summer 2016

CALL FOR ARTISTS FOR The MeMBeRShIP ShOW COMPeTITIOn

December 21 through January 29

SOnORAn GARDenS September 21 through October 30 at Showcase Gallery

with Featured Artists: 5 Chicks

(in conjunction with the International Orchid Show in the Village Plaza).

Entry: Sunday, September 18, 1 to 3 p.m. only. Opens: Wednesday, September 21. Reception: Saturday, September 24. Pick-up: Sunday, October 30.

nORTh OF TIJUAnA August 10 through September 18 at Showcase Gallery

Vartan is an international Armenian sculptor who combines iron forging with art and has further extended his talents as an award-winning painter. In this show Vartan presents a very unique assemblage with musical instruments, iron, wood, oil paintings, statues and metallurgical works. He has created and sculpted a 75-foot chandelier that spans from the first to the top floor of the Lenstromyprom-proekt an architectural building in St. Petersburg. One of his most recent shows in the United States was The Jazz Artist at the Millard Sheets Art Center. We invite you to see the work of this remarkable artist.

Welcome back OCFA Members!!!

Congratulations to all our artists who were accepted and participated in well known summer events in Orange County. We had Nancy Swan at the Festival

of Arts, Nancy Villere at the Sawdust Festival, Emilee Reed, Dennie Hahn, Shakeba Hashimi and Laura Curtin at the Art-A-Fair, Iriet Peshkess and Connie Major winning awards at the OC Fair and Kathie Warren and Connie doing demonstrations. Our artists have shown at other galleries in the county. I’m sure there are more participants whose names I have missed here. Forgive me.

For this issue of our newsletter we are including some of those messages sent to us from members and photo memories of the workshops and OCFA Open Board meetings in which we have participated in the last few months of our fiscal “year” 2015-16. Several of our members have well-known blogs and published writing. We are also including excerpts from some of our writers who are also visual artists. Enjoy!

See you soon,

www.ocfinearts.org

PReSIDenT’S MeSSAGe

—Laura Rice RobinsonOCFA President

Anette Globits silk workshop

Nancy Villere

Paint with the Pros

Irvine Global Village Festival rock art

subodh’s watercolor workshop

First Place winner Kim Lac

maria Yepez at showcase Gallery

second Place winner Leah shapi

Kathie Warren OC Fair demo

showcase Gallery

Painting by Iriet Peshkess

September featured artist KaRa LEE’s paintings are primarily acrylics on canvas, bursting with vibrant colors and a distinctive style that is uniquely her own. The beauty of Southern California, where Kara has been a resident since 2003, resonates in her artwork. She describes her new paintings as contemporary abstract Fauvism, since they project the combined effects of the vibrant colors of the Fauves and the dynamic style of modern abstraction.

focus on

ARTIST eye LAGUnACactus and Casa Blanca, acrylic by Kara Lee

JoHN H. StEWaRt was featured artist for August at Artist Eye Laguna. The gallery hosted an artist reception on Saturday, August 20, featuring John’s bronze and stone sculptures and his remarkable photography, as well as work by our 17 fabulous artists. Artist Eye Laguna is also open from 6 to 9 p.m. for First Thursday Art Walk.

John H. stewart and his wife with resident members (opposite) of Artist eye Gallery.

