Southern California Artists

Artist-in-Residence Opportunity

2009-07-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Joshua Tree National Park and the Riverside Art Museum Are Looking for Artist-in-Residence Participants. I think your readers will really be interested in this! For more information or to download an application visit http://www.riversideartmuseum.org

Thanks,
Janell Glessner
RAM Intern

Kindergarten Drawing Carole Gelker

2009-04-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

2009-04-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

Transformation

From ordinary thinking comes
A start
Of recognition
Something of a part.

Need
Precedes necessity as more
Wanting
An explanation of what its for.
Slowly the earth turns
Day into night
Leading to thought and brings
An alchemy of beginning.

Trial and error
Pursue each other so,
Frequenting misgivings that I know
Succumb to understanding
Nothing
Without the sought for factor.
Intuition and not the rule
Of delicate balance
Of the bold and true
Found in a painted, abstract thing.

Thom Wright

Comments

2009-03-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am sorry to say I had to put an extra hurdle in the way of posting comments, but there was an idiot spammer trying to boost hits to their blog. Hopefully this will discourage them a bit!

Who is showing this month?

2009-03-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

If you are in a show, let us know! e-mail randallholbrook@cox.net with all the show info, and a pic to go with it if you have one. Also, there are a lot of empty member pages! Send me a bio or an artist's statement along with 5 photos of your work and I will post them for you. I can help with the photography if you need it as well.

In Process

2009-01-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

In Process

The painting stares at me
and I at it,
Thinking what’s wrong,
What’s next to commit.
Then guessing at the change’s hue
and color,
Just a brushstroke here
And there
Unlike any other.

Looking takes the longest time
To decide,
What possibilities may come.
How they might reside.

A palette full of choices
Asks what’s next.
Your mind dabbles,
Tries,
Wipes a misjudged cue,
Second-guessing,
Experimenting,
What to do.

It’s evident at last,
What mark is just the one,
To make a painting
Whole before it’s done.

Thom Wright, 2009

Moving into 2009

2008-12-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T17:15:00.001-08:00

SCA Board 2009

2008-12-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

Really, no takers? I know it's been a tough year, but are we going to let SCA go down so quietly?

2008-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

Sp – Ci – Sp – Cir – Circle – Circle – Space – Circle – Spa
Circ – C – Circle – Space – Ci – Sp – ircle – C – Circle - S
- Circ – S – Circle – Circle – Ci – Spa – Circle – C – Spac
Cir – Space - Space – Circle – Spac – rcle – pace – Circl -
- Space – Ci – Spa – C – C – Circl - Circ – S – Circle - S
Circ – S – Circle – Space – Ci – Spa – Circle – C – Circle
- Sp – Cir – Circle – Circle – Space – Circle – Spa – Spac
Ace – Sp – Spa – S – C – Cir – Circ – S – C – Space – Sp
Sp – Cir – Circle – Sp – Ci –– Sp – C – Spa – Circle – Spa
Ce – ace – cle – rcle – Space – ircle – rcle – cle- Space – C
Sp – Cir – Circle – Spa – S – C – Cir – Circ – rcle – ce – e

Suki is OC Outstanding Artist of the Year

2008-10-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

Arts Orange County has announced that our esteemed SCA member, Suki Berg, has been chosen as Orange County outstanding artist of the year. This special honor recognizes her long career and cultural contributions as an artist and supporter of the arts in Orange County. Suki continues her art making in painting and printmaking, is a member of Orange County Center for Comtemporary Art (OCCCA) and a life member of Southern California Artists, Inc. We congradulate her on receiving this recognition.

As published in an article by Richard Chang in the Orange County Register dated Tuesday, October 7, Suki is recognized for her cultural achievement in visual art. She is honored with an "Oscar-like" statue, given at an awards ceremony held at the Balboa Club last week.

Per the OCR article, "It's great to be validated this way," Berg, 91, said in an interview. "It's hard to describe the feeling. I'm a very happy person. I'm very satisfied."
In April, Berg had a retrospective covering more than six decades of creative work at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana.

SCA at "A Night of Indulgence"

2008-09-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

SCA members volunteered to show and sell their art at the "A Night of Indulgence" charity benefit hosted by the Center Club of Orange County on September 26. Their fund raising was for three charities: The Muscular Dystrophy Association, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Employee Partners Care Foundation. Guests paid $100 entry and could bid on art works donated by selected artists in a silent auction as well as buy artists' works. The forty artists selling work also donated 20% of sales.

