Color Me Love

by Elizabeth Monks Hack

If you’ve driven by the Cypress Gallery during the month of January you may have noticed the absence of a gallery’s essential ingredient: art! As of this writing the gallery walls are still winter white, with nothing on them. We have been undergoing a restoration project that promises a new, cleaner look for the presentation of art work. The Cypress Gallery will reopen with a festive show entitled, appropriately for February, “All You Need Is Love.” Gallery artists often bring forth their most creative selves when presented with a theme. Resistant at first, they dive headlong into the challenge once their creative juices begin to flow. So don’t miss this one! A grand re-opening reception will take place on Saturday, February 8th.

The Gallery is operated by the Lompoc Valley Art Association, which hosts its monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 11, in Stone Pine Hall. Our programs chair Carol Kemp will present a film on Abstract Art produced by the BBC. After the film Carol will provide everything you need to play with color and design, to create a work of your own. Guests are always welcome.

In previous years, you may have participated in the Cypress Gallery “Art Hunt,” which offers participants a chance to find free art work through a scavenger hunt. Well, the Art Hunt is back! It will take place March 26 – 28, with a reception in the Gallery on March 29. Clues to the hunt will be posted on social media; the works of art will be in plain sight once the location is found. A tag with “I’m Yours” will be prominently displayed on the prize artwork. Mark your calendars so that you don’t miss this free, community art-themed event. 

One last bit of gallery news: Mr. Al Thompson, our beloved community member, and former president and honorary life-long member of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, will be leaving Lompoc, where he has lived since 1964. The extent of Thompson’s involvement in the Lompoc community is a long read; it encompass all aspects of the cultural life of Lompoc. He was a Santa Barbara County Arts Commissioner, as well as a Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticulture Society life-long member, a Lompoc Record columnist, a Lompoc Valley Beautification Commissioner, an Arroyo Hondo Preserve docent, and a docent and garden historian of La Purisima Mission. May we all try just a little to follow Al Thompson’s example as a citizen who loves the good life we have here, and who is devoted to one’s community.

It’s true, all you need is love, but sometimes our loved ones could use a little token of our affection. This month the Cypress Gallery will be full of greeting cards and affordable gifts, for you to meet that need. We will be open for business on Tuesday, February 4. For 1st dibs, shop early! 

Visit us at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc.  
The Cypress Gallery is operated by members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Check out the dates, hours and location of all our events online: <https://lompocart.org> <Cypress Gallery> and our eZine at <https://issuu.com/santaynezvalleyarts> We look forward to seeing you!

Fresh Paint

by Elizabeth Monks Hack 

Towards the end of the year we begin to reflect. At the end of this month we give thanks for all that we have. Ann Thompson, our November featured artist, reminds us through her paintings of the simple treasures and pleasures life offers us on the Central Coast. The subjects of her work cover a broad spectrum; a country road, fresh berries, chickens, donuts and coffee. The stand-out of the show is her piece “Pure Love” of a young boy holding a baby girl in a mutual gaze of joy and delight. In this simple and wonderfully conceived painting what we all live for is made apparent.

“Pure Love” by Ann Thompson

Thompson is a generous artist who works tirelessly on various mural projects, commissioned portraits and interior decor. She believes that all of us are born with a gift; one that we have the potential to share with others in order to bring joy. For Thompson this gift is painting. Her works are bold and fresh and clear, like a beautiful day. Her subjects are often enlarged, and chock full of personality. Humor is a factor also, as in “Yes, You’re Annoying Me” of two blue jays on a branch. A pig and an ostrich with a party hat make an appearance. There is even a slice of heaven in “At the End of the Day.” Forms are skillfully and boldly rendered. Color assumes the aspect of fresh, delectable paint. See Ann Thompson’s show and have your senses, and sense of gratitude, renewed.

Art assumes many guises; artists use a variety of means to express their innate creative impulses. In the main gallery this month Maria Slizys displays a set of intriguing collages in which she combines pieces of photographs and the skillful use of colored pencil, graphite and chalk. The results, especially in “2019 Photo-Ext #2,” propel the viewer into another plane of visual experience. Photographs by Debby Fuller and Suzanne Schenck document with a keen eye the strange and wonderful. Witness a decaying truck, a pool of rubber ducks and a carnival ride, respectively. Tammy Evans’ gourd art masks are simply incredible. Large, expansive circumferences, expert craftsmanship, surprising materials and a powerful spiritual presence are must-haves for anyone with wall space.