ARTIST’S eye ShOW AWARDS

PHotoGRaPHY FIRST — GINNY MCNEILLSECOND — NAM THAI TRANTHIRD — ROGER READINGHonorable Mention — ANNETTE GLOBITS

3-DFIRST — YOUNG SUHSECOND — YUNG SUHTHIRD — MARYANN NETHERCUTTHonorable Mention — LAURA RICE ROBINSON

WatERCoLoRFIRST — RICK PELLIGRINISECOND — MARILLYN BRAMETHIRD — SUSAN WINSLOWHonorable Mention — DAN WILLIAMS

oILFIRST — MATT OLSONSECOND — FERIAL NASSIRZADEHTHIRD — PAT ORY ROBERTSHonorable Mention — VERONICA KORTZ

aCRYLICSFIRST — THOMAS TOMSECOND — MAUREEN NOLENTHIRD — VARTAN OHANIANHonorable Mention — KARA LEE

SPECIaL MEDIaFIRST — LAM THUY DEOSECOND — GREG MORRISSEYTHIRD — KATHY WORDENHonorable Mention — TERRY ANDERSON

MIXED MEDIaFIRST — DOMIQUE MCKENZIESECOND — BILL FISHERTHIRD — TOURAJ HAKIMIHonorable Mention — VARTAN OHANIAN

DIGItaLFIRST — JIM VAN EIMERENSECOND — JIM VAN EIMERENTHIRD — IRIET PESHKESSBEST OF THE SHOW — DOROTHY VAN EIMEREN

One of the most helpful and important things that has had the greatest impact on my work, has been keeping a joyful spirit concerning my artwork.

As artists, it should come as no big surprise that our productivity and creativity is at its peak when our feelings are securely based in a spirit of joy. That is when we tend to be the most creative and proficient at our craft. When we have joy dominating our day, we are more productive, clear minded, patient, receptive to new ideas and can more easily see any opportunities that may come our way …

Our feelings and how we choose to allow those feelings to lead us, have the power to change the course of our destiny. So, what is the best way to start allowing the power of joy to be a greater force in our life? By choosing who we want to be, how we would like to be perceived by others and establishing what we would like our ultimate goal and purpose in life to be. What we choose to listen to, what we choose to verbalize to others and ourselves, the types of individuals we choose to associate with and most importantly, what we choose to believe, all plays a huge role in the amount of joy and hope we will be able to hold onto.

Remember! What we believe most to be true, is what will start to manifest itself in our life.

featured in the online publication Internationally Known: Lifestyle and Fashion

LIvInG LIFe ARTISTICALLy: The POWeR OF JOyby OCFA member Giorgio Dimanchi

Excerpt from

In July Avant Garden Gallery moved out of the basement of the Santora Arts Building and into the light at 417-B. Broadway, located in the vibrant and expanding Santa Ana Arts District. Our new location is in close proximity to both Fourth and Fifth Street, where there are many gourmet dining establishments and up and coming restaurants along with cutting edge apparel boutiques.

The whole area is part of a city wide plan to make the arts a vital part of Downtown Santa Ana. Several new mural projects are transforming the landscape and urban fabric of this historic region. To learn more and get involved, visit AvantGarden’s new gallery location and follow Downtown Santa Ana on Instagram and Twitter @DTSANTAANA.

… A FAReWeLL TO The SAnTORA BASeMenT BeCAMe ILLUMInATeD In AMAzInG AnD UnFOReSeen WAyS …

The sendoff farewell to the Santora Arts Building began with a fateful ringing … not of a bell but of a sale in the dark, illuminated by the light of the refrigerator. Undeterred by the limited light in the office, we found much needed brightness, not only for the gallery office, but ultimately for a new gallery home.

The call to the natural world came to mind with that very first purchase of the night for Joseph Hawa’s animal prints. It kicked off a record breaking AvantGarden sales tally.

While having a delightful repartee with a visiting European couple, we learned that they’d fallen in love with artist Kathie Warren’s abstractions of the natural world. We waited with bated breath as the artist made a grand entrance wearing one of her

extraordinary hats. What began as one painting quickly led to two, then three, and before long we learned that Ms. Warren’s magical trees and her distinctive take on the natural world would soon be decorating an entire room!

focus on

AvAnTGARDen—The ART GALLeRy

A neW MOve FOR AvAnTGARDen GALLeRy ... InTO The LIGhT

MeMBeR neWS

Garry abel, in addition to showing at Showcase Gallery’s North of Tijuana Exhibition, juried into the Irvine Studio Arts Festival this past June along with the upcoming Newport Beach “Art in the Park” event for October. A permanent artist at the Cove Gallery in Laguna Beach, Garry also actively participates in the Dana Point Fine Arts Association events on the Dana Point Boardwalk. His art will be featured this October at Dana Point City Hall.

Echo Baker’s painting Pink Blossoms (pictured below) was accepted into the Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibit at Marshall Gallery of Fine Art in Scottsdale, AZ, on view from November 14 to 30, 2016. Additionally, she has been painting for Painting for Good Causes, a non-profit organization for state adoption agencies and military families. Learn more at www.paintingforgoodcauses.com.

