Meet Artist Andrea Fox Schwartz

Andrea Fox Schwartz Artist Bio 


Andrea Fox Schwartz was born in Oceanside, New York and has lived in the Bay Area for the past 30 years.  Andrea has been a practicing Immigration Attorney by day and an Artist by night.

O-010  Happy-Hour by Andrea Schwartz  mm 17x22 $400

Andrea always exhibited an artistic ability creating unique projects in both 3D and 2D. Andrea began creating glass art about 6 years ago.  She began her journey by attending flameworking and glass blowing classes and workshops throughout the Bay Area.  In 2015 Andrea built a home studio which allowed her to get the time on the torch to develop her own unique and artistic style of glass blowing.

Growing up near the ocean Andrea has always had a fascination with the sea and the life underneath the waves.  Andrea has created many colorful pieces representing sea life, nature and other colorful and whimsical figures.

O-012 SanFrancisco Skyline by Andrea Schwartz  mm 12x16  $180

In 2017 Andrea was invited to showcase several of her glass pieces at the Delta Art Gallery in Brentwood, CA.  While spending time working at the gallery Andrea had the opportunity to sit on several painting classes.  Andrea discovered that she also had the ability to paint much the way she interpreted her glass art.  Since then she has never stopped expressing her creative ideas in both mediums of canvas and glass.

Andrea has created beautiful portraits in both acrylic and oil.  Her unique signature for all her paintings is to add a small amount of glitter adding color and fun to these one of a kind painting.  Recently Andrea has been creating pet portraits based on photos sent to her by their owners.  These colorful renditions of man’s best friends have resulted in lasting happy memories for their owners.


Currently Andrea’s work can be seen at the Delta Gallery of the Arts, Brentwood, CA, Blackhawk Art Gallery, Blackhawk, Ca, Brentwood Community Center, Brentwood, Ca and the Oakley Library, Oakley, Ca.

Meet Artist Phyllis Berger

Artist Statement

Phyllis Berger

O-021 Poppy by Phyllis Berger  wc 11x14 $400

             I spent my early childhood in Stockton, later young years on a ranch outside of Clements, and then back to Stockton for about 50 years.  I have always loved Calaveras County, and feel lucky to have a home here now.  I am married, with an extended blended family.  My son Jon and his family live in Arnold, which greatly enhances my affection for this area.

O-024 Clements Longhorn by Phyllis Berger wc 11x14 $150

            I am an attorney and law professor, and recently retired from active practice and teaching.  I still do some consulting.  My work and community activities have kept me very busy over the course of my career, but of course retirement reduced the demands on my time.  I decided to take drawing and watercolor classes in the OLLI program at UOP last fall, under the guidance of instructor Deanna Hunt.  She and my wonderful old and new friends in the classes greatly inspired me to embrace the creative process, and now I like to paint almost every day.  Although I am a beginner, I hope it is never too late to learn, and that I can continue to develop my skills and appreciation. 

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”  Picasso

Meet Artist Katherine Plumer

Katherine Plumer

Artist Statement

O-062 Luminous- by Katherine Plumer mm 9x12  $4525

 When you were a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?  For me, the dream of being an artist has been unwavering, blossoming and growing ever since my little hands could use a crayon.  I create art because I feel like it’s something I need to do, and because I love it more than anything else, and because of the indescribable joy of the moment when a piece that I created I resonates with someone else, and becomes something that they treasure for the rest of their life.

For most of my life, I have lived in the town of Wilton, California, a rural area south of Sacramento.  I was raised on a farm and have always had a passion for nature and animals.  The creatures that surround and inhabit my life have a strong influence on the artwork that I create.  I aim not only to portray my subject matter as realistically and accurately as possible, but also to capture the expression and soul of an animal.

O-063 OxfordOldEnglishGame- by Katherine Plumer mm 16x20 $5325

The work you see here is all done with colored pencil, which is perhaps my very favorite art medium.  Over the years I have explored many ways of creating art, and currently focus on engraving, drawing, and a mixed media style that combines elements of painting and drawing.

I invite you to follow me on social media, where you will see “behind the scenes” as I create new custom art pieces.

Facebook: KatherinePlumerFineArt
Instagram: katherineplumer

Meet Artist JacQueline Del Curto

ABOUT JACQUELINE

Jacqueline believes art must take one beyond itself to the idea of truth: if sense perception does not give way to reflection, art becomes mere decoration. Jacqueline hopes to delight and edify others with her creative understanding of the world and hopes to add a little color where it is needed.

