Meet Artist Robyn Leimer

 

O-097 canna_lilies by Robyn Leimer oil 12x10 $550
Judges Merit Award

Robyn Lyee Leimer

Artist Bio                           

 

Robyn Lyee was born at Hill Air Force base outside of Ogden Utah. She spent many summer vacations with her grandparents at their home in Ogden. She has many precious memories of time spent with her grandparents on their front porch, looking out at the mountains in the distance, enjoying the beauty and splendor of nature. Robyn has always been enthralled by nature. Nature’s delicate perfect lines and symmetry of shapes, as well as the bold bright variations of colors continually capture her eye.

 

O-096 rocky_shoreline by Robyn Leimer oil 16x20 $1200

After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from San Jose State University she is pursuing her passion on a daily basis. She is continually promoting plein air in her community and in her life’s pursuits. She was instrumental in creating and organizing plein air paint out events with the Fremont Art Association as well as organizing a weekly plein air group called East Bay Outdoor Painters (EBOP) which gets together to paint/sketch on Wednesday mornings.

O-098 marsh_life by Robyn Leimer oil 11x14 $575

Robyn is also a member of the California Art Club and Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters, Pleasanton Art League, actively participating in the various exhibits, artist painting events and painting retreats that the clubs sponsors.

 

O-099 river_fun by Robyn Leimer oil 9x12 $475

 Robyn enjoys the spontaneity of plein air painting. Starting out with nothing; being able to absorb it all from sight to sound. Capturing the essence from temperature, atmosphere and feelings evoked around her while finding the truth in nature that is constantly changing. Robyn says, “Plein air painting is a pursuit that continues to challenge me and I love it. It is JUST PLEIN FUN!”

Meet Artist Victoria Fout

 Victoria Fout 

 

T-021 Among the Daffodils by Victoria Fout acr 16x20 $500

Life can be very hard, so I try to add a splash of color and whimsy by imagining my own fantastical worlds and beings, exploring the duality between fantasy and reality, light and darkness, life and death, expressing emotion, and reimagining nature. I create fantastical creatures and surreal landscapes using acrylic on canvas as my main choice of medium. I love a colorful palette, and creating different textures. I love to manipulate the paint by using acrylic mediums such as clear tar gel, glass bead medium and molding paste to push the boundaries adding 3-dimensional elements to elevate the painting experience to bring my fantastical worlds even more to life. 

 I grew up in Angels Camp, California. I found my love for art at Columbia Community college during the most difficult time in my personal life. Art became a life-raft; I found comfort, escape, therapy, and a creative outlet. Art allows me to express myself. I am a local artist with a fresh and unique colorful perspective. I earned my BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2016. My artwork has been shown at the Calaveras County Arts Council, Ironstone Vineyards, Crafty Chicks Road Show, Manzanita Arts Emporium, The Calaveras Celtic Heritage Celebration, All Hallows Fantasy Faire, Stocktoncon and at the Calaveras County Fair. I also serve as a Board member for the Calaveras Arts Council. 

 Lost within my own darkness I find the colors of expression and joy when I paint, adding fantasy to reality. My art is an invitation into my world, welcome.

Meet Artist Ron Miranda

O-023 oscars_view by Ron Miranda oil 18x24 $1800

RON MIRANDA

714-323-5990

www.artofronmiranda.com 

artbyronmiranda@gmail.co

 

Ron was born in the island of Guam, an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. His parents are of Chamorro and Filipino descent. Ron currently resides in Southern California where he studied art at the California State University, Long Beach, earning a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts degree graduating with honors. 

O-021 made_in_china by Ron Miranda oil 18x29 $2100

Ron began working as a graphic artist receiving state and national awards and accolades for his work. As a graphic artist, it had set him up on his lifelong journey to find his own unique style and language, to create amazing paintings pulsating with the light and energy that emanates from his heart and soul. Now his focus is as a full-time fine art painter to grow and discovery new visual boundaries. 

 Most of Ron’s inspirations and influences are from fond memories of Guam; romanticizing visions and memories of the rich tropical vegetation, fauna and some of the amazing color, textures and patterns that channel their way into his paintings. Heightened color is paramount in Ron’s paintings with exaggerated hues to push boundaries and strike a chord with the viewers. 

O-022 go_fetch by Ron Miranda oil 24x18 $1800

Many of Ron’s works range from realism to abstract. The concepts for his abstract works run deep from his island culture and music. Ron finds incentive for his representational pieces from a collection of images via his personal digital library that he photographed throughout his life. 

