Meet Artist Myra Steward, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Myra Steward
Artist's statement

"Every painting tells a story and captures a single moment of thought in time"

O-096  "Jungle Zip Line" by Myra Steward  wc  13x19  $400

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. Even if I'm not painting, I'm planning the next painting in my mind or sketching.

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 Lobenberg. 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 affect because it creates a much looser style, which has carried over to my painting on paper.

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.

Meet Artist Sharron St. John - Hill, Ironstone's Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Artist Statement

Sharron St. John-Hill

O-182  "Grapes" by Sharron St. John-Hill  watercolor  11x15  $325

Sharron has been painting since the age of 12, when her father first introduced her to oils.  Since that young age she has continued to use various mediums and studied various techniques and applications used in the art field.  Her experience includes botanical porcelain painting, ceramics, tole and decorative painting, and watercolors, plus faux and mural painting.  Her faux painting and mural experience was acquired while working for a business in Orange County.  She has completed floral design school and enjoys doing flower arrangements for parties and weddings. Since moving to the foothill area six years ago, she has learned mosaics and likes to relax by creating unique pine needle baskets. She has worked in various homes in the area creating murals which are usually floral designs.

O-183  "Sunflowers"  by Sharron St. John-Hill   acrylics  16x20  $385

Sharron and her brother, David Yelick often paint together in their art studio and enjoy doing all types of arts and crafts.

Meet Artist Henrietta Sparkman, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

O-135  "Cathedral" by Henrietta Sparkman  acrylic  18x36  $625

Henrietta Sparkman

Artist Statement

    Visual Poetry is the direction I work, in painting landscapes, catching the essence of the scene without many details, is the goal and to leave the viewer their own metaphoric interpretation. Painting en plein aire gives the composition a unique vibrance and life.  Working on location gives the viewer the sense of the moment, of place and conditions.

    Capturing scenes that change over time allows the observer and opportunity for that which changes and is not always constant and reminds us to be stewards of our land and nature that is often taken for granted.

    Figurative work with a live model has a different tempo in composting the human landscape.  To relay the sculpture of the human form and capture the personality and the elements together in a soulful expression requires one's own personal introspection and understanding of the human circumstance.

    Abstract work has given license to turn reality inside out and create introspective improvisations. To seize the essence of matter and separate fundamentals from irrelevance is what I have created in the painting and the monotype series.

    As an artist my work covers a range of media from ceramic sculpture, printmaking, watercolour, cast bronze sculpture, painting and mixed media. I enjoy working in different mediums as well as subject matter and find that one method of communicating transposes into another a visual message that becomes richer with time.  My art explores a personal timbre and through my eyes, may you discover your own perception and meaning.

www.sparkmanstudios.com

Meet Artist Michaela Smail, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Michaela Smail

SOLD  "Sheer Moonlight" by Michaela Smail  scratch board  5.5x8.5  $125

Hello, my name is Michaela Smail and I am a junior at Bret Harte High School.  I have been taking art classes since I was very young and it has always been my passion.  I'm greatly looking forward to pursuing my passion by going to art school in fall of '14. 

O-195  "Greatness" by Michaela Smail  scratch board  9x11  $400

This spring break I will be journeying to Costa Rica with fellow students from my high school on a biological research trip in order to study the Leatherback Sea Turtle.  The trip is very expensive so in order to earn the money to go I have been entering my art in multiple art shows and trying to sell it.

O-193  "Ruby Red"  by Michaela Smail  acrylic  9x12  $150

I absolutely love all varieties of arts and I hope that you are able to see my passion through my artwork!

Meet Artist Pam Purselle, Ironstone's Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Artist: Pam Purselle

SOLD   "Rusty Wheels"  by Pam Purselle  wc  15x22  $300

Pam Purselle lives in the Gold Country of California with her husband David.  The rolling hills and historic small towns of the area have been an inspiration in her art work.

Always drawing and doodling as a child, she first started painting in oils as a teenager.

Her love affair with watercolors began when she was lucky enough to study with Dorner Schuler. His use of color and water to create lovely foothill landscapes was eye-opening.

Pam continued watercolor instruction with Martha Wallace, as well known teacher and artist in Murphys.

In 2007, she began studying with Jill Figler, a nationally recognized watercolorist.

Pam's passion for all art mediums has benefited her many students over her years as an elementary teacher.

Now retired, she is immersing herself in her art and enjoying networking with other artists.