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O-026 On The Boat by Jacqueline Del Curto acrylic 20x16 $700

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Jacqueline attended the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire, during which time she studied cast drawing at the Ingbretson Studio in Manchester, NH. She went on to study at the Russian Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, and apprenticed under English painter James Gillick in Lincolnshire, England. Jacqueline was graduated summa cum laude from the Catholic Distance University with a bachelor's degree in theology.

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Jacqueline enjoys working in a variety of media and genres and her work is featured in private iicollections in the United States and Europe. She accepts commissions and a portfolio of her completed artistry is available for sale. 

O-025 by Jacqueline Del Curto acrylic 20x16 $600

Meet Artist Kelli Noteman O'Brien

Kelli Noteman O’Brien

O-069 Egret's Grace by kelli Noteman O'Brian wc 32x40 $550

            Kelli Noteman O’Brien is a California native who grew up with the Stanislaus National Forest as her “backyard.”  Today she enjoys riding horses and camping throughout the high country she came to love as a child generally with a camera or paint brush in her hand.

A love of nature is revealed in her art where she often chooses animals, flowers and Sierra Nevada landscapes as her subjects.  Kelli feels a special kinship with birds which are frequently featured in her work. 

Today Kelli shares her love of art working with kids of all ages as an art specialist teaching at Sonora Elementary School.  As a life-long learner, she counts her most influential teachers as Joel Barber, Dianne Stearns, Dale Laitenin and Martha Wallace.  Her rodeo bull painting “Eliminator” was featured on the 2009 Mother Lode Round-Up poster.  In 2012, she was awarded the blue ribbon for her watercolor “Mendocino Poppies” at the Mother Lode Art Association’s Fall Art Show in Sonora, California.

 Though she also enjoys block printing, acrylic painting and ceramics, watercolor is her first love.  “Watercolors have a life of their own; they are spontaneous and lively.    I enjoy watching the colors move and interact.  They are versatile, exciting, and, yes, challenging,” she expressed. 

Today, Kelli and her husband, Al O’Brien, live on a small ranch they’ve named Banjo Ranch with their two horses, seven chickens, and many bird and wildlife feeders.

Meet Artist Helena Faitelson

Helena Faitelson

O-059 Blooming-flowers by Helena Faitelson acrylic 18x24 $300

Helena Faitelson is a self-taught decorative painting artist, teaching assistant, and mother for five children. She discovered her passion for art and painting at a very young age. With the years, she developed her skills and learned different painting styles. At the age of thirty, Helena discovered decorative painting style and decided to pursue this direction. Over the years Helena exposed herself to different decorative painting techniques and developed her own painting style.

Helena was born in Ukraine and lived many years Israel. She now lives with her family in San Diego, California since 2014 and works as a teaching assistant for children with special needs where she uses her art and painting skills in order to expose students to the wonderful world of art and craft. During the summers Helena works as a teaching assistant of afterschool program where she teaches art and craft and manages painting club for kids. Recently Helena established her own business of mural painting for residential and commercial spaces.

Media Helena likes to work with: Acrylic, Mixed Media, other media.

Surfaces Helena likes to use for her projects: Canvases, rocks, wood, ceramic, glass, metal, walls and fences.

Contact information:

E-mail: helena.faitelson@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenafaitelson/

Awards:

·         Special Recognition Award in 2019 9^th Annual SeaScape Online exhibition -  LightSpaceTime Online Gallery

·         5^th place in 2019 All Planet Earth Theme Online Art Competition – Contemporary Art Gallery Online

·         Special Merit Award in 2019 9^th Nature Art Exhibition - LightSpaceTime Online Gallery

O-058 Flowers_composition by Helena Faitelson acrylic 12x28 $300

·         Special Recognition Award in  2019 9th Annual “All Women” Online Art Competition -  LightSpaceTime Online Gallery

Exhibitions, Projects and Shows:

Past:

·         2019 – Carlsbad Art Walk as part of “Art Divas” team, Carlsbad, CA

·         2019 - Public Mural Painting project “Mint House Project”, San Diego, CA

https://www.facebook.com/minthouseproject

Project dates: 11/03/2019-11/17/2019

·         5th Annual Leaves & Petals Online Juried Art Exhibition, Fusion Art Gallery, Palm Springs, CA, November 2019

·          US Show 2019 exibition, Blue Line Arts Gallery, Roseville, CA, November 16 – December 29, 2019

·          Small Work 2019 exibition, Limner Gallery, Hudson, NY, December 5-28, 2019

