Art I'm Looking At: Open Studios at Atelier One, Graton

Despite having virtually no wall space left for art, I acquired a piece by Claude Smith yesterday at the Atelier One open studio event in Graton. It's a piece I've had my eye on for a couple of years, actually. Very pleased to give it a new, permanent home. I'll find a spot for it somewhere. 

I visited the studios of many friends and acquaintances and met a few people for the first time as well. I always enjoy seeing what fellow artists in the area are up to. I even learned something about yoga. Recommended. The event is on again today, Sunday, November 16. And don't miss Gina Kuta's pottery studio across the street from the main studio building. 

Art I'm Looking at: Claude Smith, on The Art Wall at Shige Sushi

I'm pleased to announce the next show on the Art Wall at Shige Sushi will feature work by Graton-based artist Claude Smith. These are the last few days to see the exquisite work by Bob Nugent up on the Art Wall now (through tomorrow, Sunday, September 3). Claude's show will go up over the long weekend and open on Tuesday, September 5. The opening reception will be the following Monday, September 11, from 5:30 to 7:30PM. Drop by, meet the artist, have a glass of wine, take in the art.

Art I'm Looking At: Exhibit Pipeline on The Art Wall at Shige Sushi

Susan Stover: Where is My Allegiance?

I'm excited about the artist line-up for the rest of 2017 and into 2018 on The Art Wall at Shige Sushi. I've now filled the next five show slots (from July 2017 through the end of April 2018).

Bob Nugent: Sementes 80

First up will be Bob Nugent: Dialogues with Nature, a show of works by Bob Nugent, inspired by the time he spends in the Amazon River Basin in Brazil. Bob's work will be on the walls from July 5 through September 3, 2017. The opening reception will be July 10, 2017 from 5:30 to 7:30.

Claude Smith: Margins 06

The September–October 2017 slot will go to Graton-based artist Claude Smith.  Claude was a participant in the very first show on The Art Wall at Shige Sushi, in December 2014. Claude is primarily a painter, but he also does mixed media and collage work.

The November–December show will feature the work of Susan Stover, known for small, wall-mounted sculptural objects and abstract mixed-media pieces and encaustics.

The first show of 2018 will be devoted to work by Oakland-based printmaker Linda Yoshizawa who does intricate stencil-based prints and solar plate etchings of mostly botanical subjects.

Linda Yoshizawa: Morning Magnolias

 The February–March slot will go to Katie McCann, also an Oakland-based artist known for her wonderfully imaginative collages.

Katie McCann: Mind Full

Art I'm Looking At: "The Art of Collage" on the Art Wall at Shige Sushi (Dec. 6, 2014 - Jan. 31, 2015)

A sushi bar in the middle of downtown Cotati--Shige Sushi (8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati, CA 94931 (707) 795-9753)--has recently given me a free hand to curate small art shows on one wall of the restaurant. I've just finished organizing the first show and designing announcements for it--The Art of Collage--which will run from December 6, 2014 to January 31, 2015. There will be a meet-the-artists reception from around 7:00PM on Wednesday, December 17. The show includes collage works by Claude Smith, Sherry Parker and me. Claude's work, using Xerox transfer printing and other monoprinting techniques is bold and gestural in some instances, cryptically narrative in others, but always arresting. Sherry Parker's collages, mostly using found pictorial elements, combine whimsy, the surreal, and an exquisite design sense. I'm looking forward to sharing the work of these outstanding artists with the community and to organizing future shows for the new Art Wall at Shige Sushi.