O-028  Going to the Movies by Pam Purselle  wc 11x15  $275

Meet Artist Janis Pastore-Smith, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

JANIS PASTORE-SMITH

O-080  Sunflowers and Lemons  by Janis Pastore-Smith oil  16x20  $1250

An early interest in drawing followed by watercolor classes in high school made it an easy decision to continue my love of art at the University of the Pacific. At Pacific, I studied with Professors/artists Larry Walker, Richard Reynolds and Richard Yip.  After graduation in 1968 with a degree in art I began a 25-year teaching career. Between teaching and raising a family with husband Andy, there was little time to devote to my art.  It wasn't until after retirement in 2008 that I returned to my passion, studying water color and drawing from Deanna Hunt through the Pacific's Osher Program.  I continued my studies at Pacific under the tutelage of Professor and artist Lucinda Kasser.  There I began working in oils, discovering my passion for the rich, vibrant colors and energetic brush strokes the medium allows.  y landscapes are inspired by travels through Italy and France and by many trips into the Sierra Nevada and the majestic seaside areas in and around Pacific Grove.  I continued exploring the medium, expanding into the area of still life, taking workshops with artist Peggi Kroll-Roberts. My current work continues with still life paintings and landscapes that reflect my love of the natural beauty of California.

2013, Ironstone Vineyards, Murphys, CA 16th Annual Spring Obsession Show
Nov. 2012, featured artist, Goodwin Gallery, Stockton, CA
2012, 1st. place, Woodridge Winery, Acampo, CA.
2011, 2nd place, Goodwin Gallery, Stockton, CA
2011, Mustlin Gallery Show, Modesto, CA
2011, 2nd place, Woodbridge Winery, Acampo, CA.

Meet Artist Mary Ann Newman, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Mary Ann Newman

Handweaver

O-167  Spring Woodlands by Mary Ann Newman  17x18  $350

Although my earlier careers were in Social Group Work and Stay-at-home-Mom, I became interested in art in the mid=1970's when our family lived for a year in Switzerland. While there I visited as many museums as possible and participated in an art study tour to Venice, Assisi & Florence. Returning to Mill Valley I enrolled in art classes at the College of Marin in Art History, Design, Painting and Fiber and emerged years later, a serious handweaver. I purchased my Gilmore Loom in 1979. There were additional studies in weaving in Oslo, Norway; Sievers School of Fiber Arts on Washington Island, Wisconsin; at the Mendocino Art Center and in workshops arranged by local handwearers Guilds.

In and advanced fiber class, teacher Nancy Soper introduced us to the work of Theo Moorman, and English weaver. Moorman says in her 1975 book Weaving as an Art Form that "Nowadays weaving and the processes of manipulating thread and fiber are generally accepted as an art form" and introduces the one person artist-designer-weaver approach in contrast to the past where weavers worked from a design given to them by painters. the huge old tapestries one sees hanging in museums were designed by painters and woven probably mostly by men sitting on hard benches at looms in Belguim and France.

O-166  Rushing River by Mary Ann Newman  16x16  $300

The work in this show is my own adaptation of the Theo Moorman technique which I weave on my floor loom using a heavier background warp with surface yarns held down by finer warp yarns to create the inlay image. It enables me to create pieces with the freedom of color and design. I find inspiration in nature. I have exhibited in San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma County galleries and Libraries.

Mary Ann Newman

Santa Rosa, California

Meet Artist Phil Murillo, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted Artist

Phil Murillo  - Artist Bio

O-064  Mill226  by Phil Murillo   53x38  $975

     From my childhood in Chicago, to my current everyday life in the central valley, art has played a vital role throughout my life.  As a kid drawing comic strips, to a teen replicating rock album covers and bands' logos, to my career choice in graphic design, art has always been at my core.

     I graduated from Fresno State with a degree in Advertising Design. Shortly thereafter I started a career in the commercial sign industry.  I had the opportunity to learn and hone my skills at hand lettering, logo design, large format graphics, wall murals, typography, commercial and electrical signage. Ultimately my artistic style and my art studio were developed from my work life experiences.

     Working Class Studios reflects the concept and approach  behind my artwork.  I have a technical working class approach to each painting. I do much planning and visualizing in the beginning stages of the piece. After the plan is in place, I apply many frenetic translucent layers. I follow the plan generally, but always allow for the colors to flow, overlap and interconnect.  These free flowing colors create new images, shapes and color schemes within themselves, a colorful planned chaos.

     Working Class Studios also reflects the importance to me of being environmentally conscious.  Whenever possible I use recycled sign surfaces, re-used substrates, salvaged wood and materials for my paintings and frames, turning landfill into artwork.

     Thank you for your interest. I appreciate it.

     Phil Murillo

O-065  Snow White  by Phil Murillo  21x28   $650