Meet Artist Susie Hoffman, Ironstone Spring Obsession accepted artist

Susie Hoffman

Copperopolis

susie@townhallarts.com

www.townhallarts.com

   

  Susie took up art after she retired from teaching sixth grade English/history 13 years ago. She started in watercolor, but has branched into drawing, oils, pastels, collage, and acrylics. She and her husband, Larry, created the art center Town Hall Arts in Copperopolis where she has enjoyed classes by many foothill artists over the last six years. From pastel classes to mosaics, she is always eager to learn something new. She also teaches art and sells many of her photographs at Town Hall Arts.

    Honors include awards at Delicato Vineyard Show (including 1st place 2015 & 2016); the Mother Lode Art Show (including 1st place 2013, 2nd 2015); Valley Arts Show (including 1st 2013, 2nd 2015); Oak Valley Art Show Best of Show Photography 2014 & 2015, People's Choice Award 2015, and six 1st place art awards 2015; Calaveras County Fair (including 8 best of division and 26 first place awards in last give years); Mother Lode Fair (2014 Best of Show, two best of divisions, five 1st places); and Oakdale Show 2013 (1st).

    Susie's oil painting, "Simple Things", was on the cover of the September KVIE "OnSix" program guide to promote the 2015 auction on public television. Her watercolor portrait of Glenn Wasson as Black Bart appears in his recently published book, "Too Much to Swallow". Her photograph, "On Your Mark", division Winner from the Calaveras County Fain, was published in Mark Twain's 88 Days in the Mother Lode & Stories of the Gold Rush.
 "Fifty Pounds of Love", a portrait of her Chocolate Lab pup, was featured in the window at Mistlin Gallery in Modesto as part of the Central California Art Showcase 2015. Two of her watercolors were published in Sierra Wonders, a book of visual and literary works honoring the Sierra Nevada. Two additional watercolors were published in Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate, a Taste of Literary Elegance. Her graphite portrait, "I Hope You Dance", appeared on the 2012 program cover of the Ironstone Spring Obsession Show. Her art has been bell ringers at the KVIE auction, 2014-2015.

    Susie's artwork is displayed at Galerie Copper, Copper Cellars, Roaster's Coffee House, and Saddle Creek resort in Copperopolis; Frog's Tooth Winery in Murphys; Manzanita Arts Emporium in Angels Camp, Calaveras Arts Council in San Andreas; various venues in Sonora including Stage 3, Sierra Cellars in Twain Harte, the Mistlin Gallery in Modesto, and the Rabbask Gallery in Loveland, Colorado. She is currently Venue Director for the Mother Lode Art Association.

Meet Artist Gregory Gallardo, Ironstone 19th Annual Spring Obsession winning Artist

Congratulations to Gregory Gallardo,  3rd. prize winner, Open Division, "Some Distant Dawn".

O-079  Some Distant Dawn  collage 48x17.5  $1450

Gregory Gallardo
Artist

Gregory Gallardo was born in Santa Ana, California in 1962. As a teenager, he was mentored by artist Don White and found early success exhibiting his figurative drawings and paintings. Upon receiving a scholarship to attend art school, Gregory did what any rational 17 year old would do; he left home, left school and traveled the world as a musician for the following 10 years.

O-078  Costas Hummingbird  collage  12x12  $325 

Returning home from his travels, Gregory settled into a less nomadic lifestyle, attending several local Southern California Colleges and University's, but had little patience for organized art instruction and found that networking with other successful artists to be a more satisfying learning experience. Gregory soon left the confines of the classroom to produce commissioned art work and the occasional gallery exhibit. He reemerged on the art scene full - time in early 2001 blending his love for music and the visual arts to create his own unique views on humanity and spirituality.  Most recently Gregory has explored abstract and figurative themes using Acrylic Paint, Collage and Mixed Media.

Since his return in 2001 Gregory's work has been exhibited extensively throughout California and found its way into several permanent collections and museums on an international scale.

O-077 Rooster Dance  collage  12x12  $325

Gregory Gallardo
Web: www.gregorygallardo.com
Social Media: www.facebook.com/GregoryGallardoArt/

Baby Reserve Chardonnay is on it's way!

Took a walk along the driveway to see the first buds of the Reserve Chardonnay coming in.

With a warm day and gentle breezes, you would think it already summer!



Lots of guests today enjoying the Daffodils and Tulips in the barrels. They are so full of color it is almost overwhelming.