Very well versed in computer graphics design programs, Ron applies his computer skills to conjure up his painting compositions. He works mainly with oils and sometimes uses acrylic, charcoal, color pencil, gouache and pencil. 

Ron hopes his paintings resonate with a broad spectrum of people, engaging the viewer in present time with a modern beauty created through his imagination and life experiences.

And the judging begins!

 

Incoming!

Open Division paintings arriving! Show opens this Saturday, March 5. Artists will be here painting and offering more of their works for sale. Come on by, 11:00 am opens.

Meet Artist Michelle Thornburg

 

Michelle Thornburg-Artist's Statement

My style of creating artwork is painting from the subconscious. There are no carefully planned sketches, no grids, it is just me and my paint with no expectations of anything but painting. I use my hands to apply the paint directly onto my canvas, no rules, just whatever feels right. The key for me is to let go of the conscious world

around me, and just paint, allowing my hands to take the lead. Eventually the painting reveals itself. It’s like daydreaming on a canvas.

 

O-083 Summer Moon by Michelle Thornburg acr 36x36 $850

Artist's Biography

Michelle Thornburg is a California Artist and Art Teacher living and working in the Central Valley. She creates dream like paintings from her subconscious using the Surrealist technique of automatism, or automatic painting. Her technique of using mainly her hands to apply acrylic or oil paints to the canvas allow her to connect with her artwork. Her paintings are created by applying paints onto the canvas in various colors, patterns, and movements. Her paintings are often reworked and go through many changes before they are completed. These expressive paintings are full of fanciful images and colorful landscapes.

O-086 Butterfly Kisses by Michelle Thornburg acr 30x40 $850

Meet Artist Steve Correll

 

O-047 spring_awakening by Steven Correll acr 12x12 $75

 Artist’s Statement Steven F. Correll

February 2022

 

When I was six years old I told my parents that I wanted to be an artist. I am not sure I knew what that meant, but knew that I enjoyed drawing pictures, painting and making things. Fortunately for me, I had amazing parents who encouraged and nurtured my artistic endeavors all my life growing up, through college and into adulthood. Without them and their support, I would not be writing this. Because of them, for the past fifty plus years I have been drawing pictures, painting and making things.

 

Meet Artist Kim Vagt

 

Kim Vagt Artist: 

Kim Vagt lives in our wonderous Sierra Nevada Foothills!

Recently retired in 2020 from a career in healthcare, Kim lives in the countryside near Mokelumne Hill in our pristine Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California where she has her art studio.

Kim gains inspiration from the wonder of local landscapes and florals, abstract art compositions, and her true love for color.

O-100 morning_light_on_rogue_by Kim Vagt wc 11x14 $195

She enjoys various mediums and techniques using Acrylic, Watercolor, Alcohol Ink, Oil Pastels, and Encaustic Wax. Every painting elicits pure creative energy for her with a desire to create a unique emotional connection for the viewer. “One piece leads me into the next and brings an exhilarating sense of joy, wonder, and learning”.  

Her recent judged art pieces showcased at:

·        Crocker Art Museum, Wonderous Wax Exhibit 2020

·        Sacramento Fine Arts Center 54^th National Motherlode Art Exhibit 2020

·        The Gallery 48 at Natomas, Movement, Mastery and Medium Sierra Wax Artists Exhibit, 2021

·        Ironstone Vineyard, 24^th Spring Obsession Art Competition, 2021

·        Calaveras Art Council Gallery, A Few of My Favorite Things, Exhibit, 2021

·        Propeller Art Gallery, Layers of Meaning International Encaustic Exhibit, October 2021

Check out Kim’s website: https://www.kimvagt.com/

Meet Artist Stephanie Johnson

O-114 Roses and Peonies by Stephanie Johnson oil 8x10 $650

Biography:

