Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Aaron Johnson

 

Aaron Johnson : Artist

 

O-072 Airstream-Dream by Aaron Johnson wc 8x10 $2300

Artist Statement I create art because I am devoted to the feeling of meticulously transforming a surface into something new. From a No.2 pencil on a grade-school desktop, to color on canvas, prepared board and fine papers, It has always been intriguing for me to watch an image emerge from nothing. When I am working on a painting or drawing, pushing and pulling layers of colors and sharping details, I am acutely focused and truly in my element.

O-073 Angus-Young-Tantrums-by Aaron Johnson wc 16x23 $4200

Biography

Aaron Johnson lives and works in Orangevale, California. He creates his artwork in various mediums including oil, acrylic, graphite, and pastel as well as digital media. Aaron studied art at Sacramento City College and California College of the Arts in San Francisco, earning an AA and BFA respectively. His subject matter is predominantly vintage popular culture including classic automobiles. Aaron’s artwork is privately collected, commissioned and has been exhibited in select galleries like Christopher Hill Art Gallery in St Helena, Edward Montgomery Fine Art in Carmel By The Sea, Fire and Rain Art Gallery in Folsom, Wonderland SF in San Francisco, Musichead in Hollywood California and more. Please feel free to contact Aaron to discuss his artwork or any possible commission opportunities be they commercial or private.

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Annie Hughes

 

O-054 Home is her Hen House by Annie Hughes acrylic 21x26 $600

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Tara Holeman

 

T-023 Misty Morning Daffodils by Tara Holeman acrylic 12x12 $150

    My name is Tara Holeman. My two passions in life are being a mother to my beautiful son, Sylas, and sharing my love for the arts!  I attended Fresno State and earned a BA in Fine Arts, with an emphasis in drawing and painting. While going to school I was fortunate to work as a commercial artist for Trader Joe’s. Studying the arts while being employed as an artist was a dream come true and an invaluable experience!  

Upon completing my undergraduate program I decided to go into art education, which I am proud to say I have been doing now for the past 16 years! I have taught all levels in K-12, however I am currently working as a high school art teacher in Fresno. It is the BEST job! 

     I love creating art in all media! Some favorites include pastel, watercolor, ink, Prismacolor pencil, just to name a few. I enjoy experimenting and exploring new styles and techniques. My students constantly inspire me to take creative risks!  Recently, I have really enjoyed working in a more loose and expressive style. Being a new mom has made time and energy a precious commodity, so it has in many ways forced me to loosen up and create in the short times that I have. Nap time is now my coveted creation time! 

 

     This painting called, Misty Morning Daffodils, is an important work in the return to my artistry and reigniting my passion for painting. My motherhood role has taught me many valuable lessons, one I have found to be especially important is to be authentic to yourself and remember to do what brings you joy!!

So, I decided that for this piece I would not plan or agonize over the intended outcome, but rather to simply paint and express the soothing serenity of one of life’s simple joys. Delicate spring daffodils in the misty morning light. A symbol of stillness and peace in an ever chaotic world. 

 

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Holly Heath

O-088 Impossible Bloom by Holly Heath acrylic 10x8 $150

 Holly Heath is a local artist living in Murphys. She is thrilled to have multiple pieces in this years showcase. “Impossible Bloom” was inspired by the day-blooming gazanias in her garden and the impossible beauty of the night sky. Never the twain shall meet. “Mountain Misery” is a spraypainted piece with a moss border, meant to capture the feeling of a day in the woods. 

 As a child Holly always loved to draw. She took classes in watercolors for several years from Martha Wallace. Since then she has been primarily self-taught with the occasional class and input from her artistic brother Jesse. Holly decided to branch out into acrylics in her 20’s.Not long after, her aunt was kind enough to give her a massive set of paints and brushes for Christmas which inspired her to further develop herself as a painter. 

O-089 Mountain Misery  by Holly Heath acrylic 17x17 $150

 

She enjoys exploring different subjects and challenging herself to make each piece unique and beautiful. Lately she has been working do develop her style and expression with acrylic paints. She also enjoys making collaborative pieces with her new husband Jeremiah Heath, several of which are featured in this years’ showcase. 

