Meet Artist Carol Quinn, Spring Obsession Open Division Artist

O-018  Meditation In Green by Carol Quinn oil 24x30 $550

CAROL QUINN FINE ART

www.carolquinnfineart.com

cquinnart@gmail.com

About the Artist

Born in 1950, Carol Quinn, a long-time Northern California resident, currently lives and paints in the foothill town of Folsom, California. She specializes in capturing the surrounding natural landscape using oils. Viewing Carol’s art often evokes a strong personal connection for many people, drawing them in with the comforting feeling of familiar scenery or a favorite travel get away.

Since moving to California in 1965, Carol has focused almost exclusively on rendering the endless variety of landscapes and seascapes found there. She is consistently drawn to the strong, golden light that transforms everything it touches. Carol remarks that she particularly loves the late afternoon and early evening light when a scene is bathed in a golden or rosy peach glow, this is the magic hour. Her oil paintings are distinguished by the glow of an inner light which makes them come alive.

While primarily self taught, Carol has worked with Anita Wolff, Kathleen Dunphy and Mike Bagondonas. Carol states that each of these artists has provided the insights, challenges and tools to help her take her painting skills to the next level. Painting is a lifetime commitment, one that I am fortunate to do.

In recent years, Carol has focused on painting the Sierra, Yosemite and Lake Tahoe regions. These areas with their majestic land forms, vibrant color, as well as the varied faces of Lake Tahoe, provide limitless opportunities for new interpretations in oils. She is also drawn to the magnificent, gnarled oak trees set against golden hillsides in the summer or the lush green of winter and spring. Carol feels they are one of the iconic symbols of California.

My goal is to capture the feeling of a particular place and connect emotionally with the viewer to provide a beautiful respite from a busy world, she states. Art collectors have remarked on how looking at one of Carol’s paintings takes them back to a place they visited and renews treasured memories of time spent there.

Galleries-Petra Vineyard Tasting Room and Sutter Street Gallery, 627 Sutter St. Folsom, Ca.

Selected Exhibits and Events

August 2012-Three paintings purchased by Marshall Hospital, Placerville, Ca.

June-2012-Folsom Art Association Membership Show-Bank of America Gallery, Folsom Lake College

June- 2012-Barbera Festival-Plymouth, Ca.

June- 2012 Spring Studio Tour, Folsom, Ca.

January 2012-“3 x 3” Show-El Dorado Arts Council Gallery-Placerville,Ca.

August 2011-45^th Annual Mother Lode Show-Placerville, Ca.

June 2011-Barbera Festival-Plymouth, Ca.

www.carolquinnfineart.com   cquinnart@gmail.com

Meet Artist Randy Klassen, OPEN Division accepted Artist

Meet Artist Randy Klassen.  Randy is our first OPEN Division Artist featured here on our blog.  Stay tuned for more...

O-040 Time to Retire by Randy Klassen  watercolor  26x35  $1100

Randy Klassen      Biography

Randy has been interested in art since he was a very young child.  His dad was a recognized artist in Canada and took Randy with him on many sketching trips.  Randy learned early how to use watercolors.  Since then he  has committed to using the highest quality of paint and paper in his work.

His earlist vocation was that of a minister with art being a constant avocation.

However, in 1981, he and his wife Joyce, also an artist,   took a ‘sabatical’ from ministry to concentrate full time on art.  They participated in many art and wine shows and other exhibits, mostly in California.  In 1984 they were selected as part of a month long cultural exchange to China where their work was exhibited in the Gallery of Guanghou Art Institute.

Various awards and honors came to Randy throughout the years of his career in art.  One award was having his depiction of the area of Palm Springs being made into a poster which was distributed throughout the city and beyond.

First place awards also came from the city of San Francisco and the Society of Western Artists.  One of Randy’s most popular paintings entitled, “To Such Belongs the Kingdom of God” has been published in several magazines, displayed on television and used as a cover for a National Advent Calendar.  It was also reproduced into an edition of lithographs, all of which are now sold.

Giving visual expression to the beauty of creation and the wonders of humanity have always fascinated Randy.  He is grateful to have two of his recent paintings on exhibit in the Ironstone Spring Obsession Show.

