Pete Roberts - Watercolor Artist

Pete Roberts came to painting about ten years ago. An insurance salesman by day, he felt an affinity with the medium of watercolor and began the process of educating himself through reading and practice. Feeling self-education insufficient he began taking workshops with the masters such as artists Joe Stoddard, Eric Weingardt, Mel Stabin, and Judy Schroeder. Pete's beautiful watercolors are brand new to Chemers Gallery, and we're so excited to have them!

"Crystal Cove Colors"

Pete most enjoys painting landscapes in plein air, but he also paints floral still life when he can't get out of doors. Crystal Cove Colors was painted from a sketch he made sitting at the Shake Shack along the Pacific Coast Highway. The view is instantly recognizable to anyone who's ever enjoyed a milkshake or two on the bluff overlooking the Pacific. This painting, with its vibrant color, brings back the sounds of the surf, the feel of the hot summer sun, and the sweet taste of ice cream.

"Autumn Afternoon, Claremont"

Pete has captured a gorgeous Californian fall day in Autumn Afternoon, Claremont. Claremont has wonderfully unique houses and trees, just right for the inspiration that Pete was looking for. The composition of the painting and the fall colors complement each other wonderfully, and works together to evoke that nostalgia we all feel for a crisp and clear autumn day. Another appeal that Claremont has is a certain absence of people wandering around, which means less distractions for the artist.

Pete related that when he was just starting out in his artistic journey, he felt a little insecure about painting in the open, just as we all do when starting something new. He was painting one day in Cape May, New Jersey where a passerby saw Pete's sketches, and gave an impromptu critique, most of which was negative. Determined and undaunted, Pete simply needed practice. Ten years later, his practice has certainly paid off!

Come visit Chemers Gallery and see Pete's beautifully vibrant watercolors before all of his friends snap them up. They're perfect to bring some of spring's new color into your home!

Art from Travels by Carol Jessen

"Mekong Light"
24 x 36"

We've just received one of Carol Jessen's newest paintings, Mekong Light, and we're not sure when we'll be getting more. Hurry in to see it, we're sure it won't be here long. Out of the six pieces we received from her last month, we have none left! This beautiful piece was inspired by the light coming in through the window on a recent trip to Laos. "I was just walking by and thought, I have to paint that!" She's captured a beautiful moment in time, and we can't wait to see the rest of her work inspired by this trip.

Carol stayed in the town of Luang Prabang, a world heritage site known for its many temples. She compared it to the city of Manhattan because of its proximity to water. It's unique location between two rivers gives Luang Prabang wonderfully misty mornings, something this San Francisco native is definitely familiar with. She's got plans for a series of paintings inspired by that mist.

Carol has also started a monk series based on some of the sights she took in in Laos. Carol rose at 5:30 nearly every morning to watch the monks at the temples preforming their morning oms. She would give them rice some mornings, others she'd just observe and take photographs. We hope that some of these monk paintings make it into our upcoming exhibition of Carol's work in 2009.

For more examples of Carol's beautiful work, visit our website at www.chemersgallery.com.

More postings about Carol Jessen:
Escape to Sonoma Valley and Beyond With Carol Jessen
Evocative Paintings by Carol Jessen

Stories from Gerald Schwartz

"My reason for painting is in two parts. First, the love of the medium and second the need to tell a story about the world around me." -Gerald Schwartz

"Reflections"

Gerald Schwartz
62 x 20"
(top)

Pictured with glass art by Nina Falk

Chemers Gallery is thrilled to have received four new works by Gerald Schwartz. Photographs just don't do them justice. You really have to see these beautiful paintings in person to get the full impact of those flawless skies and minute details. Reflections is hung in our front window and just looks incredible, especially offset with glass art by Nina Falk. "Serenity" is just the word to describe the scene, especially when the sun shines in through our windows. Gerald found the original source image so compelling that he had to paint his own interpretation of it, and we're so glad he's brought it to us!

"Misty"
30 x 36"

Misty tells a story about the landscape after a storm. The painting draws you into its tranquility. It's an incredibly evokative painting - you can almost hear the birds twittering and smell the rain-soaked grass and feel the coolness of the air. It's so easy to place yourself within the painting and create your own story to go with it. As with all of Gerald's paintings, the details are just amazing, as you'll see in the close-up below.

