Elverhoj Show

Art From The Groves

I have a couple of paintings that were juried into the Elverhoj Museum of History & Art here in Solvang, CA. I feel pretty good about that because getting into any show is good. I know many of the artists in the show so it will be nice to be together and talk shop. One of my paintings is a studio piece and the other is a plein air piece done last Winter along the olive groves below the mission.
Sales have been practically non existant for me in this economy, and yes, the economy still sucks, so the occasional show is something to look forward to. I like shows...it's fun to see your peers and meet new painters....see the talent out there. Shows are good for inspiration. As a person it is great to see really fantastic art but as an artist it really inspires you to do better work. I've always been honest about my work and when I see something else painted better it makes me want to paint better so shows are a good way to push your(my)self.

Teaching yourself to paint....I hate that term because nobody really teaches themselves to paint. Books, the internet, art teachers, seeing other painters works....it all effects us even if some of us want people to think they were some naturally gifted miracle that discovered painting all alone. Baloney. If you want to learn to paint you turn into a sponge and soak everydrop of inspiration in no matter where it comes from. Thanks to nature what you take in will become your own vision and have your own look unless you're trying to go after some other artists style and you don't want to do that. Be who you are....even in art.

Anyway, if you are around Solvang on June 14 between 4-6 pm come by the show reception. The rest of the show runs June 14 - September 28, 2014. The Elverhoj is located at 1624 Elverhoy Way in beautiful down town Solvang, the land of Danish bakeries and wine tasting rooms !    

Mission Santa Inez Paint Out Event

Would You Like To Paint ???

Artists invited to “Paint Out”

at Santa Inés Mission Mills complex on April 20

Elverhoj Museum of History and Art invites artists of all mediums to bring their art materials for a “Paint Out” at the historic Santa Inés Mission Mills complex on Saturday April 20, 9:00am to noon. This is a special opportunity to learn about the history of the site, meet area artists, and document the beautiful site located below the Santa Inés Mission.

Artists are invited to sketch, paint, make a color study or photograph the site for future work. An optional brown bag lunch and discussion will follow the Paint Out.

Artists Peggy Brierton, Ron Guthrie, Renee Kelleher and Carol Wood will be working on site and offering their support and guidance upon request. Each of these four accomplished local artists displays their diverse visions of the Santa Ynez Valley in the current Elverhoj exhibition, “The View From Here.”

The property is part of the Mission Santa Inés National Historic Landmark District and includes olive groves, an historic grist mill, a fulling mill, and the beautiful Alamo Pintado Creek corridor with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop and the Mission in the distance. “With wildflowers dotting the olive groves, this historic site is an artist’s paradise in the spring.” says Elverhoj Executive Director Esther Jacobsen Bates. “And as Aldous Huxley wrote, ‘The olive is essentially a painter’s tree.’” 

The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) manages the 39 acre property on behalf of the California State Parks and is in the process of developing a public use plan. The Paint Out is a collaboration between The Trust and Elverhoj.

The Mills property will be the subject of an upcoming juried art exhibition at Elverhoj. An open call for entries and exhibition specifics will be released in early summer. Interested artists can email info@elverhoj.org to be added to the list to receive a prospectus and entry form.

The Paint Out is free for Elverhoj members, $10 for non-members. Reservations can be made by phoning Elverhoj at 686-1211, or via email to info@elverhoj.org.

Santa Barbara News Press Review

Art About the There There

IN 'THE VIEW FROM HERE,' THE CURRENT EXHIBITION AT SOLVANG'S ELVERHOJ MUSEUM, LOCAL ARTISTS PRESENT THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

Josef Woodard, a News Press Correspondent.
March 29, 2013   

           This is an excerpt from a review of the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art show I am currently in titled "The View From Here". The show consists of paintings created by 6 local artists and how each artist interpretes their view of the valley in their art. The show is wonderful thanks to the calibre of the artists and each of them has their own take on what we all see in our daily lives here in the valley. I was very happy to be asked to be a part of this show.
  
          "With the show truthfully titled "The View from Here," six area artists take on the subject of the "there here." What emerges is a sense of place via landscape painting, of six individual sensibilities at work. Along the way, the show roughly tells the story of this Valley's continuing evolution over the years.

Entering the gallery, the viewer is greeted dramatically by the tall, vivid presence of Ron Guthrie's "Morning Sycamore," on the far wall facing the entrance. But the same artist also shows a more unusual painting just to the right of the door, "Mission Santa Ynez Bluffs," a happy convergence of hillside, trees and yonder foothills, a poetic pact of light and composition. Mr. Guthrie also impresses with the vertical tree study "Majesty" and the peaceable atmospherics of his "Storm Clouds Over Adobe Creek."

The rest of this very good review on all of the artists is availble to read in the "Scene" section of the SBNP paper...cost $2.50 to read if you are not a subscriber, sorry.
...a very cool review of the show Mr Woodard, thanks!

Elverhoj Museum Show

I will be part of a 6 artist show at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art in Solvang from Feb. 2 through April 28 2013. The show is called "The View From Here" and features 6 local artists presenting their interpretations of local scenes throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. I am honored to be a part of this invitational show and am looking forward to having my work shown at the Elverhoj. If you live close to Solvang please come by the museum on Saturday Feb 2 to the Show Reception between 4 to 6 pm. Also, on Saturday March 2nd there will be an artists panel discussion that I will be participating in.

Here is the show card below....for more info please contact Esther or any of the other fine people working at the museum....805-686-1211