Meet Artist Karen Dukes, Spring Obsession Theme Division Artist

Karen Dukes, Artist / Painter

T-007 Centerpiece  acrylic 24x12  $425

Native Northern Californian, Karen Dukes’ musings derive from her passion for her personal garden.  Through nature and its inspirations, Karen creates with a whimsical style using bold color and texture to illustrate the magnificent dragonflies, butterflies, vineyards and tropical scenes.  Her style invokes many smiles from art collectors, novice art enthusiasts as well as children entering her Sacramento Studio.

Her use of bold colors has been praised as “happy, intriguing, and vibrant.”  She believes art should be an uplifting experience and a celebration of life.  In addition to being highly praised and juried into prestigious exhibits, Karen’s works have been readily collected with some collectors owning up to 5 pieces within their collections.

While studying with California painter, Steve Memering, Karen perfected her use of light and transparency as seen in with her dragonfly wings and water elements.  Currently, Karen’s pieces have evolved into a more pop theme and may be seen in many contemporary exhibits and galleries throughout the Sacramento Region.  As an artist, she has participated in Art in Public Places on murals, SN&R newsstands and cancer awareness projects.        

"Creating movement through color"

“My selection of subject matter is inspired by distinctive shapes and colors in nature.  I love to paint all the brilliance and beauty found in nature and establishing in my paintings a sense of movement.  An awareness of abstract design along with bright and bold colors is a part of this process.” - Karen Dukes

She started painting in 2006 and soon realized her talent to be more than just a hobby.  Currently, Karen’s studio is within the Metropolitan area of Midtown, Sacramento and opened in 2008.  

Meet Artist Jan Alcalde, Spring Obsession Theme Division Artist

Jan Alcalde

T-018  Oaky Bouquet   wc  12x16  $500

After completing college in 1972, I moved to Murphys from the Bay Area to begin my career in teaching. I had taken an art class in high school, which I thoroughly enjoyed. While at San Jose State, I took a semester of photography, which I enjoyed even more. Always having been a dabbler, I began dabbling in photography. With encouragement from many friends, I participated in several local photography shows in the 80's and 90's (ah, the good ol' days of cellulose acetate and emulsion!)  I even managed to sell several images. With the transition from film to digital, I find that I take lots of images, but I haven't really done anything with them.  I'm now learning how to print them all over again.  There is so much that can be done with digital "tweaking". I find that I'm more of a traditional "purist", and I only mildly manipulate the digital files, in the fashion of film, enlarger, paper and chemicals.  It seems like "cheating" to alter them drastically. As I learn more about the digital darkroom, perhaps I'll feel more included to use a heavier hand.

Upon my retirement from education, I decided to dabble in watercolor. I began taking Gereon Rios's Columbia College class about eight years ago. The supportive group spurred my interest all the more.  About five years ago I began taking watercolor classes with Martha Wallace.  I find that my "style" seems to be quite realistic.  It's ironic, because what I love about watercolor is its relaxed freshness and its capacity to "suggest" images to the eye with just a few swift strokes of the brush. I yearn to work "loosely", but tend to paint with precise detail ... must be a genetic trait inherited from my machinist father. I have enjoyed working from my current and archived photographic images. I love southwest and find myself wanting to translate my many New Mexico photo images to watercolor.

The challenges of watercolor intrigue me. Once the pigment is applied, there is not much going back! One must learn to "think backwards" working from lights to darks and revealing forms as much by painting around them as by painting them directly. The temperament and behavior of water on paper must be studied in order to achieve a particular effect.  It is a truly fluid and mercurial medium, in event sense of the word. Especially for a dabbler.

Meet Artist Susan King, Spring Obsession Theme Division accepted Artist

Susan King

T-012  Weaving into Spring  wc 20x28 $350

     Susan King is a 30 year resident of the Murphys and Arnold areas. Now retired from full-time teaching, she has realized exciting new time to focus on her exploration of the visual arts. The wonder of the natural world, which surrounds the Sierra foothills and beyond, is her inspiration.
     Susan uses a variety of mediums and techniques to create unique emotional connections within her work. Watercolor, pastels, rice paper and printer's inks are some of the essential components of many of her pieces. "Every painting is a continual learning experience for me, considering the interaction of composition, design and color and materials. The process can be most humbling and exhilarating."