·         18^th Annual Gift Gallery 2019, Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Healdsburg, CA November 23 - December 30, 2019

·         2019 Stunning exhibition, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, December 2019

·         Alchemic Body: Fire, Air, Water, Earth 2019 exhibition, The Line Conteporary Art Space, London, England, December 20, 2010-January 31, 2020

Current:

·         Vend Arts exhibition "Material Zones" by 1805 Gallery, San Diego, CA

Upcomming:

·         Accepted to participate in Mission Federal Little Italy Art Walk as part of “Art Divas” team, April 2020, San Diego, CA

·         Accepted to participate in Art San Diego 2020 show, San Diego, CA, October 2020

Meet Artist Connie Romano

       

T-011 Color outside the lines by Connie Romano  oil 14x18 $245

 Spring Obsession 2020

        Expressing myself in the various forms of art has always been a part of my life.  My mother was a crafter.  My father created one painting when he was in Jr High that was just amazing in form, color, and depth.  He never pursued his talent with a brush but focused on science as his expression of creation. While neither of my parents was as obsessed with art as I am, they both had talent in creating and engaged in varied avenues of expression.

T-012  Just a touch  by Connie Romano  oil 8x10 $175

         

          I began drawing at a young age and always enjoyed it. I find it relaxing; a form of meditation, if you will.

        I did not, however, share that expression with anyone outside of my family until my husband, who was my greatest fan, encouraged me to submit several of my works to Ironstone.  Entry into the Spring Obsession is now an annual event for me.   The theme division is always a challenge as I find new ways to express the glory of a blooming daffodil.  And the open division allows me to present the diversity of what I create.

O-079 A Rose by Connie Romano oil 16x20 $575

         The competition is exciting but by no means the reason I submit every year.  I love coming up to this beautiful venue to wander among all the amazing art works that have been submitted by other artists and the glorious plantings maintained by Ironstone. I feel honored to have my works hang on the walls with such an array of expressions of the beauty that surrounds us.

Connie Carson-Romano

O-080 Calaveras Morning by Connie Romano acrylic 18x14 $325

O-081 Grandmas Bouquet by Connie Romano oil 10x13 $345

O-082 North Coast Break by Connie Romano acrylic 18x24 $435

Meet Artist Bradford L. Stone

Bradford L Stone Self taught Artist Valley Springs. CA Art is not a reality but a personal perspective of what you see.

O-100 Nature_by Brad Stone oil 18x24 $430 Delta College Ceramic and painting Classes Sacramento State College, Minored in Art (Art Education & figured drawing) School of Light and Color (Susan Sarback, seeing and painting approaches based on light) Experiences: Award winner of Bank of America (Pop Art) Calaveras County Fair (Best of Show and first in fine art category) California State Fair Cal-Expo Plein-Air painting participate and exhibit. Ironstone Winery Fine Annual Spring Obsession Arts Competition and Plein-Air Painting with Concourse De’Elegance Car Show. Ironstone Vineyard 21st. Annual Spring Obsession Art Show Family Merit Award. Calaveras County Arts Council Member O-102 Runaways by Brad Stone oil 20x48 $1014 O-101 Harvest_by Brad Stone acrylic 18x24 $430

Meet Artist Cindy Walker

Cindy Walker

Artist’s Statement

O-016  Granpa's Grapes  by Cindy Walker  cp 25x29 $849.

Grandpa’s Grapes…a few suspended moments buying time enough to ask, ‘Had this view been acknowledged for its warmth and grace, for its portrayal of life, before the inevitable fade?’ My only response to that query was to bring this impression to you.  After collaring my internal questions, I squeezed the warm seconds from the scene, apprehending and resting in the consequences of peace and refreshment.  I hope you will take away at least a portion of the rewards.

In this colored pencil presentation, I wished to pay homage to the simple sites often taken for granted. A spot of an all too familiar entanglement in nature. The levels of color employed is intended to show the warmth of the day while owning its balance of shade. Applied in layers, I encouraged the shapes and shadows to reach out as promised, yet now can stay intact.

 

My art background is diverse.  My Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art represents my vast interests and capabilities.  I’ve always felt driven to learn the rules which, in turn, gives me the freedom to break those rules.  Along with extensive experience is drawing and painting (employing watercolor or acrylic paints), I have completed studies in ceramics, sculpture and fiber arts involving handmade paper, fabric manipulations, dying techniques, weaving, and basketry.  I continually enjoy doing mixed medium pieces and eagerly return to those challenges when I am not illustrating. 

