John Sawyer and Jim Wodark - A Winning Pair!

Pink Mood
Peters Canyon

John Sawyer is at it again, painting up a storm and sending us the fruits of his labors. We have three new southern California landscapes of his, including the playfully titled "Pink Mood," seen above. The warmth in his clouds bring this peaceful vista into another dimension, perfect for springtime!

Check out the rest of John Sawyer's new work on our website!

Industry
Port of Long Beach

Jim Wodark has created this titanic whopper of a painting, measuring 48 x 36 inches, excluding the 9" frame! "Industry" is one of the largest pieces Chemers Gallery has had of Jim's, and what a bold statement it makes. Jim's keen eye captures the particular grace of the Port of Long Beach in this handsome painting.

Visit our website to see more of Jim's maritime-themed paintings and his more familiar California plein air landscapes!

Call For Entries - City of Trees: Outdoor Views of the Tustin Area

Call for Entries!

The Tustin Art League
Presents

City of Trees
Outdoor Views of the Tustin Area
Juried Exhibition
Jurors: Karen Raab and Loraine Bradley
Hosted at
Chemers Gallery
17300 17th St.
Tustin, CA 92780

May 16th to May 30th, 2009
Artist's Reception May 16th, 2009 5:00-8:00pm

Seasons End
Barbara Bryant

It's time for the second annual Tustin Art League juried exhibition at Chemers Gallery! This is a great opportunity for local artists to show and sell their art, as well as make connections within the Tustin arts community. You don't have to be a memeber of the Tustin Art League to submit your artwork. The Tustin Art League is a Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts (TACFA) program that has been meeting regularly since early 2000. TAL has actively participated in many Tustin events, such as Tiller Days, Tustin Street Fair, TAL month at the Tustin Senior Center Gallery, the Art Walks and the annual Promenade Home and Garden Tour. In addition they have held "paint outs" in Orange County.

Exhibition Rules:
Entry must be an outdoor scene, with a tree, or part of a tree, from the Tustin area, created during the year since the last contest, April 2008, *framed and ready to hang (see Framing Specifications below). Artists must fill out an entry form, available at Chemers Gallery, online at www.tacfa.org/tal.html, or call 714-544-7715. Artists must state category (amateur or professional) when entering.

Framing Specifications:
Please bring your frame to Chemers Gallery for approval prior to submission of artwork. Oils, acrylics and mixed media can be unframed if the gallery wrapped edges are painted. (See examples of gallery wraped canvases below.) All other two-dimensional work must be framed and ready to hang. Simple frames are preferred. Acceptable colors are black, gold and any dark wood. (See samples below.) Mats must be an acid free neutral white (for example Bainbridge 8655). Colored filets are okay, as well as double 4 ply or single 6 or 8 ply mats. No non-glare glass. Chemers Gallery will be happy to assist in the framing of your work. Space and weight limits apply to three-dimensional work, please contact Karen Raab at Chemers Gallery.

Examples of acceptable frames in dark wood, gold and black.

Examples of gallery wrapped canvases. The left shows the painting continued onto the sides of the canvas, the right shows a plain painted edge.

Entry Fees:
Maximum of two entries per artist. Please make checks payable to TACFA.
Tustin Art League Members: $15.00
Non-Members: $25.00

Prizes:
Amateur
1st $50, or 50% of fees
2nd $30, or 30% of fees
3rd $20, or 20% of fees

Professional
1st $75, or 50% of fees
2nd $50, or 30% of fees
3rd $30, or 20% of fees

Deadlines:
*Mailed entries must be recieved by April 27th, 2009
*Deliver ready to hang artwork to Chemers Gallery between May 6th-9th, 2009, between 10am-5pm
*Judging will occur the week of May 11th, 2009
*All non-accepted works must be picked up by May 14th by 6pm
*Artist's Reception May 16th, 2009, 5-8pm
*Artworks must be picked up on June 1st, 2009, 10am-6pm

For more information, please contact Marsha Lindsey (714) 544-7715,
or Karen Raab at Chemers Gallery (714) 731-5432

Chemers Gallery
in the Enderle Center
17300 17th St, Ste. G
Tustin, CA 92780
714-731-5432
info@chemersgallery.com
www.chemersgallery.com

CLICK HERE to read about last year's "Scenes of Tustin" juried exhibition.