Artist, teacher and organizer Marillyn Brame was recognized by the City of Mission Viejo for having provided “extraordinary lasting and highly significant service to the city” by designing and facilitating many community art projects in that town. At the ceremony in the Murray Community Center on August 10, Marillyn’s name was added to the Wall of Recognition. Congratulations, Marillyn, especially for all the permanent artwork that you are responsible for that is beautifying your city. OCFA is proud of you.

Lam thuy Deo participated in the 20th Annual Artist’s Eye show from May 26 to June 26. She had three pieces on display at the exhibition. Her piece, In The Garden won First Place in Special Media.

Mung Deo has been in many shows at Showcase Gallery this year. Currently he has four pieces in the North of Tijuana show (on view through September 18):

Kimberly Eaton just returned from her Art Journey to France and Italy, via her Harvey Clemens Art grant.

She had a fantastic time visiting each country on a whirlwind 15 day trip! She documented her trip, taking 600 photos, making sketches and keeping a diary to help her preserve all the fabulous sights. The opportunity to see some of the world’s greatest art was a dream come true! She is in the process of painting her art journey and can’t wait to show it. She had a magical trip thanks to the Harvey Clemens family, who so generously offered her this wonderful experience.

Jila Hakimi gave a glass jewelry workshop for OCFA members on August 27. Jila is a free-form artist who draws inspiration from observing the harmonious laws of life and by respecting compatibility. Her art is predominately made with dichroic glass which has unique transparent accents. She enjoys whimsical art, and her work reflects it. Her intention is to add to the beauty of life. She enjoys research and development, and spends one-third of her time working on concepts and projects that empower humanity and peace, such as the Peace Project at Golden West College each year.

Erin Houghton has been teaching flower painting classes at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar’s “Art in the Garden” series, where she and her colleagues painted a flower that was in season or blooming in the garden. The classes started in February through November and have been keeping her busy.

Veronica L. Kortz is displaying 14 oil paintings at Whittier City Hall for the month of September. The reception is Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. She is also teaching free art and painting classes through North Orange County Community College on Tuesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. at 1925 Sunnycrest Drive, Fullerton, CA 92835, and on Thursdays from 2 to 6 p.m. at La Habra Art Gallery, 215 North Orange Street, La Habra, CA 90631. For more information, please call (562) 547-9002.

Melissa Lee, aged 9, a student of Dr. Marillyn Blame who lives in San Diego, received awards from Imaginology and Imagination Celebration this summer. Melissa loves to draw anything using pastel and acrylic. She is looking forward to getting more experiences in drawing!

Maureen MacDonald will be co-directing the Laguna Senior Center Q Gallery this year.

The Orange County Fair was home base for Connie Major this summer. Out in the Crafter’s Village, Connie demonstrated many methods of the ceramic process including throwing on the potter’s wheel with her feet (yes, no hands). On Friday afternoon and evening shifts, crowds would gather for her foot work, including the Register, who did a nice news article on her demonstration. Connie also had pieces of her finished ceramics for sale along with 26 other Orange County ceramic artists in the adjacent booth, which was very successful. In the Fine Arts building, there was a ceramic show along with photography, painting, etc. For the second year in a row, Connie was awarded the top ceramic award in the professional division. This year, it was her Not As Easy As Butter mixed media piece that has been seen at Showcase Gallery. She had a total of six pieces of work accepted into the Fair’s Fine Art show.

Jared Millar was part of a UV light-based show on the campus of Cal State Fullerton over the summer.

Elizabeth Nguyen-Espinoza’s painting, Children at Play is on exhibition at the Los Angeles Municipal Gallery (LAMAG) at Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, from August 18 to September 18, 2016. LAMAG’s Play is a thematic, community-based exhibit featuring works of 300 artists from Southern California.

Our opening reception for North of Tijuana at Showcase Gallery on August 13, 2016 was a success. Many art lovers attended the event with great wine and food. Featured Artist Vartan ohanian’s artwork was the highlight of the show. Other participating artists included Garry abel, Sue Cole, Mung Deo, Bill Fisher, Veronica Kortz, Maureen

MacDonald, Mary ann Nethecutt, Iriet Peshkess, Peter Pham, Nancy Villere, Kathy Worden, Maria Yepez, Laura Rice Robinson, and Elizabeth Nguyen-Espinoza. The exhibition ends September 18, 2016. Thanks everyone for making this a fun and successful event.

