SHOW DATES:  SEPTEMBER 1 TO SEPTEMBER 29 OPENING RECEPTION, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH FEATURED ARTISTS: HOPE MYERS AND LINDA BENCH “COLORFUL NATURE” Artist Statement: by Hope Myers Hope Myers is an award-winning artist who paints watercolors and makes one-of-a-kind  jewelry in her “An Artist’s Garden” studio in Los Osos, California. She began to work with art forms as a child and continued her interests through a B.A. degree in Wisconsin with a minor in Art History.  Her primary medium is transparent watercolor but she also is proficient in other media such as acrylic and oil. Using vibrant colors in sometimes unusual combinations; in clean and at times simple settings, she emphasizes her love for the beauty of living things and outdoor scenes that can brighten our lives. by Linda Bench I like to draw inspiring natural scenes: coastal panoramas, oak covered hillsides, flowers and wildlife. While I’ve always enjoyed drawing and art, I learned to draw well while studying Landscape Architecture in college.  In 1998, I began focusing my artistic efforts on colored pencil drawing, and have slowly built up my portfolio.  Each picture takes about 20 to 25 hours to complete, depending on the complexity of the background.  I start […]

SHOW DATES:  AUGUST 1 TO AUGUST 29 OPENING RECEPTION, FRIDAY AUGUST 8TH FEATURED ARTIST: BETH SARGENT “Sharing Nature’s Story” Beth has a love for nature’s beauty and mystery. The vision that she sees when she looks through the lens of her camera is a world of wonder. She shares that wonder of nature with everyone through her photography.  She says that the Central Coast of California has beauty like no other. It is rich with wildlife and beautiful views. Though Beth’s photography takes her to many wonderful places, the Central Coast of California is her home and she feels blessed to live here. Beth says, “I love to photograph the natural world and grand vistas to capture a stunning moment in time – one that will elicit a strong emotion in your heart.  I know that you are drawn to photography for a reason ñ because you believe (as I do) that photography is powerful.” Beth’s interest in photography started in the 1970’s while in college. In time, her interest grew into a passion that really shines through her award winning photography of today. Her work is shown worldwide. Her passion is photographing nature for all to enjoy.

FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH DeLONG “California Inspired Watercolors” Sarah DeLong is a signature member of the Iowa Watercolor Society and has won a 1st, 3rd and two 5th place ribbons in their Annual Jury Show. She has exhibited in many shows in Minnesota and Iowa, including the Heritage Gallery in Des Moines. In 2010 the National Transparent Watercolor Society accepted her “Oaxaca Basket Weaver” painting into their annual jury show. “I moved to Morro Bay at the end of 2011 from Grinnell Iowa. I have worked in watercolors for over 27 years and I am in my element painting outside near a rushing stream or sitting on a dock in a harbor. I’m mainly a landscape painter but have painted people, animals and flowers. Watercolor has allowed me to have a loose realistic interpretation of a subject. I love the transparent and glowing colors one can create with watercolor when they are mixed on paper.” …by Sarah DeLong   Special Featured Artist: SARAH DeLONG Type of Art: WATERCOLOR Show Title: “California Inspired Watercolors” Exhibition Dates: JULY 1 through JULY 29, 2014 Opening Reception: FRIDAY, JULY 11th, from 5pm to 8pm Where: GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE, 601 EMBARCADERO, SUITE 10, MORRO BAY, […]

FEATURED ARTIST: ALICE CAHILL “Light Journeys” “In my photography I strive to see with the eyes of my heart, to find the  essence of my photographic subjects. With a sense of wonder I explore Nature’s wild places, her textures and designs. My images convey a deep spiritual connection with Nature. I believe the Natural world is a healing force and a refuge from the chaos of daily life. When we are quiet and listen, we can find peace and discover our own inner voice of wisdom. I have been honored to receive numerous awards for my photography. Most recently I was the Grand Prize winner of Audubon Magazine’s 2012 contest and my photo of a Northern Red-shafted Flicker was published on the cover of the January/February  issue of the magazine in 2013. I won a trip to PERU as part of my award. My journey to South America opened my eyes to a vast new land filled with fascinating people and animals. I had the privilege of visiting Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon jungle on this trip. I am a member of the North American Nature Photography Association and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. My photography […]

WATERCOLOR Title: “In the Moment” Ardella Swanberg has been painting on the Central Coast for 16 years.  She visited the San Luis Obispo area for many years before that.  After growing up in Garden Grove, CA and attending the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, she has lived in many states and visited countries throughout the world. Ardella loves to paint outside.  The advantages of painting on site are that you notice things you don’t when you use photographs.  For instance, all the television antennas in old towns in Italy, the people walking their dogs in France and the cats with short tails in Malaysia.  Ardella has many watercolor sketchbooks that she filled with small paintings and stories about the places she has seen. Still, one of her favorite tools is the camera.  She takes a thousand photographs a year.  Ardella often paints from photos when she can’t go outside. About ten years ago she took photos of a young horse that was kicking up his heels because he was so glad to be out of the barn.  It took all those years to figure out how to express the energy, power and excitement of that horse. Leaving out everything, […]

FEATURED ARTISTS: Painters: JANICE LUCIER CAROLE McDONALD SUSAN McKEE As a native Californian, Carole McDonald started her art career working as a former script supervisor in the film industry and as a Disney Imagineer, where art was everywhere and discussed on a daily basis. Her oil paintings reflect the vibrant colors tranquil feelings of the Central Coast where painting for Carole is just working on the happiest place on earth. Janice Lucier is an acrylic painter also living on the Central Coast.  Janice’s inspiration to paint comes from her incredible eye for color and symmetry. Susan McKee studied art at the Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, D.C., the University of California, Berkeley, and in Germany, where her family lived for several years.  Susan is an award winning artist throughout the Central Coast and a published author.