O-037  Almost Ready  by Randy Klassen  watercolor  21x25  $750

Meet Artist Jerry De Garza, Ironstone Spring Obsession Theme Division Artist

jerry de garza

from las vegas nv. to ione ca

jerry de garza has been painting for 30 years, studied at berkley moved to las vegas doing shows and gallerys. then moved back to ione ca. and doing shows and gallerys

T-026  Boots by Jerry De Garza  oil  21x16  $500

to contact de garza

(209) 763- 2601

Meet Artist Gregory Gallardo, Ironstone's Spring Obsession OPEN Division accepted artist

O-047  Between Shadow And Soul  by Gregory E. Gallardo  collage  24x24 $1200

Gregory Gallardo

Artist Statement:

"I am an art school dropout"... Upon receiving a scholarship to attend art school, I did what any rational 17-years-old would do; I left home, left school and traveled the world as a musician. Music more than art encompassed my life for the following 10 years. Ironically, this journey influenced my visual arts in ways that no formal art education could have. One vital lesson I learned as a musician was that the space between the musical notes was just as important as the notes themselves. Visually this concept can be applied to the use of negative space by the strategic application of both color and texture to evoke a sense of motion, rhythm and tempo. In my most recent works my collage techniques emphasize this illusion. Sharp tears reveal white edges which add Rhythm. The magazine paper imagery is glued in patterns, moving the eye around the piece. Figure and background flow in balance. While on the surface this technique may appear academic, the underlying message mirrors my personal views on life and death; a seamless harmonious coexistence.

My journey for creating "art" is a selfish act. The process becomes all encompassing, with the outcome of a work of art often becoming inconsequential to the path that lead me to the final conclusion, i.e. "The point of the journey is not to arrive." When working with collage, Ideas unfold without any predetermined direction. Letting the magazine paper speak to me, a page is turned and textures, patterns and color are randomly discovered, altering the theme as each torn piece is glued into place. Building works in this manner becomes a spiritual experience; living in the moment and allowing chance to guide the eventual outcome. The organic imagery taken from the torn magazine paper which comprise my works speak of my link to nature. Found upon closer inspection a torn photograph of a purple sunset becomes the blush of a cheek, a birds nest and the needles of a cactus form hair. My hope is that this method of re-interpretation will give the viewer cause to reconsider their ideas of our own origin.

*40% of the proceeds on direct sales of Gregory’s art goes to local charities.

Gregory Gallardo

Email: gallardoart@me.com

Web: www.gregorygallardo.com

Meet Artist Ruth Burney, Spring Obsession OPEN Division accepted artist

O-108  School Privy Douglas Flat by Ruth Burney  oil  20x16  $450

C. Ruth Burney

BIOGRAPHY

Ruth Burney is a native Californian born in St. Helena.  Her family moved to Napa in her early years.  At age seven they moved to an eighteen section cattle ranch in New Mexico.  Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, France and Washington were home in the years that followed.  She returned to California

in 1964.

 Formal training in fine art began at Colorado Womans College in Denver and continues today.  Her recent trip to Sedona Arizona included painting with plein aire artist, Joshua Been.  "His presentation on perspective was the clearest and simplist that I have ever known" She credits, Kathleen Dunphy  with introducing her to the plein aire artist's limited palette.  "This was a big leap in my artistic growth . Using only the three primary colors, plus and extra yellow and white, to render all that the eye can perceive is magic. It also allows, or more accurately forces,keener observation."  Another prominent artist, Timothy J Clark was very influential.  "My studies with, Tim have taken me to Italy, Spain, Hawaii and California (Yosemite).  We worked in plein aire using watercolors.  What a joy."

Ruth has occupied both sides of the art scene having had an art gallery in Mariposa, California and Jackson, Wyoming.." Time spent in the gallery was an art education in itself.  Surrounded by incredible pieces or work each day and listening to the artists discuss their work..what a gift. Being part of placing a

fine piece of art into a collector's appreciative hand was frosting on the cake."

My goal as an artist is to translate what I see and feel at that moment.  To share the result with others in the hope that  they will appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day.

Ruth Burney's art is in both private and corporate collections across the country.

O-111  Canyon Fall  by Ruth Burney  oil  10x8  $350

Meet Artist Melinda Shook, Spring Obsession Theme Division artist

T-002  Dutch Treat by Melinda Shook  watercolor  30x24  $990

Melinda J. Shook
Artist Statement

Born and raised in Southern California, Melinda received her B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles. A year later she earned a K-8 General Teaching Credential. Her teaching career spanned thirty-six years, retiring in 2002. Art was always an integral part of her curriculum.

In 2005 Melinda renewed her interest in watercolor and began her painting career. Nature has always been deeply appreciated and a source of inspiration. With a love of photography, capturing images is an important and useful tool she employs in the painting process.