Sensory overload ... bring your camera or palette! There are not only daffodils & tulips, but from what I can count, at least 6 additional varietals in those barrels. Once a year full color display. Come by and visit before the spring color is gone. Worth the trip to Ironstone. While your here, stop in and say hello!

Meet Artist "Alex" Furtney, Ironstone Spring Obsession Art ShowO-107

Deanna Furtney "Alex", currently lives in Copperopolis.

O-107  Bob  acrylic  16x20  $400

Born and raised in California, studied art with Alma Steinger.

Furthering her career, Alex was a fine arts major in the USC School of fine Arts.  While at USC, she studied oils, life drawings with Hans Gebhardt. Alex received many awards including the Zellerbock award for excellence.

After College, while keeping up with her painting; she continued to study art. Eventually, she taught art classes in nearby high schools.

Upon moving to Northern California, she was exposed to many artists. Her style developed into bold landscapes as well as doing portraits. She was a founding member of The Center of Creativity and Community, in San Andreas where she taught classes and did design work for landscaping.  She continues to show her work at Gallery 23 in San Andreas. Next spring, she can be seen t Treasure Island Art Show in San Francisco. She does accept commissions.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me!

Deanna "Alex"

Meet Artist Libby Fife, Ironstone Spring Obsession accepted artist

Libby Fife – Fine Art

Email: libbyfife@ymail.com

Website: www.libbyfife.com

O-029  Precarious  acrylic  $235

Bio:

Libby Fife earned her B.A. degree in Psychology from Cal State University, Hayward and worked for 17 years in the banking industry. A layoff in 2007 prompted her to reevaluate her path and to have another look at being creative. Traditional quilting worked well for a while and then frustration set in when she had difficulty finding just the right color of fabrics. This led to painting on the fabrics to get the desired results. That process led to painting on canvas and just about the steepest learning curve anyone has ever experienced!  An ongoing effort to learn about design and composition, art history and the language of creativity, and sales and marketing has led Libby to her current level of work. She has sold her work  both in and out of the county where she lives and has exhibited her painting in local shows. Additionally, Libby has taught classes in sketching and color use to beginning/intermediate painters.

Artist Statement:

Simple renditions of complex things: this is how I think of what I love to do as an artist. Much of what I paint reflects my current interests of those things that I see every day. Along with color, I use geometric and organically derived shapes and lines to represent my ideas, interests and feelings. The resulting images are all based somehow on my observations or thoughts. Whether it’s spending time at museum, driving around my area, or going on a walk, the constant input provides the basis for my creative output. Reading and writing helps me to clarify my thoughts. Sketching helps me to come up with representative images. The resulting pieces, I hope, can be enjoyed on many levels: as colorful paintings utilizing lines and geometry; as pieces that somehow resonate with the viewer’s own ideas; or as something that represents what I think and what I get to share with the viewer. Whatever the outcome, the work satisfies me and at the end of the day it is what makes me happiest.

Style is always difficult to pin down. Knowing a little bit about art history and individual artists can be helpful. At this point, I am firmly in the camp of modern abstract art made during the first half of the twentieth century. I owe a huge debt to many artists long gone: Henri Matisse, Stuart Davis, Fernand Leger and Wassily Kandinsky are all favorites.  Many current day artists have also helped me along by showing what is still possible, most notably Shirley Jaffe and Etel Adnan.  It isn’t hard to draw inspiration from people who have paved the way for me. Advice from a few professional artists, the practice of self-reflection, and actively working in the studio nearly every day all help to support the ongoing process of making art.

Meet Artist Carol David, Ironstone 2016 Spring Obsession accepted artist

O-030  A Secret Place  pastel  18x15  $400

Carol David

Carol David is a California impressionist whose work is manifested solely, and splendidly, in pastels.

her love of art and nature began while she was still a child tagging after her father, a UC Davis entomology professor who documented his work in pen and ink. her father recognized her potential as she entered high school and encouraged her to do what many wanting to be commercial artists did at the time; take a correspondence course.

Carol's love of art only grew and correspondence courses led to being her high school newspapers art editor and then graduation from San Jose State University with a BA in Commercial Art and Art Education, to which she added a teaching credential and certification in Special Education.

Carol added a beautiful family into the mix and art quickly had to fall a bit lower on the priority list, but Carol's passion remained and she has found her way back to a full schedule of working her craft. Carol finds great inspiration in workshops and connecting with other artists and some of her most compelling work has resulted from that.

