Your SLO County Art Guide for October…

I’m opening my studio along with many other artists in San Luis Obispo county. Come see my recent artwork and the source material behind those paintings. A little hint…dead branches and macarons. This 24th Annual Open Studios Art Tour is hosted by SLO County Arts Council. I am only participating on the following dates:

  • Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16

  • 10:00am to 5:00pm both days with a closing party from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday

  • Catalog Studio #4, 1921 Vine St., Paso Robles

It gets better. I was selected to be one of the twenty-one artists to participate in the “preview show” at Hotel SLO (877 Palm St.) on Friday, October 7 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm for Art After Dark. I’ll be there so please swing by and say hello.

Many people have asked about the image at the bottom of the Contact Page of my website. Initially, I wanted to paint this message on the OUTside of my garage to remind me and others every day of the impact of art. I thought better of that idea so I painted this Martin Heidegger quote inside of my studio garage door. I’m grateful for Martin Heidegger’s wise words. He argues that “art is not only a way of expressing the element of truth in a culture, but the means of creating it and providing a springboard from which "that which is" can be revealed.” Pithy words…both statements are worth re-reading again and again. See for yourself during the studio visit.

One last thing while you’re exploring art. Be sure to check out Alyssa Monks: Be Perfectly Still, A Retrospective that continues at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (1010 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo) through November 13. It’s not to be missed. Her attention to detail, light and water is truly remarkable. And be sure to walk around the corner from the museum and visit Edna Contemporary Fine Art (583 Dana Street, San Luis Obispo.)

Musings of an artist and mark your calendar...

This blog post is loaded with noteworthy artist info. Enjoy.

First, My Shameless Plug

  • I have a work of art, Untitled #2 (blue), in the upcoming group exhibition at San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA). The reception is Friday, February 4, 2022 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and I will be at the reception around 6:00pm so I hope to see you. The museum is located at 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo and the exhibit is up until March 27, 2022. My painting was created in 2019 from a lovely, peaceful summer evening in my own backyard.

  • I have five paintings, all 16” x 16”, in an upcoming group exhibition with five other artists. Fun fact: Like so many people during 2020 with the pandemic in full swing, the host of this exhibit and participating artist, Larry Stone, renovated his garage/barn into a beautiful gallery to showcase other like-minded artists. The receptions for this exhibition, Acts of Worship, are Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6, 2022 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm and I will most likely be attending both days around 2:00 pm. If you are unable to attend and would like to see the exhibition, please contact Larry at actsofworshipart@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. The gallery is located at 2021 Niderer Road, Paso Robles.

  • I have a few art workshops scheduled at Art Center Morro Bay over the next few months. Please note, a minimum of eight participants is required with a maximum of 15 participants. Sadly, we had to cancel two of the workshops previously scheduled due to the Omicron variant. Damn pesky pandemic.

Plugs for Other Artists

  • Run, don’t walk. And if you’re speeding in a car, don’t blame me if you get a ticket. There’s an exquisite, breathtaking exhibit of Hilary Brace’s charcoal drawings at Craig Krull Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. This exhibit is up until February 19, 2022. Initially, I thought I was looking at black and white photos and then I saw these magical, imaginative cloud formations. I almost cried at the beauty and with charcoal!

  • Tic, tic, tic. If you’re lucky to be in NYC, then check out the haunting, realistic paintings of Hannah Lee at Entrance, located at 48 Ludlow St., Manhattan through January 30. I was an armchair visitor by reading the article in Hyperallergic.

  • If you are uncomfortable with receptions, travel and yet need an art-fix, then enjoy this virtual tour of the Los Angeles Art Show that happened on January 19-23, 2022 at the Convention Center.

Studio Visits

I think one of the biggest joys is visiting an artist’s studio and a few days ago, I visited Eric Dubnicka’s studio. His work is raw, personal, authentic, tactile, expressive and more. He is actually working in one studio while renovating a run-down horse stable into another studio. The horse stable is amazing, complete with an old drawing of a horse by the previous owner pinned to the barn door. Eric has a super vision of keeping the integrity of the space. It’s also fun to see new art supplies laying around. I might have to try this Gaffrey texture material.