“Vista Near Lake Cachuma” by Neil Andersson

A comparison of brushstroke sensibility is always a pleasure in a group show. Neil Andersson’s “Vista Near Lake Cachuma” suggests an enticing landscape of vast softness, while Betsee Talavera’s “Glow” depicts a strident cypress tree in a raking light. Chris Jeszecks’s delicate colored pencil work in “Autumn Splendor” won the the People’s Choice Award for October.

“Glow” by Betsee Talvera

These are just a few of the treasures to be found at the Cypress Gallery this month, along with a multitude of artistic cards and gift items. Visit us at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc.  We are operated by members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Contact us: www.lompocart.org, Facebook/Cypress Gallery, (805) 737-1129.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Photos by  Bill Morson

• “Pure Love” by Ann Thompson

• “Vista Near Lake Cachuma” by Neil Andersson

• “Glow” by Betsee Talvera

A Walk Through the Cypress - OCTOBER 2019

ELIZABETH MONKS HACK, Cypress Gallery Reporter

October is the month wherein we dip into another world, of change and fantasy. The air turns crisp, nights are suddenly cold and clear, foliage flies through the sky on a brisk wind, pumpkins grin and witches take wing. In “Playing with Weaving, Playing with Light,” a show at the Cypress Gallery by natural materials artists Kathy Badrak and Karen Osland, one will experience the magic that is October. The front gallery has been transformed into an enchanted sylvan world, where sprites and fairies might flit among carved gourds lit from within, hide in hanging lanterns and woven branches bedecked with whimsical treasures.

Both artists find inspiration in their beloved “found treasures” of nature – shells, stones, sticks, needles, branches – and use them as the starting point for works of art. Kathy Badrak is a glass artist who discovered the beauty and flexibility of gourd art. The cast shadows created by the addition of light are integral to her pieces. An aesthetic constant in her work is the juxtaposition of shiny, metallic elements with the neutral, soft texture of natural objects. In In many of her pieces, metallic paint, threads, glass and ceramic glazes make an exciting appearance next to jute, untreated gourd surfaces, and twigs.

Karen Osland is a creative basket weaver and experienced naturalist who has a working relationship with the world from which she culls her materials. Ethnobotany is her primary interest. She uses her knowledge of native California plants and basketry to foster connections to our environment. Osland has led interpretive hikes and taught classes in her field for decades, making exquisite artworks from local materials in the process. In an intriguing piece “Palm Inflorescence” she has woven the dried, flowering branches of a palm into itself; creating a little human intervention and art. 

Oranges and blues and blacks on the main gallery walls set the season’s mood, with plenty of pumpkin-themed artwork too. “Dia de los Muertos” by Gil Andersen is a four-tiled ceramic piece on which Day of the Dead figures – skeletons, demons and humans – celebrate the holiday with abandon. Debby Fuller’s photograph “Alley” is a crisp, almost searing study of the complementary colors blue and orange, depicting a timeworn shed’s peeling paint.

Art can be serious; art can be fun! Trish Campbell is an artist who continually demonstrates this. In her painting “Contemplation” a horse stands in a circle of light surrounded by lush and shadowy nature, while her dog “Love” is an outlandish convex fellow, whose nose wants to pop out of the picture plane. Penny Lee portrays her personality-plus dogs as curious travelers in various locale; in one acrylic, “Bruno/Bloodhound” manfully brays before a eucalyptus grove. Lee Hill’s “Chilling,” depicting a stately, lovable bear surveying his domain, won the People’s Choice Award last month. It’s another testament to an artist’s desire to depict whimsy as well as beauty. Don’t miss a second chance to see this fine painting. Don’t miss this month’s show! 