"Misty" (detail)
30 x 36"

Gerald paints in a photo-realist fashion. Guests in the gallery are often stunned when they learn they're looking at a painting, not a photograph. His strict attention to detail is felt throughout his works. Every step he takes in the process of creating is inherently felt - from the layers of gesso he uses to the sanding of each layer, to the love with which he mixes his paints and varnishes. He's often said that the mixing is the best part of painting.

From lakeshores to roadsides, still life to cityscape, Gerald creates beautiful visual narratives on canvas. Although the sky serves as his daily muse, "the sky paintings are only one of many stories to be told."

Read More:

New Works from Oil Painter Gerald Schwartz

Bejeweled and Bedazzled

We never tire of hearing, "I feel like a kid in a candy store!" uttered by our visitors when they see our selection of art jewelry. We certainly agree - we have loads of gorgeous goodies on display, including fabulous new creations by two new designers and one that we've displayed for years.

Necklace by Jackie Jones
Citrine, tiger's eye, and carnelian

Our first new jewelry designer, Jackie Jones began designing her one-of-a-kind necklaces out of a frustration with the lack of bold jewelry on the market. She's created some incredible pieces. Fashion designer Sue Wong thinks so as well - she's chosen Jackie's jewelry collection to accompany her creations down the runway at Los Angeles Fashion Week three times! Jackie's inspiration largely comes from the semi-precious gemstones she works with and their endless possibilities of combinations. Dramatic is the word that comes to mind when describing Jackie's creations.


Earrings by Betty's Beads
Swarovski crystals,
fresh water pearls, quartz

Also new to Chemers Gallery is Betty of Betty's Beads. She has been creating her delicately feminine accessories for over ten years. She uses a combination of Swarovski crystals, fresh water pearls, quartz and other semi-precious stones in her beautiful designs. Betty incorporated her jewelry into her clothing and accessory boutiques, and soon discovered a growing demand for her pieces. She and her husband began marketing her designs to upscale southern Californian boutiques, and thus, Betty's Beads was born. She eventually closed her shops and focused solely on her jewelry creations. We are delighted to have these graceful,
well-priced designs

Necklace by Ayala Bar
Fabric, glass beads, crystal rhinestones

As many of you know, Israeli artist, Ayala Bar changes her entire collection twice a year making every piece of jewelry a limited edition. We have just received her 2008 Spring/Summer collection and it is the best ever! Unique to this year's collection is Ayala's combination of fabrics with her stunning, beaded silver designs. Each handcrafted item is highly intricate, resembling a tiny wearable mosaic. In 2005 she won the Best Collection award in Bijorcha, Paris. The above necklace is part of her new Classic Collection, Morning Dew series. Her focus for this collection are fresh summer hues and delicate refinement.

To read more about Ayala Bar, follow these links:
New Fall Line From Ayala Bar
New! Jewelry from Israel by Ayala Bar

Come into Chemers Gallery to see these
and other stunning accessories for yourself!

Mary Aslin - In the Classical Tradition

Chemers Gallery is happy to present beautiful pastel work our newest artist, Mary Aslin. Mary lives in southern California, painting still life, plein air, and figurative work. The subjects in her pastels seem lit from within, much like Mary herself!

"Sunstruck"
11 x 14"

"Sunstruck," recently received 5th Place in the Still Life category in The Pastel Journal's Annual Pastel 100 Competition, of which over 5000 pieces were received for five categories. "Sunstruck" and Mary Aslin will be presented in the April 2008 issue of The Pastel Journal! Come in to Chemers Gallery to see this gorgeous piece in person.

"Orchids and Hydrangeas"
19 x 25"

Mary's work highlights the details stunningly, from the iridescence of the hydrangea petals to the reflections in the vase. Those grapes look good enough to eat! Mary characteristically draws the attention into the foreground of each image, bathing it in light, while shadows warmly darken her backgrounds. During the editing of this post, one of our dear customers fell in love with "Orchids and Hydrangeas" and decided to give it a good home!

