Meet Artist Mary Kay Wilson, 2014 Spring Obsession Theme Division Accepted Artist

Mary Kay Wilson   

Making Arrangements   w/c  17.5x13  $795

www.facebook.com/MaryKayWilsonArt
www.marykaywilsonart.com

A native Californian, Mary Kay Wilson, graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA with a BA in painting. Since graduating she has worked extensively in watercolors.  Her award winning paintings have been widely exhibited both locally and nationally. Shows including: The National Watercolor Society Annual Exhibit, Watercolor USA, Watercolor West Annual Juried Exhibition, Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, and The Watercolor Art Society of Houston. In 2002 she was selected to participate in the public art project, Community of Angels, painting one of the life-sized fiberglass angels that inhabited the streets of Los Angeles during that summer. Wilson was also a member of the mural team in Judy Chicago’s Envisioning the Future, painting a 140' x 42' mural.  Her paintings have been published in The Artist’s Source Book: 80 Watercolor Painting References. Currently Wilson’s interpretation of the San Fernando Mission can be seen traveling around Los Angeles on buses and trains, part of Metro’s through the eyes of artist poster series.

T-015   The Green Table   watercolor  20x26   $1250

 “Most of my paintings are subjects that capture my attention in the course of daily life, driving around Los Angeles or on my travels. Many of the watercolors are inspired by scenes around my home and garden, focusing on the details. Although flowers are a favorite subject, I delight in discovering beauty in less expected circumstances. The setting sun shining through a dead leaf, making it glow. Sunlight sparkling on the edge of a river illuminating brilliant colors in rocks that would otherwise just appear brown. Bright colors of plastic toys bathed in sunlight. Peeling paint on an old sign. The quality of light as part of the subject is the unifying element of my work, and the luminosity of watercolors is ideal for depicting that radiance.”

Meet Artist Mardell Schuster, 2014 Spring Obsession Theme Division Accepted Artist

Mardell Schuster  

T-010  Three of a Kind  color pencil  12x15  $900

Artist’s Biography –

T-009   Daylight  color pencil  13.5x13.5  $900

Mardell Schuster studied illustration and graphic design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in the early 1980’s.  While being a stay at home mom and raising her three sons she had the opportunity to experiment with many different mediums which included watercolor, acrylic, oil and colored pencil. In 2002 she accepted a position as the Marketing Manager for a small but quickly growing equipment maintenance management company. Mardell has found colored pencil to be a very portable and agreeable medium to work with while juggling a busy work and travel schedule. Colored pencils have greatly evolved over the last 20 years and is the only medium that involves both drawing and painting. Mardell currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and five cats. 

Meet Artist Lorna Hunt * Ironstone's Spring Obsession 17th annual THEME DIVISION Accepted Artist

T-008  Tulips  pastel  12x16  $520.

Lorna Hunt

www.lornahuntfineart.com

Though Lorna has drawn and painted for most of her life, it was not until the last fifteen years that she has been able to dedicate her time to fine art.
She enjoys the flow and spontaneity of watercolor, the rich, juicy qualities of oil paint and the immediacy of pastel.  She is inspired by the amazing beauty of the Sierra foothills to paint en Plein Air, combining her love of the outdoors with her passion for art.

Lorna feels privileged to have studied with many wonderful area artists and also to have participated in workshops given by nationally known artists.

She emigrated from Argentina to Pleasant Hill, Ca. with her parents in the early 60s, married and raised a family in Livermore, grew almonds in Ripon, and retired to Sonora where she can indulge in her artistic endeavors.

Lorna received an honorable mention for her acrylic painting, "Waiting" in the MLAA show honoring the AMGEN bicycle race.
She was awarded second place for her pastel painting, "Sunset" in the 2012 MLAA Fall Show.
"The Red Church" was selected by Senator Tom Berryhill for inclusion in the Senate's 2013-14 CA Contemporary Art Collection exhibit.


She shows her work at the Aloft Art Gallery in Sonora www.aloftartgallery.com
and is a member of the Mother Lode Art Association. www.motherlodeartassociation.org  

Concours Photos

Just found a great site with awesome photos of the 2013 Ironstone Concours d'Elegance.  Do check them out!  And, mark your calendar for Sept. 27, 2014!