 Besides painting Holly loves to garden and spend time outdoors. She finds joy in bringing beauty and abundance from the earth. She also has a passion for the performance arts. A juggler, she has performed across the globe from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland to the local Black Bart Playhouse. Holly may also be seen in the local theater community, most recently with Murphys Creek Theatre. She also loves to play and listen to music, exploring a wide variety of styles and genres.

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artists Holly and Jeremiah Heath

 

T-007 Vera Nocturn by Holly & Jeremiah Heath acrylic 15x30 $300

Holly and Jeremiah Heath are a local artistic couple living in Murphys. They have many collaborative art projects both visual and musical. Holly has been developing her technique with acrylics over the past several years. Jeremiah has been drawing fantasy–adventure pencil and ink for approximately ten years, taking inspiration for this series from equal parts Arthur Rackham and Alberto Vargas. Together they have been developing their style and this year have branched out into collaborative acrylic work. 

O-040 Lunar Lander by Holly & Jeremiah Heath mm 12x12 $175

 Holly started doing acrylic paintings around nine years ago, drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature and from her favorite literature. 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 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.

O-041 Sittin' on Saturn by Holly & jeremiah Heath mm 23x23 $200

 Holly and Jeremiah hope that their audience enjoys the art that they seek to share.

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist George Haskell

 

George Haskell

Artist and Musician

 

O-067 The Bear just over the Mountain by George Haskell oil 8x10 $300

 George’s passion for painting started in college when he took an independent study in painting. After retiring from a forty year career in special education George returned to art.  Among his favorite topics are Yosemite, seashores, sunsets and animals.  What ever the subject is George focuses on capturing luminous, light color and mood of the subject at hand.  He has studied with Judy Cain, Susan Sarback and Heinie Hartwig. George is a member of Arts Of Bear Valley.

 

O-068 Vetrans by George Haskell oil 11x14 $475

Besides art, George is also a musician.  He sings and plays both guitar and banjo at local wineries and restaurants.

 

George lives just outside of Murphys on the top of Treasure Mountain with his wife Patricia, two cats, two corgis and two horses.

 

Meet 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Victoria Fout

 Victoria Fout

O-052 Wishing-Away-by Victoria fout acrylic 11x14 $375.

 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. 

O-053 Blossoming -by Victoria Fout mm 10x10 $275.

 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 2023 Spring Obsession Artist Evelyn Fitzgerald

 My name is Evelyn Fitzgerald. I became and artist in high school in 1972. I finished my BFA with a #D emphasis from Weber State College, Utah in 2011. Since graduating I have been developing my style and medium in clay and tile. We moved from Utah and settled in Valley Spring in 2018. I have been showing my art at local venues, Lodi Street fair, Arnold and Frog Jump in Angels Camp.

O-007 Freedom Eagle by Evelyn Fitzgerald ceramic 24x20 $700

My art is how I see and engage with places, seasons and nature, not just visually but with texture and color. I develop my designs on paper, I transfer the design to a slab of wet clay mapping out the individual pieces. I then carve to relief or build up the design to the texture that fits my project. I use mason stain for the color applying it in layers until the picture comes alive. My process includes anywhere from three to five kiln firings depending on the complexity of the piece. I finish with a gloss glaze for a deeper richer color. After the last firing, I mount and grout the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle to a tile board, and then it gets framed.

O-008 America's Beauty by Evelyn Fitzgerald ceramic 19x25 $1500

I pick the subjects for my designs from personal experiences, by subject such as school houses or seasons of the year, patriotic or nature at its best. I have been working on this technique for quite some time and I am now happy with my finished works, but I still strive to improve the controls that are required for this art form.

O-009 Alaska's Eagle by Evelyn Fitzgerald ceramic 20x16 $500

My pieces range from 10" x 15" to 18" x 24". the frames are all hand made by my husband, Dave Fitzgerald. I also do figurines, and custom orders and commissioned work.

Evelyn Fitzgerald

Evelyn.Fitzgerald.56

801-628-8876 or 209-920-3457