed at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA in 2010 and through gallery exposure.  Ronald is a member of Oil Painters of America and is currently teaching life drawing, foundational drawing, and color theory at The Art Institute of California-Sacramento and The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale.  After raising three sons, he currently reside in Lodi, CA with his loving wife Suzanne.

Meet Artist Susie Hoffman, Ironstone Spring Obsession Open Division Accepted Artist

Susie Hoffman,
Copperopolis

     Now exploring art after retiring from teaching English and history, Susie considers herself a "professional art student". She and her husband, Larry, created the art center Town Hall Arts in Copperopolis where she has enjoyed classes by many foothill artists over the last four years.  From oil classes to mosaics, she is always eager to learn something new.
    Susie first started this art journey ten years ago in watercolor.  Happy to retire early, she discovered a wonderful East Bay watercolor group that even traveled to southern France to paint in the small towns of the Dordogne region.  Since opening her art store, she has branched out into oil, graphite, collage and pastels.  She also sells many of her photographs at Town Hall Arts.
    She lovers trying new media and tries to find something unique to teach at the Copper Art Club, a group she started out of her home when she and Larry moved to Copper seven years ago.  The club now meets weekly at Town Hall Arts.
    Painting in oil is her challenge right now. "I love the freedom and color that can be achieved in oil, but I also enjoy practicing drawing skills with graphite portraits of my grandchildren," Susie said.  She always takes several photos and sketchbook along on trips to create what she calls "airplane art" - small graphite portraits done "en route".
    Honors include awards at the Mother Lode Art Show, Delicato Show, Calaveras County Fair, Riverside Carriage Show, and Oakdale Transportation Show.  Her graphite portrait, "I Hope You Dance", appeared on the 2012 program cover of the Ironstone Spring Obsession Show.  Susie's artwork and photographs are displayed at Galerie Copper in Town Hall Arts, under the clock, in Copperopolis Town Square. She is currently program director for Mother Lode Art Association.

http://townhallarts.com/

Tulips, Tulips and more Tulips!

Gold discovered by Marty!

Marty Davis, while on a business trip today to the Sysco Foods Show here at Ironstone, stopped in to pose next to the 44 lb crystalline gold specimen.

Marty, who works at La Contenta Golf Course in Valley Springs ( http://www.lacontentagolf.com/ ) as the Golf Course Manager, was working for Sonora Mining Company at the Jamestown site back in 1992. 

Marty, hearing the alarms go off on the belt, was the first to see this amazing specimen as it came up the conveyor belt. Marty claims as he picked it up, he was surprised by its weight, at that time total weight around 66 lbs. Today, after cleaning, it weighs in at 44 troy pounds of gold weight.

Glad to have Marty stop in today!

Celebrate!

We have decided to celebrate Easter with a 50% Sale on very special Gold in Quartz, Silver in Quartz and Turquoise jewelry. 

Many of these hand selected pieces are one of a kind stunners!  

I tried to take a photo of my favorite piece, not bad for a phone photo!

OK, so it's sideways, but you can see what an awesome piece it is... You should see the rest!

Gold in Quartz is a very unique stone. Using dense pieces of quartz with gold veins, the jeweler slices the stones into  slabs which are then cut into stones for setting into either 14 karat gold settings or sterling silver settings. Most quartz you find doesn't have the density to hold up to this type of cutting. The quartz used by OroCal's designers comes from the old Sixteen to One Mine of Northern California.

Nice way to celebrate your California heritage or take home a conversation piece from your travels to California.

At least come by and have a look see for yourself.  

Easter at Ironstone

It's Easter Weekend at Ironstone!  The flowers are stunning everywhere you look!  As the daffodils fade, out burst the colors of the tulips! Almost sensory overload!