Our gift items include an abundance of Joellen Chrones’ “Sugarless Treats” glass works and stitchery by Terry Taylor. Karen Osland has wonderful basket “starts” for sale. The Cypress Gallery is located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. We are operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Contact us: www.lompocart.org, Facebook/Cypress Gallery, (805) 737-1129.
PICTURE CAPTIONS 
Photos by Bill Morson

Alley by Debby Fuller
Bloodhound, Bruno by Penny Lee
Contemplation by Trish Campbell
Dia de los Muertos by Gil Andersen
Elderberry and Gourd Weaving by Kathy Badrak
Palm Infloresence by Karen Osland
Chillin' by Lee Hill

Fall Glow, September 2019

A Walk Through the Cypress

Elizabeth Monks Hack, Gallery Reporter

The end of summer. It seems to leave an afterglow of memory, with sensations of nature and light and of time spent on holiday, or not. Time that is gone, but there is more to come. The warm glow of fall light approaches. Such feelings are encapsulated in the Cypress Gallery this month, through the paintings of featured artist Mikel Naccarato. His show “Between Here and There” is on view through September 29. It is a display of small paintings with huge impact, works of fire and glory. 

Naccarato states that his intention is to “blend the majesty of nature with the wonder of imagination,” and thus he has done, using his signature vibrant colors that glow like jewels; rubies, sapphire and emerald, and amber. The paintings are grouped in categories of place and theme, including an intriguing series entitled “The Circle as Symbol,” in which abstraction is used to explore the mystical aspects of an ancient pan-cultural image. Acrylic paint is applied in broad swaths and delicate line work, creating an elegant dance of the brush. “The Riverbend Series” and “Abstracted Landscape Series” are equally lustrous.

The artist has dedicated a lifetime to the study and practice of art, moving seamlessly between realism and abstraction, large and small works, and a variety of media including enamel on copper, its influence evident in the paintings on view. Landscapes of the Central Coast and Hawaii, with evocative depictions of sky and water, are sure bring joy to the viewer, as well as augment the visual, chromatic experience of one’s world. The confident “strokes of genius” that flow from Mikel Naccarato’s brush are emblematic of an enduring passion and deep love of art.

All around the gallery, vibrant color seems to be a theme. Chris Jeszeck’s piece “Hubble Bubble I and II” was selected as last month’s “People’s Choice” award. It is a poured wonder of purples and blues. Fine vistas of green, blue and gold harmonize landscapes, especially those of Edgar Ramirez, who has submitted four works this month. His uncanny realism is evident in the delightful ”Lompoc Theatre Project” and “Yellow Train.” The turbulent texture and composition of Edward Heinitz’s “Big Sur” is quite an eyeful, in which sunlight pours from the mouth of an open rock cave onto receding waves. Susanne Schenck’s photograph “Blackwater Falls WV” is a study of delicacy, even though it depicts the tremendous power of an entire river descending from a cliff. Lee Hill’s “Chilling’” is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! A great brown bear reclines in sunlight, on a rock somewhere in the High Sierra. Hill uses broad textural strokes that harmonize paint and subject matter. 

Make September the month to study and enjoy many fine works of art! Vote for your favorite piece. Select from our many fanciful and truly beautiful gift items for some early Christmas shopping. Ease into fall through glowing color. 

The Cypress Gallery is located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. We are operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Contact us: www.lompocart.org, Facebook/Cypress Gallery, (805) 737-1129.

PAINTING CAPTIONS:
Mikel Naccarato Untitled, Circle Series, acrylic on board Photo: Beth Hack
Mikel Naccarato #14, Riverbend Series, acrylic on board Photo: Bill Morson
Lee Hill Chilling acrylic on canvas Photo: Bill Morson
Edgar Ramirez Yellow Train Photo: Bill Morson
Ed Heinitz Big Sur Photo: Bill Morson
Susanne Schenck Blackwater Falls WV Photo by the artist

Color, Paint, Action!

A Walk Through the Cypress

By Elizabeth Monks Hack, Cypress Gallery Reporter, August 2019

Gallery goers, you are in for a treat this month. Actually, you’re in for a rare, sensory experience. Featured artist Chris Jeszeck has installed “To Fluidity and Beyond!” in which we first peer into a precious world of intimate realism, and are then swept away into an abstract world of microscopic realities and vistas of the great beyond. She does this through a multitude of media and approaches, but predominantly through the technique of acrylic pouring, or “fluid art,” which she often ingeniously and playfully combines with her considerable mimetic skills. Ms. Jeszeck’s artful hand, her humor, joy and delight in the world is evident in every work on display. 