"Serenade"
24 x 18"

"Serenade" highlights the quiet reflection found in life's little pleasures, as in the enjoyment of music. Mary has artistically arranged her flowers around sheet music and a flute, giving the impression that the musician has just taken a break from practicing. It's an intimate portrait of a serene moment in time.

"Serenade" has personal meaning to Mary, "I used to play this flute, but there are only so many creative hours in the day. The use of my flute in the still life is an attempt to keep that musical muse in the forefront."

The joy Mary feels for her creativity is self-evident. "I tell myself to breathe deeply, be calm, and to be a channel - simply a vehicle - for the expression that will follow. And then I utter a humble prayer of thanksgiving for the privilege of this calling."

Evocative Paintings by Carol Jessen

San Francisco-based artist Carol Jessen has spent the last fifteen years developing her unique creative vision. She achieves her signature vibrant colors with a slow buildup of pigment, whether through paint on canvas or soft pastels on archival vegetable fiber paper. Carol also uses the art of Japanese woodblock printing, which she studied intensively in Japan under Toshi Yoshida, renowned Japanese woodblock artist.

We are excited to have six new works on canvas by Carol, at last! Carol's work is in such demand, we only are able to coerce her into relinquishing her babies every six months.

"Neon Rain"
20 x 20"

Works like "Neon Rain" depict a rainy evening in the city, a motif for which Carol is well-known. A delightfully surprising reaction to her rainy work is how bright and cheerful they are. The lights from the buildings and shop windows seem to dance off the puddles on the sidewalk in joyful celebration. Her rain scenes can also be moody and muted, but we never find them dank and depressing.

"Afternoon Glow, San Francisco"
24 x 36"

Another wonderful surprise from Carol Jessen is "Afternoon Glow, San Francisco". A significant contrast to her paintings of rain and umbrellas, this piece evokes the late afternoon sunlight as it glances off the buildings and the fog as it begins to roll in from the bay. Carol has captured the unique San Francisco light perfectly. We've been begging her for this new style for a year. Thank you, Carol, we love it!


Carol Jessen's work is collected and exhibited worldwide. In addition to creating her stunning cityscapes, Carol also lectures and demonstrates Japanese woodblock technique at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, the Palace of Legion of Honor in San Francisco, and at Stanford University. She exhibits regularly at Chemers Gallery. Be sure to keep an eye out for a show featuring Carol in 2009!

Check out our website at www.chemersgallery.com for more images.

More postings about Carol Jessen:
Escape to Sonoma Valley and Beyond with Carol Jessen
Art From Travels by Carol Jessen

FRAME DESIGN, Handcarved Frame

Custom Frame Designs with Hand Carved Frames

Motawi Songbird Tiles

Discerning customers, Rich & Marie, have been clients of ours for many years. Everything in their beautiful Laguna Beach, "Arts & Crafts" home is as authentic as possible, including picture frames. Our large selection of hand crafted frames is one reason they come to Chemers Gallery. Rich & Marie brought in these charming Motawi tiles to select framing that would compliment their decor. The tiles are floated on a black leather fabric recessed background. The "Arts and Crafts" style frame is hand carved and finished in a dark walnut to a rich luster. It turned out beautifully! Notice how the tiles and frame become one cohesive unit.

Close up of "Cross Corner" pattern

Original Children's Book Illustration by Winslow Pels
click to enlarge

Many of you know about our Annual Children's Book Illustration Show now in it's 16th year. This unusual art is an original children's book illustration by Winslow Pels, which was used for the cover of "Iron John" published by Morrow Junior 1999.

We have so much fun designing framing with Richard & Suzanne. Their goal is always to enhance the art and create a statement. Sometimes it's treasured art that they've owned for awhile or a painting created by their talented daughter. Sometimes it's a piece that they've chosen at Chemers Gallery like the one shown above.

They chose a hand carved "Arts and Crafts" frame finished in a light walnut with black accents. A suede mat with a subtle gold filet adds the finishing touch. The results are WOW! We'll show you some of their other outrageous designs in future posts.

close up of corner motif

Below are a few similar designs. Come into the gallery and see our great selection of "Arts & Crafts" frames.

click image for larger view

Chemers Gallery has a huge selection of unique custom frame samples in many styles, finishes and price ranges. We'll help you choose the perfect frame for your art and personal taste.