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/10/09/auburn-boattail-speedster-wins-best-of-show-at-ironstone-concours/

President's Wine Weekend in Murphys! Mark your Calendar ...

Hot off the Press! ....

Press Release: Calaveras Winegrape Alliance -Presidents' Wine Weekend

February 15-16, 2014 – President’s Wine Weekend – The Calaveras Winegrape Alliance presents the 18th annual Presidents’ Wine Weekend at all 22 CWA wineries from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a great opportunity to sample the fine wines of Calaveras, celebrate with friends old and new, and take advantage of special discounts. With the purchase of a $20 commemorative wine glass, you are entitled to a free 'limited-tasting' flight at all participating member wineries, Saturday through Sunday. Full tastings will be available in each tasting room for an additional fee. Wine glasses will be available on Main Street in Murphys, on Saturday only, in front of the Native Sons Hall. Or get a glass all weekend long at locations in Calaveras County: The Calaveras Visitor’s Bureau in Angels Camp, Chatom Vineyards on Highway 4 in Douglas Flat , Frog’s Tooth Vineyards in Murphys,  Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, and Val du Vino Winery on the corner of Main Street and French Gulch Road. Wine Glass sales are cash only, no credit cards will be accepted. No reservations are required.  For more information, call 728-9467 or visit calaveraswines.org.

Deadlines approach! Call to Artists!

It is time of year again for Ironstone's 17th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show entry deadlines.  This year we are offering a complimentary Deli Lunch for the first 3 artists to submit their entries. 

Theme Division deadline is Jan. 3rd. Theme Division Winner earns $500 plus the winning image is used with artist recognition on the annual poster celebrating the newest release of Ironstone's Obsession Wine.

OPEN Division entry due Jan. 31. Winner receives $1000, 2nd place winner receives $500 and third place winner receives $250.  Open division art is any subject matter, any media except photography and digitally enhanced images. Works of art may not protrude more than 3" out from the wall. 

Go to the respective pages above for the complete prospectus and entry forms.  Should you have any questions, please feel free to email cgomez@ironstonevineyards.com with your questions. 

Last years winners:

Ironstone Vineyard’s 2013 16^th Annual

Spring Obsession Art Show

Theme Division Winner

Lorraine Lawson, “Sunny Disposition”  

Poster available in Museum & Tasting Room $10

1^st Place Open Division – Debbie Gualco, “Pompano and Circumstance”

2^nd. Place Open – Melinda Shook, “Retired 298”

3^rd. Place Open – Stephanie Benedict,  “Lighthouse Keeper’s House”

Ghost visitation!

Our visiting ghost has been a busy guy!  With many visits, the latest being this last Saturday evening. Seems our fellow dropped into the warehouse and set off the motion sensors. As the story unfolds, seems one of the cellar workers met our friendly but busy ghost early one morning just prior to the first reported visit. The claim is he is an older gentleman with Victorian style clothing, walking with a bit of a limp. It is said he tipped his hat and moved on, out of sight.  This is actually the only true sighting where as the other visits have been less sightings and more activities.  Will keep you informed as the story unfolds...

Covellite Jewelry Coming to Ironstone!

Covellite Jewelry Coming to Ironstone’s Heritage Museum @ 50% off for the Holidays! Here this coming weekend just in time for “Shop Local Saturday” & “Sunday Funday”.

 Check out the properties this mineral is supposed to contain….

“Covellite is a stone to transform your dreams into reality... by enhancing a positive outlook. It has strong metaphysical properties and by utilizing its energy correctly you can bring miracles into your life.

This stone is said to also help to open a doorway to the past and help you remember the wisdom you obtained in past lives.

It may help to trigger psychic gifts such as clairvoyance... and may help to enhance lucid dreaming, astral travel and past life recall.” And also used as a powerful healing stone.

Wow!! With properties like that, we can't afford not to have at least one piece on all the time! Can't wait till this weekend to see the pieces...  will post photos on twitter as soon as we can!