by Elizabeth Monks Hack
Not only do turtles march this March at the Cypress Gallery, they fly, roll over, deliver an Amazon package and dress for the ball. Unfortunately one or two have been trapped in the detritus of ocean trash, while yet another has morphed into a mound of colorful pom-poms. All of this shape-shifting is due to the inexhaustible creativity of our gallery artists and the Lompoc public, who have entered pieces in the community art project “March of the Turtles,” on display through, well, March.
This show is the third iteration of an annual show that invites the public to decorate and otherwise transform a given wooden shape, provided by the Lompoc Valley Art Association. Because of the pandemic, artists have had much more than the usual few months to create their works of art. The opening last weekend was the largest in recent history. Kids of all ages, adults included, thoroughly enjoyed the profusion of the intensely imaginative, four-legged creatures, while munching on bright green frosted turtle cupcakes with red licorice legs.
Artists know how to astonish, be it with a cookie monster turtle enjoying his chocolate chip cookies, or with exquisite tooled gourds rendered as a turtle shell. A few of the many stand-outs in the show include Steve Scolari’s carved walking stick, embellished by a turtle with a wood-burned design, and a copper-clad turtle with an array of turquoise stones on his shell, by Michelle Schaeger. The show’s piece de resistance is Kevin Thompson’s “Roll Over Beethoven,” referring not to Chuck Berry or a retirement account, but to an unfortunate musical turtle named Ludwig who has rolled onto his back. Fully three-dimensional, the turtle’s rosy cheeks and realistic skin and shell are a marvel. Naturalistic paintings and photographs of sea turtles by gallery artists are also on display. They seem to cast a sober eye on their whimsical cousins.
In the main gallery landscapes dominate, including two large, masterful pastels by Carol Wood. In “Poplar Drive” and “Los Alamos Vineyard” Wood captures an expanse of sunlit road with an economy of strokes and hues. Julia Nash’s freely stroked oil “Wandering Stream” is full of exuberance, its clouds, water and trees dancing to the sounds of nature. The photograph “Spilled Gold” by Suzanne Schenck depicts the beauty of sunlight at the end of the day, falling into the rocks and water of the coastline. Claudette Carlton’s charming, unaffected watercolor style perfectly suits the old New England church she paints in “Deerfield Church,” choosing a delicate tone of red that complements the soft greens of the foliage.
As always, the Cypress Gallery is also a gift store full of handmade cards, journals, jewelry and...turtles! Catch a turtle before they crawl back to sea at the end of the month. Witty, beautiful, amazing - most are for sale and looking for a good home.
The Cypress Gallery is operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valleys. 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. Thursday – Sunday, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, or call for an appointment (805) 737-1129 <lompocart.org> <facebook.com/CypressGallery>
CREDITS
Photos by Bill Morson
Kevin Thompson “Roll Over Beethoven” Photo by Bill Morson
Michelle Schaeger “Turquoise Turtle” Photo by Wyn Hack
“March of the Turtles” Display photos by Wyn Hack
Carol Wood “Poplar Drive” Photo by Bill Morson
Suzanne Schenck “Spilled Gold”