Lance olson has had a fun and exciting summer. Lance showed his art work at the June WOCA show in Anaheim. Two of his paintings were accepted for exhibition at the Orange County Fair. His friends and family enjoyed seeing his work on display with all the other amazing pieces there. Lance went on a road trip to Utah, and in order to keep himself occupied in the car, he started experimenting on paper using different materials like paint pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons and water color paint sticks. He ended up making some striking pieces of art which he plans

on showing at the next WOCA show in September. He has been practicing doing portraits and recently registered for a painting class at Cypress Senior Citizens Center.

Raymond otis’ artwork is in the Newport Beach juried art show. He is painting commissions for the subject: “Harbor at Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy.” Otis will be giving a lecture on “The World Through the eyes of an Artist/Photojournalist” on Tuesday, September 27 at 6 p.m. in the OASIS Event Center on 5th street in Corona del Mar and “Color Workshop” at the OASIS on October 13, 20, 27 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in the Art room.

Emilee Reed is wrapping up exhibiting at Laguna Art-A-Fair (closing August 28). This is a fantastic, all summer fine art festival located in beautiful Laguna Beach, the only festival in Laguna Beach that is open to artists of all zip codes, cities, states and countries, which this year celebrated

MeMBeR neWS (cont.)

at her booth on the Festival grounds for the duration of the show. Her watercolors are on display at the Artist Eye Laguna Gallery at 1294 S. Coast Highway and will be on exhibition in the Artist Eye Window in October.

Nancy Villere has had an exciting summer! Being part of the Sawdust Art Festival was a new experience. She sold some original paintings along with lots of her wire wrap jewelry and hand painted silk scarves. She is definitely going to participate in this festival next year! She will be displaying her art and crafts during the Winter Fantasy on the Sawdust grounds. This event is weekends only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting November 19. She hopes to see everyone at the festivals! For more information,

see VillereDesign.com.

Kathie Warren did a lot to help Matt Olson, Laura Robinson, Nathan Warren and Leah Shapi make AvantGarden’s move to the new location at 417-B N. Broadway. She is a three-year resident artist in the Avantgarden Art Gallery located in the Santa Ana Artist Village and also had her own gallery for many years. In addition she has shown her work in Laguna Beach, Newport

Beach and Costa Mesa. Each summer since 2005 she has been a regular volunteer at the Orange County Fair demonstrating ceramic hand-building. Kathie’s recent focus is painting on silk and creating “wear-able art”.

Dan Williams entered a one-day show in mid-June at Newport Beach, CA. The show was from 1 to 6 p.m. and his painting was the first to sell.

its 50th Anniversary! Emilee is already looking forward to Laguna Art-A-Fair 2017. Artists can check www.art-a-fair.com in December and January for information about the annual Jury Day next February.

Laura Robinson just ended a three month one-woman show of her work at the Costa Mesa Senior Center. She was featured artist at Artist Eye Gallery in Laguna in February and her sculptures will be featured in AvantGarden Gallery in September.

Leah Shapi’s Leartista, Artful Scarves was on exhibit at Night Market August 19 at The Lab in Costa Mesa. She is featured Artist at AvantGarden Gallery in August.

N.C. Swan, a watercolor artist at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach and board member of the National Watercolor Society, helped host the NWS/China Small Works Exchange Exhibition that came to San Pedro at the NWS gallery for its domestic opening after having toured several cities in mainland China since December 2015. She hosted a group of eight Chinese artists with the help of artist Michael Situ and his wife annie, who speak Chinese. The artists came to Orange County to view the art and tour Laguna’s Beaches, shops and galleries, finishing with dinner and a concert at The Festival of Arts. A week later she participated in Festival of Arts’ Recycled Runway Fashion Show with an entry called Firebird made from recycled material gleamed from Baby Boomer cast offs. After having tossed their ties and panty hose, boomers have moved toward staying healthy. The bodice, modeled above by Janel Haney, was made from 27 recycled silk ties and the skirt from the 20 sleeves of disposable lab coats trimmed with I.V. med caps. It is on display

MeMBeR neWS (cont.)