O-031  Tulip Parade  pastel  18x18  $450

Over the past years, it became clear that pastels were her medium of choice. Carol's work has since been seen in exhibits across California and she has received significant recognition and awards for her work. Her most recent award was at the Tahoe show "Truckee Exposed" where she received first prize for her "Lupines" piece. She was also honored by the Stanislaus Arts Council with their 2010 Excellence in Arts Award for Visual Arts.

Carol's work is also commissioned on a regular basis. Subjects range from sentimental college football scenes to sweeping landscapes to people enjoying a sunny day to equine beauties.

Carol believes pastels are her tools to interpret, expose and share a beautiful world. And most days, that's just what you'll find her doing.

email:carolart37@aol.com

VICKIE CHEW ART

O-004  Mosquito Lake  oil  30x40  $1600

                 WWW.VICKIECHEW.COM

Vickie has lived all of her adult life in Calaveras County in the mid northern Sierra's and Foothills. She has a BA in Business Administration and has been studying art for the last nineteen years. Vickie is a juried member of OPA, Oil Painters of America, CAC, California Art Club, Calaveras Arts Council and Arts of Bear Valley. She has won many awards in professional art shows and she works continuously to broaden her painting knowledge by attending master workshops and seeking inspiration from her favorite mentors. She additionally has pursued art course work through local colleges.

O-007  Big Trees Stroll  oil  8x6  $1215

 Vickie’s oil paintings shown here at Ironstone were completed with brush and palette knife, in studio and Plein Air. She accepts commissioned work in studio and murals, contact her today at 209-743-4126

Meet Artist Alyssa Casey, Ironstone Spring Obsession Accepted artist

Alyssa Casey                        www.alyssacasey.com

O-036  Sunday Afternoon  mix media  30x40  

Bio:

     Having majored in Fine Art and Biology and minored in Geography at UC Berkeley, Alyssa Casey is passionate about drawing, papermaking, teaching, science, and travel.  Through studies with papermaking masters Victoria Rabal in apellades, Spain, Roberto Mannino in Rome, Italy, Professor Kamori in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Paul Wong of Dieu Donne Papermill in New York, she has gained experience with many papermaking techniques and fabers, including abaca, cotton, eucalyptus, hemp, linen, sisal, pine, sugar cane, and recycled paper.  These experiences are synthesized into site-specific works, collages, drawings, sculptures, and localized papermaking workshops using, for example, garden hosta in Massachusetts and cornhusks in central California.

O-034  Wind  mix media  20x27  

close up of Wind

     Among other international and national venues, Casey's work has been shown in Works of Art on Paper at the Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, new Jersey, curated by Carter Foster of the Whitney Museum Department of Drawings, and in Furthermore - The 8th Biennial Exhibition at A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, curated by Lilly Wei.  Awards include two first place honors for drawing from the Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival, Newport News, Virginia, 2005 and 2007, an honorable mention for the handmade paper sculpture, Llibre (Book), from the 7th Biennial - Artwork on Paper, in Sant Pere De Riudebittles, Spain, 2012, and a grant from the U Embassy, Department of Cultural Affairs, in Lisbon to complete the drawing project, California - Alentejo, shown at Escrita na Paisagem, Festival of Performance Art in Evora, Portugal, 2007.  Her work is currently on view at Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs in Long Island City, New York, as part of the show, Devotion/Destruction: Craft Inheritance, curated by Rebecca Pristoop.

O-033  Fall  mix media  38x25  

     In 2012, Casey completed a residency at the Museu Moli Paperer de Capellades, a living museum of papermaking in Capellades, Spain and, in 2014/15, participated in three residencies in Fjellerup, Denmark, through the social practice project, Fjellerup i Bund & Grund, by Anna Lise Jensen, where she completed three large-scale works, Fjellerup Strand og Tang, Strandkroen Palimpsest, and Vandmolekyle.
Commissions include illustrating the children's book Nothando's Journey by Jill Manly and, in 2015, receiving a public art commission with collaborator Rosella Morales, through the 42 degrees art agency for the large-scale installation, Bay Colors, at 901 Market St. in San Francisco, as well as a commission from the City of Brentwood to paint two utility boxes, Balfour Packing Shed and Liberty Basketball.

Detail of Fall

Casey lives and works in the San Francisco bay area and is part of the Bay Area Based art collective, "sub-set" with Hope Amico, Elizabeth Boyne, and Rebecca Redman.