by Elizabeth Monks Hack
Greetings from the Cypress Gallery, on a beautiful golden afternoon in the falling light of autumn. So full of warmth, so rich, so welcoming! We said goodbye to our annual Fall Show last week, so I will begin by sending a warm and grateful thank you to our art community. Thank you artists, for contributing your pieces to our gallery, many of whom have never shown work before, and many who saw this show as an opportunity to get back to art after a long hiatus. And thank you to those of you who came into the gallery to vote for the winners! You made 634 selections, giving the first place ribbon to the pastel “Cambria” by C. Wood. Second place was awarded to glass artist Kristine Kelley for “Kelp Forest,” and third to Barbara Curtis’ “Beyond the Looking Glass,” a watercolor collage. The reception was crowded with art lovers and newcomers, a sight that indeed warms the heart of the Lompoc Valley Art Association.
November brings to the gallery a delightful featured show by two artist-friends of contrasting media and styles. In “Critters: Real and Imagined,” Joellen Chrones and Rick Skillin have put together a host of wildlife surprises for you to enjoy. Chrones works with colorful fused glass, and Skillin is a nature photographer who engages with realism.
“Rick and I thought it would be interesting to see Rick’s photographic images of the critters against my glass renderings,” says Chrones, whose spontaneous drawing style tends towards the humorous. Chrones has worked with fused glass for over twenty years. She still loves the medium’s colors and characteristics, as well as the process, which is not simple. After the design and cutting of the glass, the kiln’s temperatures must be precisely raised and lowered over long periods of time. Chrones applies her whimsical aesthetic to a variety of products, including jewelry, bowls, wall plaques, vases and more.
Rick Skillin remembers the first time he saw one of his black and white images appear in the developer tray, initiating his lifelong love of the creative process. He points out that the word photography itself means “written with light,” as he explains why light is crucial to his art. He often rises pre-dawn, arriving on location at sunrise, to get his best pictures.
Skillin worked at UCSB Sedgwick Reserve in Santa Ynez for years as the steward of 6000 acres, ever-increasing his understanding of nature. We see this reflected in the truth and beauty of his nature photographs. Many of them are from the Sedgwick Reserve, but most are local. Visitors are fortunate to observe the critters who populate our area through Skillin’s lens.
In the rear gallery rooms are many artworks through which you can experience the “warm/cool” aspect of the season. Diane Atturio’s large watercolor “Leaves on Blue” is an array of golden brown leaves against a brilliant blue sky. In “Bleak NH Autumn” by Claudette Carlton, the stubborn last leaves of fall cling to their branches. Rows of red-orange grapevines ascend a hill crowned by an oak tree in Vicki Andersen’s “Autumn Vineyard.”
Other media includes the work of Chuck Klein. The glow of his beautifully rendered wood worked pieces, with their Asian and abstract design influences, offer a sense of refined comfort.
Ever versatile C. Wood, adept at acrylic, oil and pastel, is also a master of collage. Using Japanese papers, postage stamps and more, she creates a myriad of small, magical works.
Join us once again this fall for a genuine art experience. And don’t forget, holiday shopping begins here!
CAPTIONS
All Photos by Bill Morson
Joellen Chrones_ Fused Glass_Cat
Joellen Chrones_ Fused Glass_Bird
Rick Skillin_Photography_Cat
Rick Skillin_Photography_Birds
Diane Atturio “Leaves on Blue”
Chuck Klein_Woodwork
Vicki Andersen “Autumn Vineyard”