Fluid Art is a popular method of creating abstract art by combining paint with additives that do not dissolve into the pigment, so that when poured the paint separates into a variety of intriguing shapes and patterns, called “cells.” Pour artists experiment with a wide variety of chemical additives, as common as household glue, and as unusual as brake fluid. Artists enjoy the spontaneous effects and “happy accidents”created through each pour, but Jeszeck, who loves learning and is fearless in experimentation with every type of art, has taken this art form to new heights. 

The idea to embellish pours with realism resulted after she had created works that were pretty, but for her not interesting enough to stand alone. By adding a subject, she found she had an engaging, ready-made background. Since then, “controlled pours” and pre-planning have produced artworks such as “Splash,” in which a swimmer’s arms and legs emerge from a frothy wave. In “Abracadabra” a magician’s hands produce a playing card. Viewers of all ages and tastes will delight in the myriad of shapes – honeycomb, amoeba, floral – and the powerful, surprising linear action that the works produce. Ms. Jeszeck is on a mission to bring  joy and a smile to every viewer. Each one is an imaginative, sensory, vivid experience. Bring children of all ages to see this!

In color, concept and imagination, Cypress Gallery artists produce works of great variety and excellence. Turn the corner into the main gallery and you are further immersed in an astonishing wall of color by Vicki Andersen. Several of her intense works are on on display, of which “Jalama Beach Headquarters” is compositionally exceptional. Kathy Badrak’s “Storytellers” is a surprising mixed media work. Two exquisitely painted and etched gourds, fashioned into Native American figures are mounted on a canvas, upon which dreamlike images of tribal symbols emerge. Sylvia Kokatnur’s gouache “View of Kinsdale Harbor, Ireland,” with its precise rooftops and subtle paint color and application, recalls a village and lifestyle of long ago. Gift items, equally wonderful, are available in abundance. Visit us to enhance your home, your relationships, as well as your own experience of the world.

 The Cypress Gallery is located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc.  We are operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Contact us: www.lompocart.org., Facebook/Cypress Gallery, (805) 737-1129.

Image Captions

1. “Abracadabra” An acrylic pour by Chris Jeszeck Photo: Bill Morson

2. “Buddy” Colored pencil by Chris Jeszeck Photo: Bill Morson

3. “Storytellers” by Kathy Badrak Photo: Kathy Badrak

4. “View of Kindsdale Harbor, Ireland” by Sylivia Kokatnur Photo: Bill Morson

5. Gift Vignettes 1, 2, 3 Photos: Bill Morson

Celebrate Art! Small Treasures, Big Events

A Walk Through the Cypress, by Elizabeth Monks Hack, Cypress Gallery Reporter

When you visit the Cypress Gallery this month, be prepared to experience delightful, tactile, opulent eye candy! Our front gallery room features “Expressions,”a display of 252 miniature artworks mounted on twenty-one black rectangular boards. Having the appearance of exquisite boxes of chocolates, each one is a little jewel, or delectable petit-four. Gallery artist (and treasurer, historian and publicist) Kathy Badrak initiated an art challenge to gallery members awhile back. Inspired by a public exhibition that presented artwork on a myriad of Post-it Notes, she suggested we all try our hand at making art on a 4” by 4” canvas. The rule was “Anything you want!” and the hope was that we would collectively produce a show of great diversity and creativity. That certainly happened, with some artists getting so enthusiastic over the project they submitted multiples, like a dozen.

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The paintings are precious in size and generous in creative bounty. Some artists made smaller versions of their own style, while others veered, nay zoomed, away from what they usually produce. The small size seemed to stimulate the right side of the brain and expand boundaries. Some works are three-dimensional, bearing little sculptures, found objects, beading and relief work. Others are realistic: a tiny bird, a single strawberry, a precise landscape. Every type of abstraction is represented – pours, splats, shapes and pattern. A sign on the wall asks that viewers not touch the artworks, because that is exactly what these works stimulate us to instinctively do: touch, feel, explore! Just as you do when looking at jewels, or a box of chocolates!

The artworks in the main gallery features works just as colorful and inviting, only larger. My favorite this month is “Quiet Beauty” by Linda Gooch, a square large format, close-up of a pink rose, that draws the viewer into its center. Sensitively rendered in watercolor, it is an object of meditation, a place of calm. Julia Nash has a striking early modernist portrait on display, called “The Melting Gargoyle,” which disrupts conventional notions of color and perspective. The mysterious “Night Stalker” by Mikel Nacarrato depicts a lioness setting out on a twilight hunt in an orange and blue-violet world.