My related employment also reflects my artistic composition. From a substantial and rewarding career as an Interior Designer, I transitioned to illustrating children’s books for the Tempe School District.  My move back to California launched a venture into the wonderfully creative environment of the Electronic Game Industry, where I benefited greatly from the use of cutting edge technology in creating two and three dimensional art for the final game production—Each of the opportunities in my career as an artist continues to rekindle my creativity in ways that could not otherwise be gained.   

Meet Artist Jenny Briggs

Jenny Briggs

O-006 Poppy by Jenny Briggs  oil  36x48 $1400

 An oil painter for 25 years, Jenny is known for creating a story with her work.  Her unique style uses color, composition, and techniques that invite you to step into the story and linger a while to discover or imagine the little stories within.

O-007 Orange-Pansy- by Jenny Briggs  oil  36x36 $1200

 Jenny has participated in many shows and events, including “Big Names, Small Art” at the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento CA, Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana, and most recently won Best in Show and Peoples Choice awards in the Folsom Arts Association Members Show in Folsom CA with her “Curious Grizzly” painting.

Believing that every painting she creates is a special gift for someone, Jenny says “I imagine that person as I paint, and I’m so excited that I have the honor of creating a treasure for them.  God gave me this gift to share, and I feel so honored to be the one to make this art.”

A collector recently stated, “…so rich in wonderful colors…her creative use of color in an unexpected way brilliantly enhances the subject.”

O-008 Spring-Bulbs  by Jenny Briggs  oil  30x24  $850

 To the question “What is your mission as an artist?”, Jenny answers, “It might seem too simplistic to some, but I love watching someone smile when they look at one of my paintings.  It means to me that it made them feel good, and that for a moment they are distracted from the hurts, worries, or stresses in their life.  I like that very much!”

Daffodil Season is Here!

Daffodil blooming season is here!

As you wander around our countryside, you can see daffodils growing - and many blooming already! Daffodil season is here! Different daffodils respond to our Spring climate in different ways. Each bulb has a natural trigger that causes it to begin to grow after a receiving a set amount of sun and rain. That means different types of daffodils can start to grow from early January to mid April in Northern California. The bulbs that get their required sun and rain each year become ‘naturalized’ – growing and blooming each year without external care.

This has a beneficial aspect for us who are gardeners! We can select bulbs of cultivars which will give us pleasing blooms and plant them in our garden – as well as in other areas where they will be seen but likely not be disturbed. All we need is knowledge of when they will bloom naturally. We are somewhat restricted; our sea level climate encourages early bloom starting in January, but it grows too warm to allow daffodils to bloom after the early days of April. Still, that is over three months of possible daffodil blooms! In the foothills and at elevations higher, daffodils bloom later – the higher the later!

Where can you learn about the blooms from a particular daffodil bulb before purchasing it? The American Daffodil Society has a no cost “encyclopedia” of daffodils at https://daffodilusa.org. Each bulb name has a description and its blooms shown in photographs! The normal time of bloom for the bulb is also listed. You need to jostle these dates somewhat. They are written from and for where the bulb is popularly grown – commonly the eastern USA states or Europe which are nearly two months later than our climate. For us “Early Season” here implies late February; “Mid-Season” means late March, and “Late Season” implies April. (In my home in Oakley, Late Season bulbs live only for the year planted – they are “cooked” by a splash of heat in early April!)

How can I select daffodils that will continue to grow in the future years?

In the past, garden centers and plant nurseries provided a decent number of different daffodil cultivars to select from. Even so, there was severe problem. The bulbs, grown in Holland, were selected for the entire USA – not for Northern California. They were for Mid-Season or Late Season growth – ignoring our need for Early Season growth.

Knowledgeable gardeners know there are catalogs of several specialist daffodil breeders from which to survey and purchase bulbs. The American Daffodil Society maintains a list of breeders from USA (7) and from England (9), Northern Ireland (2), Australia (6), and New Zealand (13). Many of the original USA classic breeders (eg, Mitsch, Evans, Pannill) have passed away. The ADS List does not guarantee satisfactory growth of bulbs purchased!

It’s to your advantage to use the ADS List to become familiar with daffodils in a catalog. The ADS List (DaffSeek) is on its website: https://daffodilusa.org. Once on the website, click on ‘Growing Daffodils’, then on ‘Bulb Sources’, and finally on ‘Specialty Bulb Growers’. Each grower is listed. The cultivars they sell are in their catalog; open the catalog, choose any bulb name, click on it and you’ll see the DaffSeek data for it. Photos of its blooms are there.

