Thursday, March 17, 2022

Meet Artist Ann Nall

 

T-002 In the Wind by Ann Nall wc 11x14 $250


Ann Nall

 1212 Shell Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

 web: annnall.com 

email: nall8900@comcast.net



Statement 

I have been a watercolor artist for many years. I love deciding what to paint, where to place my brush and color, and watching the water take my idea in a completely different direction. Yes, my skill lets me have the water and color remain in my chosen place, but transience and imperfection lead to magic. Watercolor is about magic. 

Biography 

Ann started painting in 1985 to escape the pressure of work. Her first lesson was in the basement of a community center in Virginia, just outside Washington DC. Her teacher taught her how to hold a brush, mix colors, and put what she saw onto paper. Watercolor landscapes and still life slowly evolved into a love of painting animals and finally hundreds of detailed, realistic pet portraits. 

She has experimented with acrylics, applying paint directly from the tube onto canvas. She is also an enthusiast for decoupaged glass. While she has created some dramatic pieces of which she is proud, she always returns to paper and water.

Her work is currently on display at the Carmel Valley Art Association and Avant Garden, both in Carmel Valley, California. 

 Past Juried Shows and Awards Include: 

Ironstone Winery, Murphys, CA (1st place winner of Themed competition) 

Pacific Grove Public Library, CA (one of 12 for their 105th anniversary, national competition) 

San Luis Obispo Art Museum, CA (Art of Fine Craftsmanship) 

Northern California Arts Association, Sacramento, CA (Award of Excellence) Fusion Art Gallery, Palm Springs, CA (juried in 5 different competitions & honorable mention) 

Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA (Awarded Honorable Mention) Carmel, CA (Carmel By the Sea Holiday Banner, one of 20 winners) 

Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, AL (benefit auction) 

WGBH Boston, MA (auctioned poster design) 

Artists Group of Charlestown, Charlestown, MA (founding member)

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Meet Collaborating Artists, Holly Johnston and Jeremiah Heath

    

T-018 dolce_primavera by Holly-Jeremiah Johnston-Heath mm 30x15 $500


        Holly Johnston and Jeremiah Heath are a local artistic couple living in Murphys. They have done many collaborative art projects both visual and musical. Holly has been painting since she was a child and taking watercolor classes with Martha Wallace. Her work a local nursery helped to inspire this series. Jeremiah has been drawing fantasy–adventure pencil and ink for approximately ten years, taking inspiration for this latest series from equal parts Arthur Rackham and Alberto Vargas. Together they have been developing their mixed-media style, Jeremiah drawing the figure with pencil and ink on paper and Holly painting the scenery with acrylic on canvas. Their first series is sci-fi inspired and nearly complete, their second series centers around fantasy flower fairies. “Dolce Primavera” is their second piece in this series. This is their first public presentation of their collaborative art. 

  


   Holly started doing acrylic paintings around eight years ago, drawing inspiration from the great outdoors. In her art she seeks to capture the awe that she feels in experiencing the pinnacles of natural beauty. Besides painting, Holly also has a passion for the performance arts. She has been in a number of local plays, juggling shows and is excited about she and Jeremiah’s budding musical project “BlackGrass” in which she plays mandolin.

    Jeremiah started drawing approximately ten years ago as an escape from the performing arts, in order to develop something for himself. He slowly realized that visual mediums are also a performing art if you keep showing them to people. The first art book he bought was “How to Draw Dragons”, from there he started drawing Manga inspired by the Greek myths. He is inspired in his art by craggy mountain ranges and lonely landscapes. In this latest series, he is trying to bring out a bit of whimsy in defiance of a merciless world. He also has a diverse artistic background in music and drama, he plays guitar in their musical duo. 

     Holly and Jeremiah hope that their audience enjoys the playful and lighthearted aspect that they seek to share.

Meet Artist Stephanie Rose Long

 Stephanie Rose Long 707-694-0367 

O-120 scotts_horse by Stephanie Long pastel 18x24 $1850

 Stephanie grew up in Florida and Vermont riding, drawing, and loving horses. She started art classes at age 8 and horses were always her favorite subject. Graduating from the University of Hawaii in 1982 with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Design and Photography, and from there moved to San Francisco to freelance. Her love of horses kept calling her back and in 1992 she moved to Nevada where she met her husband, performance horse trainer Gary Long. Since then, her life has revolved around horses and art. Helping train cutting and cow horses, has been a major inspiration for her. 

O-117 zack_by Stephanie Long pastel 14x20 $1100

 A bold use of color and shallow depth of field is reminiscent of Stephanie’s work in design and photography. While working mainly in soft pastel, her lifelong love of horses and daily interaction are evident in the intimate details she portrays in her paintings. She enjoys making a bold statement of a subtle point, bringing attention to the littlest things which evoke the essence and energy of the subject matter. 

 Now living in Tuolumne, CA. Stephanie continues to make western art, enjoys pet portraiture and also paints her original designs on leather purses, and makes one-of-a kind beaded jewelry. She has won numerous awards and is a Signature Member of Pastel Society of the West Coast, Associate member of the Pastel Society of America. 

O-118 downtown_tuolumne by Stephanie Long pastel 20x16 $950
JUDGES MERIT AWARD

Currently showing work at Aloft Gallery in Sonora and Art on Main in Murphys, CA 

To see more of her work go to www.wildrosewesternart.com or www.facebook.com/stephanieroselong at Wild Rose Western Art 

COMMISSIONS ARE GLADLY ACCEPTED

Meet Artist Twyla Olsen

 Twyla Olsen – Artist Biography

T-019 Daffodil joy by Twyla Olsen acr 30x20 $700

Artist, Twyla Olsen is inspired by the beauty of nature and seeks the intersection of spirituality, color, and artistic expression. Olsen paints landscapes, abstracts, and nature scenes from this source. She believes her creativity and artistic expression thrives on frequent exploration and travels to New Mexico, Arizona, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and beyond to source inspiration in nature.


Currently, Twyla is a member of Art on Main in Murphy’s, CA. She was a member of Studio B for five years 2009 - 2014, located in downtown Sonora. She shared the space with five other working artists who exhibit art in this historic building and airy gallery space. 

T-020 Spring in the Gold Country by Twyla Olsen acr 20x20 $600


 Twyla has shown in regional galleries in Healdsburg, Jamestown, Modesto, and Merced. Her work has been shown at Ventana Gallery on Washington St. in downtown Sonora for over 3 years. Her work has been exhibited in Arizona State University Gallery in Phoenix, Arizona and was a member of the artist co-op in Mesa, Arizona from 2014 to 2016. 


 When attending classes at Scottsdale Art School in Arizona she was fortunate to work with national and internationally known instructors. She has studied with local artists in the Mother Lode area. Twyla enjoys working with collage and multiple medias to create whimsical pieces and a variation from only painting. 


 Twyla says, “I follow the advice of the late Danny Kaye ~ 

 “Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can on it!” 

Contact Info: (209) 617-6899

Twylaolsen@gmail.com 

P.O. Box 2091 

 Columbia, CA 95310