  The artwork of Stephanie K. Johnson invites viewers to experience the glow and mystery of the old masters. 
A native of Washington, Stephanie was surrounded by majestic landscapes that helped cultivate her initial desires to create. Stephanie’s parents made a special effort to expose her to quality art instruction. Many local artists were an integral part of her education.
  People started collecting Stephanie’s work when she was very young. She sold her first original painting at the Redmond Saturday Market at the tender age of eleven. At twelve she entered her first gallery; Artisans on Taylor in Port Townsend, WA; and by fourteen she had incorporated her own business.   
In her early teen years, she went on a trip to Italy with a group led by one of her teachers, Teresa Saia. It was an adventure that became one of her main artistic influences. She was deeply moved by the classical art in the museums, the richness of the culture and the landscapes she encountered. Stephanie returned to the states forever changed and is still inspired by the beautiful Italian scenery.
Stephanie originally worked in watercolor; her inspiration to transition to oils came from her first visit to a Hudson River School exhibition at the Tacoma Art Museum. When viewing the painting: ‘Vale at St Thomas, Jamaica’ by Frederic Church, she saw a kindred spirit, and said to her family ‘This is the kind of art that I want to create’”. She carried that determination into art school.
   Stephanie studied with a Master Artist in a four-year intensive program at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. In the Classical Atelier, she learned the time-tested techniques from the masters, passed down from the likes of Bougereu, David and Francois Boucher. There she also fell in love with the art of still life painting. At the time of her graduation in 2013, she was the youngest artist to complete the program.   In recent years, she has worked to combine all of the painting methods she has learned to develop her own technique as well as a blended palette of old and modern colors. Stephanie is dedicated to continuing the development of her artistic skills and making a life-long study of light and color. Stephanie is currently a full-time artist and works from her home studio in North Idaho, where she is living with her husband, David Schmieder.

Artist Statement:

“It is my goal to create paintings that celebrate the beauty displayed in our natural world. Whether it is a view of a rushing river, treasured shells from the ocean or freshly picked garden sunflowers, everything pays tribute to the wonder of nature. Early in my career, I had the amazing opportunity to study with world renowned landscape artist, Teresa Saia. She taught me how to see all the various colors in nature and to amplify them in my work. In landscapes I desire to bring ‘epic’ scenery, in the tradition of the Hudson River Artists, back into a contemporary environment. I seek to capture the feeling of air, intensity of light, poetry of the trees and the sensation of distance. When creating a landscape painting, I often combine the resources gathered on location, sketches, color studies and photographs and then compile them into an ideal composition in my studio. For my still life work I wish to combine the techniques of the Dutch Masters with today’s modern colors. The textures of Rembrandt and Vermeer’s use of light truly inspire me. In every piece, I choose to work directly from life. When I look at a conch shell, for example, I have an overwhelming desire to put onto canvas how the natural light glistens on the smooth surfaces and how the rippling textures that make the shell so unique.”

 

Stephanie K. Johnson
(206)949-1125
ArtistStephanieKJohnson@Gmail.com
www.StephanieKJohnson.com

Meet Artist Lynn Thorne

T-027 Breath of Spring by Lynn Thorne wc 14x17 $200

 

Lynn Thorne meditates through the art she creates. Whether she is painting on canvas or sketching on paper, she loses herself in the process of crafting her one-of-a-kind works. Her award-winning art has graced the walls of galleries from coast to coast. Lynn lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her four-legged assistants, Gypsy Rose and Vader, and her artist ally, Michael.

Lynn Thorne 

Author, Who Am I If You're Not You?

www.WhoAmIthebook.com

https://www.facebook.com/HeartThreadsDocs/videos/2122645451144250/

www.lynnthorne.com

301-542-6443

Twitter @whatlynnsaid

Facebook @AuthorLynnThorne

Blog www.thatswhatlynnsaid.com

https://www.facebook.com/WhoAmITheBook/

Meet Artist Nancy Palmie

 

Nancy Palmie, Artist

A few years ago, Nancy Palmie retired as a corporate technical writer.  Through patient instruction and guidance from a talented local artist, she started painting watercolors.  In no time, she discovered how satisfying and fulfilling it is to create something beautiful in its expression.  Something unique to herself.  Art.

Primarily, Nancy creates paintings one can hang on the wall, using mixed media on hot- and cold-pressed watercolor paper.  (For pure enjoyment and instant gratification, however, she also paints kindness rocks and dabbles in fluid alcohol ink with heat on gesso boards).  Friends and family hide things they don’t want painted, because nothing is off-limits!

O-054 belle_fleur by Nancy Palmie wc 11x14 $200

Nancy’s love of green, rolling hills and hard-working farmers began in her home state of Wisconsin, where she was born and raised.  Spending the better part of her adult life in Colorado gave her a pure and deep appreciation for the awe-inspiring, spectacular beauty of the mountains and lakes, the cerulean sky and titanium-white clouds, the diverse wildlife, and of course the ever-changing weather that changes from sunny cadmium yellow to angry slate gray in the blink of an eye. 