As of 10 February 2020, Oakwood Daffodils is the only breeder yet listing its varieties for sale in 2020. Some are Oakwood registrations; other varieties have been imported and naturalized in Niles (a final listing under Oakwood Daffodils [p.18] shows the ten cultivars I’m offering for sale in 2020). Other USA growers will also soon be placing their 2020 catalogs. Overseas growers will also place their lists. Many overseas sellers will have listings of cultivars they have registered. Part of the fun is reading all the catalogs – and perhaps even choosing to buy a few! Overseas purchases do require the addition of shipping fees.

Reprinted with permission by creator Bob Spotts, Northern California Daffodil Society

Meet Artist Linda R. Abbott

Linda R. Abbott

www.lindaabbottart.com

O-042 No Trespassing by Linda Abbott oil 18x22 $895

I have been painting for nearly 30 years---in watercolor, pastel, and oil---and consider myself primarily an oil painter at this stage.  I am a devoted plein air painter, preferring to paint out in the landscape above all else. To experience the surroundings in natural light, to observe, and to respond on canvas brings me great satisfaction. 

O-041 From-Fire-and-Ice by Linda Abbott oil 28x22x$1300

I have been a member of the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and the California Art Club.  Over the years, I have been juried into their regional and national exhibits.  I have also exhibited work in California in the Madera County “Celebrating Agriculture With Art” show, the Stockton Art League exhibit at the Haggin Museum, Yosemite Renaissance, Cal Expo Art Exhibit, and shows at the Carnegie Art Center in Turlock, CA.  I have also participated numerous times in juried paintouts in Carmel, Mendocino, and Sacramento.  All of these events/exhibits are juried, and I have received awards at most of them.

O-043 West-of-Pohono 2  by Linda Abbott oil 18x18 $1100

My husband and I lived and worked in Yosemite National Park for thirty years before moving to work in Yellowstone National Park for five years.  I currently split my time between Arnold, CA, and Merced in California's central valley. 



My work is currently shown at the Ridgeline Gallery in Mariposa and the Gallatin River Gallery in Big Sky, Montana, as well as on my website.

Meet Artist Patricia Gould

ANGEL   FIRE   DESIGNS

Patricia Gould

12620 Towner Ave NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87112    505-670-6364 patriciacgould@gmail.com    www.angelfiredesigns.com

O-035 A-Question-of-Balance_ by Patricia Gould MM 35x24 $2500

Patricia grew up in Bellport, NY and never wanted to be anything other than an artist. She was writing stories and illustrating them at 6 years old so it was natural that she majored in fine art and art history in college. 
 In 2005, Patricia was chosen to be an Artist-in-Residence for a month in Balatonfured, Hungary. In 2009, she was invited to exhibit her fiber art at the Florence Biennale. Included among the dozens of awards that Patricia has won for her fiber art, she won a Niche Award in 2008 and again in 2013. The State of New Mexico has purchased and installed 10 of Patricia’s landscapes as part of the Art in Public Places Program at various sites around New Mexico.

O-037 Moonrise-Shiprock by Patricia Gould MM 35x25 $2500

“My inspiration comes from travel in Asia, East Africa, Russia, Antarctica, and extensive travel throughout North America and Europe. I’m drawn to a few subjects in nature that I find perpetually intriguing and my voice is whispering a tribute to the incredible beauty in both the subtle and violent forces of nature, only touched by the hand of humans on rare occasions. I’m obsessively drawn to trees, rocks, all forms of water, and animals; I portray these subjects as if they were asking to me to reveal their messages to the world. 
 Although my first passion as an artist was photography, I spent over 20 years creating my visions in mixed media fiber art before deciding to concentrate my creative energy on paintings and photography. My paintings, photographs, and fiber art are dramatic portraits of Earth and I hope to draw the viewers into these scenes to share the exhilaration I feel and to cherish the wonders of the place we call home.”

Meet Artist Claudia Clow

Hi There, 

T-025 Leave her wild by Claudia Chow wc 11x15 $300

I’ve always been moved by art. For years I have been playing with Watercolor and enjoy & struggle with it’s surprises.

Strictly a novice, I’ve taken lessons from a variety of artists and

love to draw.


For many years my work was tight and controlled which has been my happy place. However when I retired three years ago I began

spending my Friday’s with a wonderful group of ladies that have

been a great support as I attempt to loosen up. It has not been

easy.

O-060 Louis by Claudia Clow wc 15x11 $1200

This is my very first competition and it was a thrill to be accepted.



Cheers,

Claudia Clow