Although attendance was lower than expected (possibly because of the concurrence with the first presidential debate on TV). But the food and wine tasting were lavish during the evening, and we artists are known for our indulgence. And the artists and their guests had complimentary entry. Each artist had a show space of about ten feet with show tables and easels provided.

In the several photos attached are SCA members Paula Van der Lans with guest Dave Silva, Eileen Anderson with artist friend Sherry Talley, Marilyn Ellis with friend Lorenzo, and Thom Wright with club friend Henry Segerstrom.

Our evening was enjoyable if not personally successful. Several difficulties did arise, including poor lighting, little to no seating, some over-indulgence and a low level of art sales for everyone. Maybe the economy is in trouble, and that always hits the art market. But thanks to all participating and better luck at the next event.

Art Pickup at the Bank

2008-08-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

This message is a reminder to pick up your work September 16th. Pat Sparkhul will be there de installing first thing when the bank opens. It will be very helpful if you get there as early as possible. Please note, for those who cannot be present to pick up their work must make other arrangements. Any work left after the 16th over will have no protection. Pat is hanging another show that very day.We had a really good show this year. I have sent quite a few art enthusiasts to see it, including a group from the Sales and Rental Gallery of LACMA.

Peace, Karen

2008-08-11T16:14:00.000-07:00

SCA welcomes you to our annual potluck social and slides/art presentation.
Members present 3 slides of their latest work or bring small works and describe their current direction and medium.
New and prospectivemembers can introduce themselves and their work.

Members: we need ideas for our fall programs. Bring suggestions/ideas. How about a fall art show? Where?

Our Potluck is:
Wednesday, August 20, 6 - 9 pm
Address:
1731 W. Medical Center Drive, Anaheim, CA 92801
Driving directions:
Take Euclid Ave South off of the 91 Freeway in Anaheim, turn right on first cross street (Medical Center Drive, directly opposite Mimi's Restaurant on Euclid Ave.
Emerald Court is clearly marked, turn at the third driveway on the right, park in visitor spaces on the right side, enter at the circular entrance.
Activity Room is on the second floor.

Eileen Anderson and Carole Gelker Collaborate on Drawing

2008-07-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

Eileen and Carole collaborated on their piece for the recent Coastline Community College show "Drawing Extended. Using charcoal and graphite we drew each others bodies. Lying on the floor we created our composition and then each drew outlines of the other. We feel the collaboration was a challenging and very positive experience. The "Sisters" series is the beginning of more collaborative pieces. Congratulations to Jay Sagen for his ability to create a stunning show.

Carole Gelker

Coastline Gallery "Extended Drawing" Show

2008-07-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

SCA artists participated in the Coastline Gallery "Drawing" show which opened on Friday, July 11. A well attended reception for a well presented show that covered a wide range of drawing media and experimental approaches. With all the crowd noise it usually is difficult to focus on the art works, but in this show there are many outstanding works. Our congradulations to the show curator, Jay Sagen, for this breadth and depth in drawing. Photos of three of my favorite SCA artists with pieces are Marilou Hogeboom, Marilyn Ellis and Karen Feuer-Schwager.

Participating SCA artists are:

Eileen Anderson
Carole Williams-Gelker
Marilyn Ellis
Suki Berg
Kathy Breaux
Marilou Hogeboom
Karen Feuer-Schwager
Lynn Morgan
Ron Reekers
Marie Martin
Thom Wright

two marks

2008-06-26T17:13:00.001-07:00

“two marks……” by pam schader

just juried an art exhibit for artists who are blind.
some are legally blind and can see a minute amount & use technology to enhance their sight, but a couple of the 154 artists were totally blind.
someone asked me,
“WHY WOULD THEY DO ART IF THEY CAN’T SEE IT?”

wow, that speaks volumes; and the answer right there in the question.
it is the doing, the doing, the process.
it is called CREATIVE PROCESS. PROCESS.
imagine the joy we would have if we DID this without the infernal habit of looking at it!
if it was for the expression, not for the product.
no criterion. no judging, editing, critique.

the healing is in the process.
the just being with it.
the Tao.
the core of life.
THE WAY TO DO IS TO BE.

we are in the ultimate relationship; that is the one with ourselves.
the one we are with in our studio when everyone else leaves. The one waiting, calling from our hearts. the one who dies when we refuse that small voice.