OCFA DOnATeS $500 SChOLARShIPS TO ART STUDenTS In The ORAnGe COUnTy COMMUnITy COLLeGeS

Vida Shajie, our Scholarship Chair who guides and directs our scholarship program, gave an extensive report on our OCFA scholarship recipients. Vida attended most of the presentation ceremonies in May. touraj Hakimi filled in for Saddleback.

The scholarship recipients are as follows: Brennen Harris from Golden West College, Hoa Le from Coastline College, Melissa Flores from Orange Coast College, Garcia Cordova Galdamez from Santa Ana College, Katherine alvarazo from Saddleback College, andrew orozco from Irvine Valley College.

Additionally, Artist Eye Gallery honors and hosts a student from LACAD in December each year.

UTILIzInG ART FOR heALInG

by Annie Do

Most of us have some kind of childhood experience dealing with some form of artwork that has consciously or unconsciously made a difference in our lives. These experiences remind us of how, when and where we learned to express our hidden emotions through art. It might have been in the form of painting, sculpture, drawing, or a moment when we held our first pen or pencil and how it felt to us.

There are those who have grown up and have followed their artistic passion and those who have some vague memories related to art. The memories may present themselves in the forms of colors, feelings, visual shapes, etc.

Art therapy is one of the major resources to heal the person in need. It is a very dynamic and strong tool that heals the psyche as well as our perception and physical being. In a way it is considered a “Healing Bridge” between our inner and outer world.

In creating the bridge, the art therapist considers age, ability and the situation of the patient and offers a method or a resource for the patient to express their hidden emotions. There are two major goals in using art therapy: releasing the emotions and achieving a sense of calmness and relaxation.

In the area of prevention, this method is used to build self confidence, social skills and building up their well being.

This healing method has been used in prison systems, as well as dealing with special needs children and adults, and patient with cancer and other type of diseases.

Finger painting, sculpture and the observation of nature are all ways that art therapists use to foster healing.

www.anniedopainter.com

Annie is An Artist studying AlternAtive medicine And Acupuncture.

MACARTHUR BLVD

SUNFLOWER

MAI

N ST

BROA

DWAY

BEAR

ST

FAIR

VIEW

RD

BRIS

TOL S

T

1ST ST

17TH ST

(22) GARDEN GROVE FWY

(405) SAN DIEGO FWY(73)

(5) SANTA ANA FWY

(55) C

OSTA M

ESA F

WY

(133)

(1) PACIFIC COAST HWY

PARK AVE

CRESS ST

e

7:00 pm. Guests are always welcome.

OCFA General Meetings will be held quarterly and consist of organizational information, refreshments and club art competitions. Demonstrations, presentations and workshops will be separate events held at least once per quarter and those dates will be emailed to our membership.

ocfa@sbcglobal.netOfficERS:President Laura Rice Robinson laura7777@att.neVice-president Maureen MacDonald 714-540-6430Treasurer Vivian Kiani 714-540-6430Past President Stephen Austin saustin@ocfinearts.orgSecretary Ann Jones ann@jonesdolan.com

DiREctORS:ArtistEyeLagunaGallery AnnJonesAvantGarden MattOlson

714-824-7826BearSt.Studio/Gallery JilaHakimi 949-548-7387ShowcaseGallery MaureenMacDonaldOCFAArtistStudios TourajHakimi 949-548-7387DirectoratLarge IrietPeshkess 714-540-6430Membership Max Yamada 949-650-3832

chaiRPERSOnS:Hospitality DonnaMcFarland

714-540-6430Showcase Art Shop Shari Mildon 714-540-6430Scholarship Vida Shajie vshajie@yahoo.com

OfficERS, DiREctORS anD chaiRPERSOnS

OpenTue.throughSat.from11a.m.to 5 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

417-B N. Broadway, SantaAna,CA92701 714-558-8843 OpenWed.throughSun.from 11a.m.to3p.m.andFirstSaturdaysArtwalkfrom6p.m.to10p.m. www.artavantgarden.com