Now a resident of Sonora, California, Nancy’s colorful paintings pay homage to her homeland, and continue to capture the recent road trips that she and her husband have taken through the United States and beyond.  Through the lens of her new-found passion, Nancy’s style reflects picturesque landscapes, flowers, birds, nature, weather, and light.  Of one thing she is certain:  In this vast and beautiful world, Nancy will never run out of things to paint.

Meet Artist Lucinda Johnson

 

Lucinda Johnson                        https://lucindajohnson.com

Lucinda is an award-winning, California-native artist (born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area). Art has always been at the center of Lucinda’s life. “As a child I enjoyed drawing from nature to become familiar with graceful lines, form and space. I am also very conscious of composition, shapes, lighting, and values from my photography education” she says. Through self-taught studies and workshops with professional artists in a wide array of mediums, art has always been a way for me to share California’s unique personality and vistas. Lucinda began experimenting with oils in 2020 and shared “I approach an oil painting with a similar thought process to painting with soft pastels.” When painting a landscape on canvas she first primes the canvas with warm undertones. Additional layers are next added dark-to-light. Using a palette knife she first mixes the correct values on the palette, and then proceeds to paint/blend colors on the canvas (wet-on-wet) or layer/glaze with brushes.

O-145 light_conversation  by Lucinda Johnson oil 4x8 $350

 “The inspiration for this painting was a dramatic, late afternoon skyscape with far-spreading light rays softly illuminating the vernal pools of the San Joaquin valley.  It was not yet sunset, yet soft pinks, oranges and purples were visible on the dark clouds. I was awestruck.”

“

O-144 Clear Day at Shasta by Lucinda Johnson oil 4x8 $350.

The inspiration for this painting was a wintery Mt. Shasta vista from a country roadside west of highway 5. The trees were bare, the snow had melted from the pine branches, the air was brisk, and many shades of blue were visible in the frozen creek and distant mountain shadows where the sky colors were reflected.”

Meet Artist Lisa Escoto

 

Lisa (Manion) Escoto Art

 

O-126  Angels Gate by Lisa Escoto oil 16x20 $499

"Reflections"

The image enters the mind through the eyes,

then travels from the mind to the heart, where it transcends into the art you create,

leaving reflections to fill the hearts and minds of others who follow...

-LRME

 

Bio: In my travels, I have been moved by vivid images that I have encountered, whether it be children at play, the vast waters of the oceans, an embrace between parent and child. I take these images and create vivid glimpses into the many facets of life. Many of my paintings have focused on children, from happy times to pensive moments to altered realities due to trauma. My goal is to create paintings that are highly emotive, taking the observer's reactions inward as they explore their own response to the subjects portrayed.

Commissions accepted

manionlisa32@gmail.com

1+270-599-2860

Meet Artist Sandra Campbell

 

O-009 variegated  by Sandra Campbell mm 11x14 $240

SANDRA CAMPBELL

 

I love color and experimentation.  My subjects include landscapes, florals, still life and animals.  Initially, I worked only with soft pastels but since have branched out into collage, sometimes utilizing watercolor, ink or acrylic to create mixed media pieces.  This year, all the pieces entered into the Spring Obsession Open Division are in this category. 

 

Mixed media pieces utilize watercolor paper, matboard, canvasses, or wooden boards.  Many of my collage pieces are fabricated from rice or similar-type papers, which come in a variety of textures. Some of these are hand painted to achieve just the right color combinations.  Other pieces utilize papers out of discarded picture books or atlases.

 

O-007 Kennedy Mine headframe_by Sandra Campbell collage 17x14 $310

Landscapes are created both from my own photographs and by working plein air with fellow artists in a group that meets twice monthly for critique and support.  Many of the finished products are featured at an annual art show sponsored by the Amador County Artists Association (ACAA). I also participate in the ACAA program Art in Public Places, through which member artists show their work in local businesses.     

 

O-006 polish_chicken by Sandra Campbell collage 14x12 $240

Currently, I am teaching a beginning class in collage for adults through the Amador County Arts Council.  Membership in the ACAA and the Arts Council provides collegial support as does my informal art group.  My work is on display at the Sutter Creek Gallery at 40 Main Street, Sutter Creek.  View additional images on my website at www.sandracampbellart.com and the gallery’s website, www.suttercreekgallery.com.    