John Cage said. “when you start working, everybody is in your studio – the past, your friends, enemies, the art world and above all, your own ideas. But as you continue, they start leaving, one by one, and you are left completely alone. Then, if you’re lucky, even
you leave.”

without overarching expectations, prejudices, judgments, biases, assumptions, labels, fears, we can be open to making Original art….open to the creative process… the universal phenomenon which baffles, stymies, yet unrelentingly draws us into its labyrinth of discovery and gratification.

THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS IN INTEGRAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A CONSCIOUS LIVING UNIVERSE. MOMENT BY MOMENT WE ARE IN CONSTANT, INTIMATE AND
CO-CREATIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE SPIRIT OF PLACE, TIME & SPACE.”

Creativity is intrinsic to our lives…we are breathing…we are ready.

“Two marks…..cry out for a third…..” - Robert Motherwell

SCA Breaks the Bank at WFB

2008-06-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

Our SCA summer show at Wells Fargo Bank presents the works of the following twenty-one members:

Eileen Anderson

Suki Berg

Ladan Baradran

Ellen Butler

Diane Edwards

Marilyn Ellis

Desiree Engel

Marilou Hogeboom

Randall Holbrook

Teiko Horita

Marie Martin

Bart Palisi

Bob Pece

Pat Whiteside Phillips

Ron Reekers

Ellen Rose

Jay Sagan

Karen Feuer-Schwager

Marilyn Todd

Linda Wright

Thom Wright

The show is quite impressive on the second floor rotunda and can be seen from the first floor. The bank has added spot lighting on all the walls, and it is effective and inviting. Many good comments on the art work were received from attending guests at the opening. My favorite was that our art "is not the regular sort of art that is mostly shown in Laguna."

"SCA Banks on Art" will continue its show at Wells Fargo Bank through the summer and ends on September 14. Many thanks to all who have contributed and made this event happen.

SCA Opening at the Bank

2008-06-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

The show is up, SCA is well represented. The work looks Great! A big thank you for all those who spent your hours to make this show a quality production: Jay our curator; Suzette our organizer; Marie the our publicity writer; Ladan, our newest member, designed the eyecatching flyer; Pres Thom designed our e-vite and our Artist Book; Marilyn, Cal, and Teiko who kept us all organized while taking in the art work; Ellen R and Marilou for being our hostesses at the opening.

Karen Feuer-Schwager

SCA BANKS ON ART

2008-05-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

SCA June Program

Opening reception for our summer art exhibition

"SCA Banks on Art"

All members and friends welcome:

Saturday, June 7, 11 am - 1 pm

at:

Wells Fargo Bank, second floor

260 Ocean Blvd.

Laguna Beach, CA

Invitation to SCA Members Announcement

2008-05-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

From Jay Sagen and the Coastline Community College
To participate in an art exhibition this summer at:
Coastline Art Gallery
10156 Adams Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Entitled: “Drawing”

July 10 – Early August, 2008
Thursday – Saturday, 1pm – 5pm
Artists’ Reception: Friday, July 11, 5pm – 7pm

This will be a show limited to drawing media only (no paintings or color works)

UPDATE ON 5/22/08: Jay has revised his request for drawings to be only very large drawings, such as on butcher paper. The wall height is up to 9 ft vertical.

Curated by SCA member, Jay Sagen, CCC Gallery Curator
Show funding is approved by the CCC Exhibitions Committee
No entry fee, gallery gets 25% of selling price
Size limited to 9 feet vertical, and ready to hang.
Invited artists will be selected from Coastline Community College students and SCA.
SCA publicity will be coordinated with Jay Sagen.
SCA members are asked to volunteer to gallery sit for a ½ day period during the show.

The intent is to show strong traditional drawing and experimental drawing works.
SCA members interested in showing, please E-Mail your intent to enter and to set up an art review appointment with Jay Sagen at: jsagen@coastline.edu
Jay stated that he will be available most Fridays before the show, but apply as soon as possible. About 25 – 45 works will be shown.