     She is a member of Arts of Bear Valley and shows her pieces at their various shows. She also displays work at Art on Main and The Magnolia Cafe. Susan has been awarded Ironstone Vineyard's annual theme division winner of the Obsession Art Show for two years, resulting in their vineyard poster each year.

Community outreach of the Arts to the children of the Highway 4 communities has included art classes presented by her for the students of Hazel Fischer and Michelson Elementary Schools. Susan has orchestrated an annual Art in Action event that enlists a range of artists from the area to create an opportunity for student exposure and enrichment.

Additional artwork can be seen on the following website:

www.artsofbearvalley.org

Meet Artist Katerina Rutherford (Pindakova), Spring Obsession Theme Division accepted Artist

Katerina Rutherford (Pindakova)

www.katerinarutherford.com

T-020  First Wild Daffodils  gouache  10x8  $250

1973 born in Valasske Klobouky, Czech Republic

1992-98 University of Technology, School of Fine Arts, Brno, Czech Republic (art professors included Radoslav Kutra, Jiri Naceradsky and Miroslav Stolfa)

1996 Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design, Prague, Czech Rep., Studio of Illustration & Graphics

1997 Winchester School of Fine Arts, England

1997 Moved to Prague

1999 Became founding member of the Czech painting group "Experiment 2"

2000 Experiment 2 overtakes the leadership of the "School of Seeing" in Sazava, Czech Rep. (founded by Radoslav Kutra)

2009 Moved to to quintessential Southern California beach community of Belmont Shore in Long Beach

2012 Moved to the historic Mother Lode town of Angels Camp, located in Calaveras County

T-021  Daffodils Stars  gouache  14x10  $250

Individual Exhibitions
2005 "Between Heaven & Earth" Kunstseminar Gallery, Luzern, Switzerland
2002 "Heaven & Hell" Gallerry zum Blauen Pfau, Vienna, Austria

Group Exhibitions
2013 "Freedom to Paint", Freedom kafe, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
2013 Tone of Colors, Smell, Taste, Shape and Shine, Gallery U Kumstatu, Prague
2013 Annual "Spring Obsession" at Ironstone Vineyards, Murphys, CA
2012 Annual "Spring Obsession" at Ironstone Vineyards, Murphys, CA
2011 Exhibition for music festival with the themem "Night", Kunstseminar Gallery, Luzern, Switzerland
2008 Experiment 2, Mala Kralovopolska Gallery, Brno, Czech Rep.
2007 Experiment 2, Kunstseminar Gallery, Luzern, Switzerland
2007 Exhibition for music festival with the theme "Origins" Kunstseminar Gallery, Luzern, Switzerland
2003 "Seeing Time", Gebaude des Finanzdepartements and Paulusheim, Luzern, Switzerland

Meet Artist Myra Steward, Spring Obsession Theme Division accepted Artist

Myra Steward

Artist's Statement
"Every painting tells a story and captures a single moment or thought in time"

T-011 Golden Day wc 18x24 $450

Art is an essential part of my everyday life. I try to incorporate it into every aspect. I had dreamed of painting since I was a little girl. After reading the book, The Artist's Way, I finally gave myself permission to try painting. It's a passion with me now!

I am a signature member of NCA, Northern California Artists. Which means that I have been accepted into juried art shows throughout California.  I have also contributed a minimum of 18 volunteer hours per year. I also serve on the NCA board as the courtesy chair.

I have studied with several teachers including :Cassidy Aikman, Jim Estey, Phillis Eyman, Beverly Fields and Anne Bradley.  I've also attended workshops with Father William Breault and David Lodenberg.  I belong to two paint groups that meet every week.

The mediums and subject matter I use are varied. I sometimes work in watercolor, but also enjoy working with collage and mixed media. Recently I've begun experimenting with watercolor on canvas.  I love the effect it creates. I enjoy painting a variety of subject matters, but, especially like to paint exotic birds and animals. I always paint with a limited palette of just one blue, one yellow and one red, keeping me challenged to create as many shades of color as possible.