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Last month our committed gallery members engaged in some significant community outreach. Sonya Cross, a 3rd grade teacher from Fillmore Elementary called to ask if the we gave tours. Ms. Badrak answered the phone, and said “YES!” because when opportunity knocks, that is the proper response. She assembled a team of nine, and they prepared a program for over 60 school children, broken into four groups, in which they toured two murals, toured the gallery, learned about art and gallery etiquette, and did a take-home art project in the gazebo. Teachers, we are open for business next year! And it is free.

July marks a “Life Event” for the Cypress Gallery. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary! To prepare for the festivities, artists Linda Gooch, Vicki Andersen and Annie Thompson have painstakingly, lovingly restored the picturesque murals on the outside of our building, which had faded over time. The Chamber of Commerce came for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark this milestone. A reception to celebrate the “Expressions” show and the anniversary will take place on Saturday, July 13, to which the public is invited. A children’s art day, and a scarf-dyeing class are also planned later in July. 

We invite all of you to share in our celebration of creativity this month. Enjoy the amuse-bouches of  “Expressions,” shop for gifts and perhaps take home a bona fide treasure. Contact the gallery for information on hours and events. Find us at www.lompocvalleyartassociation.com, on Facebook, and at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. Phone (805) 737-1129.

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 and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley.

Art Flowers Here

A Walk Through the Cypress Gallery

by Elizabeth Monks Hack

June 2019

Bill Morson “Sis’s Kitchen Window ”

Ah, the flowers of June! Open your eyes to color. We have a few blooming fields in Lompoc yet, of sweet peas and other beauties. Thanks to abundant rainfall our yards are graced with vibrant blossoms. And so are the walls of the Cypress Gallery this month. The front gallery treats the viewer to an immersion in full-blown color with the works of photographer Bill Morson, our featured artist for June. Among them are voluptuous images of iris, lilies, plumeria, and our local fields of stock, picked and hoisted on the shoulders of a powerful field worker.

Bill Morson’s early life experiences shaped him for a career in photography, and in particular as a documentary and news photographer. Growing up in a military family, Bill had the opportunity to live all over  the United States. The artist in him was sensitive to the unique landforms, regional events and people of various locations, each being a new place to discover and observe. As a geography major in college he continued to explore the physical world, and how people live and adapt to their local environment. Morson received extensive photo processing training in the military, a career path which allowed him to remain a curious observer of people and places, and the chance to record his discoveries. Morson’s professional career spanned many years as a photojournalist in Hawaii and Santa Barbara County. As a “behind the scenes” resort and corporate photographer in Hawaii he also has lifetime of great stories, that include hanging with the secret service guys, and a very amusing anecdote of photographing President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter playing tennis!

The technically and physically brilliant forms of Morson’s art photography span the gamut of what we experience, including sports action, space launches, and the treasured places and things of nature. His images of Hawaii in particular express a degree of intimacy and fondness for the subject. One gets a palpable sense that Bill is watching, analyzing and enjoying what he sees. You will too!

Mitra Cline “Luna and Ghost”

The main gallery is also awash with color, many works following a flower theme. Vicki Andersen has chosen pinks, roses, sweetpeas and daisies to cascade over fences, Linda Gooch her exquisite roses, Chris Jeszeck a semi-precious trumpet lily, Jane Kametami a smiling sunflower, and Yours Truly a bevy of matilija poppies in the breeze. In “Luna and Ghost” artist Mitra Cline uses a bold, playful style to create an exuberant piece of a cat and a bird, with large red happy flowers in the foreground.

One of the great pleasures for me in viewing art is to enjoy the infinitely various styles of line and brushwork found in them. Neil Andersson’s paintings seem to be a slow unfolding of soft, refined strokes, which help to create the glowing, evocative aspect of his work, particularly evident in “Canal in  Amsterdam.” Dee Sudbury uses scratchy, active strokes to depict a crowing rooster. In Trish Campbell’s “Summer Time Palmtree” the dancing, colorful paint strokes rejoice in the sunlight of a golden sky.