Dirk Hagner, Master Printmaker

Dirk Hagner's sophisticated images use all manner of print processes, from woodcut and letterpress to relief etching and chine cole. His techniques draw from both the old and the new, fusing together to create a timeless quality in his art. Dirk holds a master's degree from the Folkwang School of Fine Arts in Germany, where he studied drawing, printmaking, photography and painting. His beautiful printed works, reminiscent of German Expressionism, are of a technique not seen very often anymore. Thank you, Dirk, for choosing to exhibit your work at Chemers Gallery!

Luft
Relief Etching and Letterpress

Growing up in Germany and now living in southern California gives Dirk a unique cultural awareness that often takes shape in his work through the use of text. Luft utilizes the German word for "air" by using it to form clouds and atmospheres in within the image. Interspersed throughout the textual landscape are words in other languages for elements related to and associated with air.

Figure 1: Tempus
Etching, Woodblock and Letterpress

Dirk's series of nudes are inspired by Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, a cantata based on a medieval collection of poetry by the same name. It's full Latin name translates to "Songs of Beuern: Secular songs for singers and choruses to be sung together with instruments and magic images." Dirk has certainly provided magic images to accompany this beautiful piece of music. He includes lyrics and text from the music with his nudes, mimicking a page from a manuscript down to minute detail. His carefully chosen paper, whether antique or new, is often intrinsic in creating his chosen effect.

Infusing an Asian influence with his personal chop marks, Dirk's work is meticulous and obviously a labor of love. Every detail of these mixed media pieces are thoroughly planned and beautifully fulfilled.

Now for a twist: The piece of Dirk's that's gotten the most attention by recent gallery visitors is NOT pictured in this blog. Visit our website or come into the gallery to view the rest of Dirk's work and try and guess which it is. The first person who guesses correctly will win a $100 gift certificate, good towards Dirk's work or anything else $200 or more in the gallery! So we can't cheat, leave your answers as a comment to this post. Let the games begin!

MORE OF DIRK HAGNER'S ART

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Jewels, Jewels and More Jewels

Thank you to everyone who came to play with us and our talented jewelry designers at the Jewelry Trunk Show over the weekend! We enjoyed good food (Cathy's brownies were to die for), good friends and potent Cosmopolitans! If you missed this fun event, don't worry, all four jewelry artists left us with some gorgeous goodies just for you.

A few jewelry highlights...



Bill Gallagher has been busy creating fashionably long assemblage necklaces and pins made from mica.






Meanwhile, Michelene Berkey has been working with her twig castings to make fabulous bangle bracelets and stackable rings.








Birgitt Hellemann dazzled us with an array of fused and dichroic glass bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings in glossy candy colors.








Amy Kekst's new line combines river rocks with precious gems and metals to create stunning one-of-a-kind necklaces and earrings.

Get Ready to be Dazzled!

SAVE THE DATE!!

Jewelry Trunk Show
February 28th, 2009
12:00pm-4:00pm

Four Distinct Artists, Four Distinct Styles

Bill Gallagher
Clean, Tailored, Classic
Local artist Bill Gallagher cuts and sets his own stones in gold or silver. Exposed to the art of silversmithing from an early age, Bill makes sophisticated pieces that are finished to a gleaming polish. By hand-selecting and cutting his own gemstones, Bill is able to produce endless possibilities of pattern and color.

Southwest Bracelet
Biwa Pearls, Turquoise

Michelene Berkey
Whimsical, Sophisticated
Michelene Berkey has a degree in Metalsmithing and Jewelry from California State Long Beach. Her creativity in silver is endless. She combines semi-precious stones with patinaed metals to produce gorgeous textural designs. Pearls abound in beautiful colors and shapes to delight the wearer. Michelene will be travelling from Colorado to share her talent with us.