Check out The Garden Guy's blog for more complete update details! http://ironstonegardens.blogspot.com

Meet Artist Scott Hamill, Ironstone Spring Obsession Open Division Artist

Scott Hamill  

Scott feels fortunate to have found an outlet for his artistic expression in the plein air tradition. As a native Californian Scott has lived most of his life in and around the ocean and mountains of this beautiful state. He has developed a strong connection to the water and land while surfing along the Pacific coast and fishing,  backpacking and canoeing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Scott's goal is to share this connection with those who view his art.

In his plein air paintings Scott hopes to capture the mood or essence of a place and allow the viewer to enjoy the beauty of our natural world. He uses a limited palette of colors in oils, which helps harmonize the painting as well as adding the challenge of mixing all other colors from these few.  Scott's painting gear fits into a backpack, which allows him the freedom to get off the beaten path while scouting for locations to capture on canvas.

Scott live in Santa Cruz, California with his wife and two children.

Meet 1st Place Winning Artist, Debbie Gualco

O-075 Pompano and Circumstance by Debbie Gualco  oil  9x12  $375 

Debbie R. Gualco

ARTIST STATEMENT:
Debbie R. Gualco fell in love with California when visiting from her native state of Texas in 1989. Upon relocating to California, she received her degree in architecture from UC Berkeley. She founded Reynolds Gualco Architecture & Interior Design, (www.rgaid.com) specializing in residential projects. In addition to her busy schedule as principal of an award winning design firm, she paints and teaches art professionally. In 2011, she opened Capital Artworks Studio & Gallery (www.capital-artworks.com).

Preferring to paint/draw only from life, she enjoys all subject matter including portraits, figures, still life, and landscapes.

O-074  Lupines  by Debbie Gualco  oil  9x12  $375

Debbie has studied under Carolyn Anderson, Jeffrey Watts, Terry Muira, Don Hatfield, Kevin Courter, Randy Sexton, Fongwei Liu, Fred Dalkey, and Ramon Froman, a prior student of Robert Henri. She is a member of the Northern California Arts, California Art Club, Oil Painters of America, Sacramento Plein Air Painters, Roseville Arts, San Francisco Figurative Artists, and the Portrait Society of America.

O-078  Anticipation by Debbie Gualco  oil  14x18  $750

EDUCATION:
BA, Architecture, UC Berkeley

PREFERRED MEDIUMS:
Oil, Watercolor & Pastels

AWARDS:
2013 Ironstone Spring Obsession - 1st Award!
2013 Ironstone Spring Obsession - Merit Award
2012 Magnum Opus XXIII
2011 Pence Gallery - Curator's Award
2011 Winters Plein Air - Artists' Choice Award
2011 Magnum Opus XXII - Special Award
2010 Bold Expressions - Merit Award
2009 Bold Expressions - Shepherd Award
2009 SFAC Members Show - Best of Show
2008 Magnum Opus XIX - Gold Award

REPRESENTATION:
Capital ArtWorks, Sacramento, California
School of Light and Color, Fair Oaks, California

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email: drgualco@rgaid.com
www.debbiegualco.com

Meet Artist Carol Goff, Ironstone Spring Obsession Open Division accepted Artist

Carol Goff

O-126 Crystal Iris by Carol Goff  watercolor  16x20  $450

Murphys, CA

The watercolor medium has intrigued me since I first watched some artists painting on site in Murphys when I moved here several years ago. Through private lessons, workshops and community college classes I have learned the versatile aspects of this surprisingly forgiving but challenging medium. I continue to strive to add new dimensions to my work, always exploring new ideas and techniques.

My inspirations come from being an avid gardener and many of my paintings how my love of what is produced there. I also feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful area where I can share the delightful scenery and wildlife in the foothills and surrounding areas.

O-125  Autumn in Murphys Park by Carol Goff  watercolor  16x20  $450

I am an active member of Arts of Bear Valley, Golden Palett Art Association, Calaveras County Arts Council and the Gallery Group. My paintings have won ribbons at the Calaveras County Fain and Lodi grape Festival. I also received the third place award at Ironstone Vineyards 2011 Spring Obsession Professional Art Show. My work can be seen at the Art on Main Gallery in Murphys and at other local businesses and seasonal shows in the area.