 

 

Meet Artist Donna Wayman-Maurer

Donna Wayman-Maurer is an enthusiastic and energetic self-taught artist. Her paintings are always on the move. They ebb and flow with elegance, freedom, confidence and sensuality. Your eyes move through her paintings wanting to see more. Donna has the ability to paint almost anything from elegant portraits, animals, still life, landscapes, cars, hood ornaments and musicians and singers. When she is inspired by someone or something she has to paint it.  

O-016 Gone in 60 Seconds by Donna Wayman-Maurer oil 24x36 $3000

 Donna was born in Flint, Michigan and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donna finally settled in Central California. Wanting to paint out of the box paintings that feel good and that take your breath away with color that vibrates with every brush stroke. Donna’s paintings have won many awards and recognitions. Her works have been reproduced as posters, movie posters, signed and numbered prints, giclees, t-shirts and murals.  Donna’s work is very versatile and she never limits herself. The world is a beautiful place and she wants to see and paint as much of it as she can. Painting has always been my therapy. I was a very shy child and my art was my only way to communicate. It was the only thing that made me feel special. That’s why I think art is so important for children. It gives them self confidence and a way to express themselves. As a mother of three I know how art has helped my children. Art is an essential part of our lives. Art recorded our history before there was a written language. Art is a part of every culture. It’s what makes us all unique. That is why we need to teach art in schools and at home and to encourage our children’s creativity. Teach a child to love art and you will teach a child to really see and love the world.

Donna Wayman-Maurer

O-015 Life of Carlos by Donna Wayman-Maurer oil 30x40 $5000

Meet Artist Joyce Loney

 

Joyce Loney

is a Minnesota-based painter.

 

T-030 Night Bloom by Joyce Loney acr 10x8 $95

Working mainly in acrylics, she draws inspiration from an artistic mother, and memories and impressions of her life and experiences.

 

She creates works with a distinctive, and often whimsical, viewpoint on nature and her surroundings.

 

Meet Artist Gregory Gallardo

 

O-010 roosterandhen by Gregory Gallardo collage 14x14 $525

Gregory Gallardo

www.gregorygallardo.com

www.facebook.com/GregoryGallardoArt

 

Gregory Gallardo was born in Santa Ana, California in 1962. As a teenager, he was mentored by artist Don White and found early success exhibiting his figurative drawings and paintings. Gregory attended several local California Colleges and Universities but had little patience for organized art instruction and found that networking with other successful artists to be a more satisfying learning experience. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Gregory toured and recorded as a professional musician, all while continuing to produce commissioned artwork and the occasional gallery exhibit. He reemerged on the art scene full-time in early 2001 blending his love for nature, music and dance performance to create his own unique views on humanity and spirituality. In the pre-pandemic world of late 2019 a retrospective of Gregory’s work featuring 40 select works was exhibited at the acclaimed Soka University Founders Gallery in Aliso Viejo California. The highly regarded exhibit highlighted 20 years of Gregory’s oil, acrylic and collage works. Gregory’s art creations have been exhibited extensively throughout California and found their way into several permanent collections on an international scale.

 

O-012_black_chinned_hummingbird by Gregory Gallardo collage 12x12 $375

Through the use of seductive rich colors and an exquisite sense of balance between planes, Gregory’s work spans between figuration and abstraction. Forever “the student” always reaching and seemingly never standing still, Gregory’s comfort zone is constant change - moving through different mediums and styles with perceived ease. Of particular interest are his collage pieces comprised completely of torn/cut magazine paper. Regardless of medium or technique his work always feels personal rather than public. Fundamentally a West Coast artist, heavily influenced by his California environment, he has the ability to create a kind of humanized abstraction, either through the direct use of the human figure or through the delicacy and personal expressivity of the touch of his brush. His unique point of view on collage creates vivid figurative images with an uncanny painterly quality. His works elegantly reconcile his perception of the natural environment and the human condition.

 

O-011_whitecrownsparrow by Gregory Gallardo collage 12x12 $375

Exhibits & Media:

 

Soka Univeristy Solo Exhibit Retrospective

The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA), Santa Ana California

The National AIDS Museum, Syracuse New York

The Riverside Unified School District, Riverside California

Brea Art Gallery, Brea California

TAG Gallery, Santa Monica California

Linus Galleries, Long Beach and Pasadena California

Laguna Beach City Hall

Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine California

The University of California, Irvine California

Orange Coast Magazine – The art of awareness

 

Gregory donates 40% of his internet and private earnings from art to local charities as a means of thanking the community he loves.