So dear readers, when June gloom is getting you down, the skies are gray and the mist swirling all around, have a look in the Cypress Gallery. Pick up your spirits with color therapy! Enjoy some shopping therapy as well, among the abundant selection of colorful gifts.

The Cypress Gallery is operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association is a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. Find us on Facebook/CypressGallery. We're located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12 noon to 5:00 pm. Phone (805) 737-1129.

All photos by Bill Morson, Gallery Director

1. Bill Morson “Sis’s Kitchen Window ”

2. Mitra Cline “Luna and Ghost”

"Cypress Gallery Art Walk"

May 2019

by Elizabeth Monks Hack

"Ceasura" by Mikel Naccarato

"Two Birds" by Barbara Curtis

It's officially springtime, and the birds have descended upon Lompoc! Our feathered companions are currently roosting at the Cypress Gallery, but unlike their Hitchkockian counterparts, these birds are friendly, playful, and consummately creative. As are their makers. Earlier this spring the gallery initiated "Come Fly With Me," a community-wide art event in which participants were given a plain plywood template of a bird, to be returned by the artist after undergoing a metamorphosis by their own creative juices. The results of the challenge are in, and they are absolutely delightful. The birds have been adorned and transformed by not only paint and feathers, but every conceivable media, including but not limited to, pennies, seed pods, yarn, glass, wire, copper, bark, flower petals, glitter and beads. They sit in nests, on branches, a gourd, and one even sits on a skull. Barbara Curtis has incorporated two of the cut-outs into a painterly work in which watercolors and her unique drawing skills play a part. Don't miss this whimsical, uplifting, downright aerial show!

Several of our artists have submitted wonderful works to the main gallery that reflect the avian theme. The subject of birds is a favorite of Linda Gooch, in harmony with her exquisite technique of soft edges and finely rendered textures. Five Gooch pieces demonstrate a quiet world of nature's beauties, including "Dove in my Windowbox." In them she shares a private visual and emotional experience.
Artist Mikel Nicarrato employs a keen sense of abstraction in many of his works, and in the enigmatic "Ceasura," he brings it to a pure state. The acrylic is a composition of soft floating color shapes stained into the canvas, that upon study, anchor themselves around a central neutral shape. Is it a figure, or a crossroads? Abstraction often takes us to a place of mystery.

Photographs in the gallery this month have a painterly feeling of color and handmade texture. Debby Fuller's "Little Yellow Hills" and Suzanne Schenk's "Ball-Man at Surf Beach" take the viewer to a place both familiar and extraordinary, personal and universal. For more texture, art lovers, visit the charming "Squirrel " by Lee Hill, a delightful study of tree bark and animal fur, set in an intimate composition. And swoon over the precision and beauty of tooled design wrought by Tammy Evans on a large black gourd, entitled "Circle of Bears," a museum-quality piece decorated with bone and turquoise. Also, pay some homage to the tall, elegant, smooth "Geisha" by Mary Whitmore, who won the People's Choice ribbon last month. Congratulations! Mary also created "Filbert," our dog-artist who paints in front of the gallery when we're open.

Once again our installation team has done a terrific job arranging two-dimensional with three-dimensional work, including gift items, set in enticing vignettes. Joellen Chrones' felted wool hats of berry, emerald and mint green complement Betsee Talavera's charming gouache "Coastal Memories" on the wall behind them, wherein similar colors can be found. Small touches such as this make the Cypress Gallery a great place to recreate, and also a great place to shop! This month, come for the bird show. Stay for the visual delight. Tweet this one to your friends!

Looking at art is a life-enhancing gift that is free. We can't emphasize enough how fortunate we are to be able to buy charming, original cards and gifts by local artists at competitive prices. Please consider the Cypress Gallery as your go-to gift store, as well as your "Imagination Station," and your monthly art venue! 

The Cypress Gallery is operated by the members of the Lompoc Valley Art Association, which is a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. The gallery is located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. Winter Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12 noon to 4:00 PM. Phone (805)737-1129. Visit our Facebbook page and venture further on our LVAA website for more information.

Are you an artist, photographer or artisan crafter or simply want to support the local art community? Consider joining the Lompoc Valley Art Association. You can pick up a membership application here and drop it off at the gallery.