Bee Pendant/Pin
Padparasha Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli

Birgitt Hellemann
Fun, Funky, Flashy
Originally from Hamburg, Germany, Birgitt Hellemann will be displaying her candy-colored necklaces, bracelets and earrings. She creates her designs by fusing layers of glass in a kiln that reaches temperatures of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of Birgitt's jewelry is made with dichroic glass, which is coated in layers of metal-oxides that shimmer and change when heated. Hand cut and assembled by Birgitt, these jewels are hard to put down!

Seafoam Stripe Necklace
Fused Glass

Amy Kekst
Elegant, Timeless, Fashion-Forward
A resident of Ohio, Amy Kekst has been creating for over 30 years. She works with her sister Audrey to make beautiful adornments from gold, silver and semi-precious stones. Her line of jewelry changes from season to season so that it is always up-to-date with current fashions and colors. From items that can be worn alone to items that can be worn as well-coordinated sets, Amy's jewels are art forms in themselves.

Waterfall Earrings
Labradorite, Clear Topaz, Quartz, Onyx, Garnet, Moonstone

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The Talented Mr. John Maxon

There's no denying that John Maxon has talent! His contemporary landscapes are rich in color and expression, and are dramatic interpretations of expansive vistas. Chemers Gallery carried his work years ago, and we're only too happy to be presenting his gorgeous paintings once again.

Untitled Landscape
Mixed Media on Paper

The above untitled landscape showcases John's amazing plays of light and color within the vista. It's a beautiful rendition of a dramatic sunset, with the clouds blazing in the early evening glow. Growing up on a working farm in Wyoming, John marveled at the particular splendor of nature from an early age. He went on to attend the San Francisco Art Institute, earning his BA in painting from San Jose State University. He also holds an MFA in painting from UC Davis, and has even attended Stanford University! John now lives in the San Francisco Bay area which provides him with endless inspiration.

Yes and Known
Oil on Canvas

One of the most accomplished elements of John's work is its ability to change its focus depending on where you're standing, particularly with his larger-scale paintings on canvas. Viewed up close, each image is made from abstracted blocks and swishes of color over layers of rich underpainting. Step back from the piece, however, and the figurative elements come together to create a whole new image. John chooses his colors expertly, echoing nature without mimicking it. Yes and Known is stunning in pictures, but it's best seen in person. That's the only way you'll get to appreciate the vibrant reds, the layers of built-up paint or the textures of color. It's a completely different painting up close, and the longer you look at it, the more you see in it.

You can always see John's smaller works on paper and larger works on canvas on our website, but to get the full effect, come to see them in person!

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Vantage Points Through Steve Kell's Eyes

California landscape artist Steve Kell has led a colorful life. Exposed to art from an early age, he developed a love for painting and cartooning, which he cultivated into a successful career. He has a Universal Press syndicated comic strip that has appeared in over 70 newspapers across the country. Prior to his years as an artist, Steve was a full-time pilot with US Airways, logging well over 20,000 hours. He even knew Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who's made headlines recently as the pilot who successfully brought down the US Airways jet in the Hudson River!

Quiet Creek
Oil on board

These days, Steve creates striking scenes of southern California. As a resident of the Golden State, he certainly has a plethora of sights to inspire him! His compositions are surprising, his colors are unexpected, altogether inviting to the eye. Steve imparts a freshness within his paintings, like a cool sea breeze on a warm, humid day. In Quiet Creek, you can hear the babble of the water and smell the sun-warmed grass. I love the reflection of the trees in the water, something so rare in this water-starved region.

Surf Light
Oil on board

As a response to the economic times, Steve has begun to paint on a slightly smaller scale, which means his already affordable works are even more affordable at $450 and under. Surf Light was painted on location in Laguna Beach, and illustrates a classic southern California beach scene. Vibrant and colorful, Steve has shown us the elegant beauty of the sea cliffs and the ocean.

Steve Kell is a busy man, "but my passion for painting the landscape, lugging the gear, searching for that perfect composition, now takes up most of my time. My goal is to lay something onto the canvas that embodies the spirit of the scene, as well as its beauty. A secondary goal is to keep from dropping a finished piece in the dirt and not get a parking ticket."

To view more of Steve's work on our website, CLICK HERE.

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