Art Review – HBAL Art Exhibition

2008-05-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

As art groups go, the Huntington Beach Art League is gigantic, currently with more than 250 members. So this year’s show at the HB Central Library is a blockbuster in size and diversity. Awards and ribbons are given in six categories – oil and acrylics (more acrylics now than oils), mixed media (anything goes), watercolor (largest group), pastel and drawing (mostly pastel, drawing is passé), sculpture (smallest number of works), photography (the reality stuff), digital photography (processed anything goes). Sadly, as in my case, no categories or ribbons for abstract art. I overheard someone say that religious art and abstracts should be excluded as an affront to esthetics.
My favorite piece in the show is a nose-on close-up of a bulldog, an oversized sleeping hulk ready to slip off the canvas. Alas again, it won no prizes. But I had the opportunity to talk with the artist, who is an HBAL member and a long time nude model for all the local colleges and universities. She confessed to me that she did the work from a photograph, which is an unforgivable sin to life drawing models. The judges must have known that bulldogs do not pose nose-on.
You may suspect that this review is biased by my concern for the non-awarded artworks, especially for my own abstract. However, for a library show where public taste is a deciding factor, I have to agree that tradition and standards like depictions of small children and landscapes with barns deserve to be awarded, and these are in accordance with community demographics, taste and propriety. Thus, this show is a must-see at the library level and is inoffensive to no one.

SCA Art Critique at April Meeting

2008-04-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the SCA mission to promote the development and education of its artists, our April meeting was centered on an informal and constructive art critique of members' work. Nine members presented work for review by the group: Karen Feuer-Schwager, Marilou Hogeboom, Ellen Rose, Desiree Engel, Marilyn Ellis, Tieko Horita and new member Ladan Badaradan. About ten minutes were given to each member. Works were generally in progress rather than finished pieces. The group followed guidelines for constructive criticism that responds to the artists direction and intent in the work. The positive comments after the meeting were that this program is beneficial for all attendees and that it helps to gain feedback and see one's work through the eyes of others. Photos by Suzette Rosenthal.

Self-Questions About Being an Artist

2008-04-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t take much thought to recognize that one’s art does not appeal to everybody. In fact, so the expression goes, it usually doesn’t . . . So we are continuously on the cusp of making art, art that is thoughtful and has depth as well as color and design. Well, what does it take to be an artist? Thus on my own quest, and in reading In The Making by Linda Weintraub, concerning about 100 strategies artists take in making art, I gleaned ten questions in considering one’s processes and strategy for art. I hope to elaborate on these questions in future writings.

What kind of artist are you?
How do you define your art?
What are your research activities?
What levels of appreciation are considered in making art?
What are your internal sources of inspiration?
What are your external sources of inspiration?
Who is your ideal audience?
What is your artistic self, versus your authentic self?
Who are your contemporary art critics?

What is my 20 year plan to make and show art?

Michael Asher at SMMoA

2008-04-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Santa Monica Museum of Art at its location at Bergamont Station in Santa Monica, LA artist Michael Asher was selected for an installation show to capture the essence of the past 37 exhibitions that span the ten years. Instead of referencing the art content of these shows, he has chosen his own conceptualist approach that accumulates the designs of the temporary walls installed for the shows. He has installed aluminum and wooden stud walls in the exhibition space that adds together all of these floor designs. Of course they stack together and intersect at odd points and angles. The result is a maze of studded structure that the public is invited to explore. Despite the many sharp edges, exposed floor braces, and a labryrinth of walls without any entry or exit, the public comes to see and experience.
Remember being a kid at about ten years old, and how we used to explore construction sites after hours, walking through the open studded walls, the smells, the thrill and the mystery of architecture in the making. None of that is in this show, however. Instead, there are closed obstructions of studded walls in all directions, requiring some risk-taking to wander through, although that is all there is to do. Even before entering, you have to sign a no-liability agreement. The first room at the entry has the 37 floor designs with dates and show titles. So what is it all about? No art, no architecture, just an accumulation of temporary studded walls.
Squeezing oneself between the studs, again and again, with chaotic sameness in all directions, one eventually begins to ask this question, what is the point? How is this art? What is this art-installation experience? How do the 37 cutting-edge exhibitions add up to this? My own take dawns after a while, that Michael Asher has many meanings and purposes for this work. Central to all of them is its meaning itself. The dearth of esthetic content engenders a response about the why of it all. What are art museums for, and why do so many people come to them? And what is art for? What are these things – art, beauty, culture, and how does art capture and communicate these qualities? Come and see.