Melinda is a member of Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County (WASCO) and was juried into the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Aqua Areas Exhibition in Santa Rosa.  Her painting, "Kyan," was awarded an honorable mention in '07. In '09 she received the People's Choice Award for her painting Pine Flat.  In 2010 her painting, Dutch Treat, was awarded the Glad Baker Memorial Association (CWA), Watercolor West (WW) and National Watercolor Society (NWS). In '07 and '08 she was accepted into the international transparent WW exhibitions.  In '07 and '09 she was an exhibitor in the national CWA showings. In the summer of '09 her image, San Zavier del Bac, was selected by the NEW jury to be three matted painting to apply for signature status. On October 10th she was presented at the Exhibition Awards Luncheon as a new signature member, a milestone in her career.  Being accepted into the 2010 CWA 41st national Exhibition, her third, made her eligible to apply for signature status.  On 5 May the CWA Board approved her application for signature membership.

Melinda is continually refining her skills through workshops, classes and employing new techniques in her painting. Several award winning artists have influenced her: Marge Gray, Judy Greenberg, Phyllis Rapp, Barbara Nechis, Joyce Faulknor, Tom Lynch, Jane Hofstetter, John Salminen, and Mike Bailey.

2011 thus far has been a truly rewarding year. I have been juried in to the NWS Member Show, the CWA 42nd National Exhibition, and the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition, in its 38th year, presented by Foothills Art Center in Golden, Colorado. I was the top poster contest winner for the WASCO Aqua Areas upcoming show in Santa Rosa.

My painting, Crested Butte, was selected for the 2012 Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition from Sept. 14 - Oct. 28 at the Foothills Art Center in Golden, CO.

I was also accepted in the NWS 92nd Annual Exhibition Sept. 29 to Dec. 2 in San Pedro, CA. The juror of awards, Barbara Nechis, chose my painting, Artist's Row Mission Inn, for the 2013 Traveling Exhibition. It will be traveling in the U.S. for 12 months.

My landscape of Cathedral Rock, Sedona received an award in our annual Santa Rosa Aqua Areas Exhibition in Sept.

T-001  Cheaper by the Dozen  by Melinda Shook  watercolor  30x24  $990

Meet Artist Andrea Morris, Spring Obsession Theme Division Artist

andrea morris   
artist

Andrea Morris was born in Karlsrhue Germany and spent much of her younger years in Montana and Arizona.  She was exposed to art from an early age as her Mother was an artist and taught painting classes in their home.

She developed a love of wildlife and people and spent much of her time drawing and using pen and ink to capture her subject.  It was not until the 1970's that she started to explore working with color in watercolor.  Working in a local watercolor gallery in Tucson, Arizona she learned a about building up her paintings through layers of transparent color.

She experimented in working in oils and immediately fell in love with the medium and has worked almost exclusively in this medium since,  although she does paint in Acrylics and watercolors at times.

Her main focus of subject still remains wildlife and people and she has been working towards representing her subjects in a colorful and expressive style.

Being self taught she has learned most about her art by painting, experimenting and studying other works of art.  She has made a living of painting murals in many homes in the northern California area and has worked with the Wall Dogs painting large murals in city downtown businesses.

She presently resides in Lodi, California and teaches classes in her small studio.  She continues to paint and show her work in the surrounding areas art venues.

You can view a gallery of her art at www.andreamorrisart.com

Meet Artist Oranne Lee, Ironstone's Spring Obsession Theme Division artist

Oranne Lee

Oranne Lee Eichorn resides in Shingle Springs, CA, where she moved when retiring from teaching in Santa Barbara for 25 years. As a teacher, she brought the curriculum alive for her students by integrating art into every subject from social studies to science to math.  Oranne studied art with instructors at UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in watercolor, pastels, and oil.  Since her move, she has enjoyed a number of workshops with local artists, including The School of Light and Color, Randall Tillery, and  Anita Wolff, with emphasis on still life and landscape in oils. 

Fascinated her whole life with mountain scenery, especially Yosemite, she is thrilled to discover so many local landscapes just waiting to be painted, from the American River to snowy Icehouse trails. While her husband fishes, she paints.  Her entry in the Mother Lode Show reflects the scenery she found kayaking at our local Wright’s Lake. 

Oranne is an active award-winning participant and board member of the Placerville Art Association.  Her work has also been accepted into the Motherlode Show, a juried Western Region competition, and the Ironstone Vineyard Tulip Festival Show in Murphys.  She currently shows her work at the Gold Country Artists’ Gallery in Placerville.

orannelee@aol.com