Newsletter, May 2006

INTRODUCING NEW PARTNER: KAREN FENLEY
Partners Gallery welcomes Karen Fenley who moved to the North Coast from the Sacramento area 3 years ago.  She has been working as an artist for 30 years and started her career as a painter.  Her mixed media constructions are either on the wall or suspended.  She has a modernist approach including abstaction, personal referential imagery and collage elements.  The color is minimalist and there is an interesting dichotomy between simplicity and a complexity one enjoys as time is spent viewing the work.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

May                  Jewelry Invitational

June                 John Darcy & Patti Guarachi

July                  Arlene Reiss & Judith Beam

August              N’ima Leveton

September         Ricia Araiza & Michael Leventhal

October             Carolyn King & Kristin Otwell

JEWELRY INVITATIONAL
Judith Beam, Partners Gallery’s jeweler has curated an exhibit that will showcase the finest work of Northern California jewelers, both from the coast, inland, and from the Bay Area.  This will be the first exhibit during which Partners Gallery will pay homage to the great creativity in one of a kind pieces.  There is a variety of media that will be featured including woven fiber and gems.

Jewelers included are Candy Sugarman, Karen Smith, Eagle and Yoli Rose, Judith Beam, Sarah Suloff, Kathy Askijian, Susan Wood, Susan Negre, Ellen Athens, Nancy Gardner, Andrea Lederle, and Conni Mainne. This exhibit will be May 11 to June 5.  A reception for the artists will be Saturday, May 13^th, 5-8 pm.

JOHN DARCY AND PATTI GUARACHI

John Darcy who is one of the Partners has invited Patti Guarachi to exhibit with him in a two person exhibit.  John will be showing large scale abstract paintings as well as drawings.  He  will also be showing woven wood sculptures.  Patti Guarachi paints in a colorful surrealist mode.  Her work will be small to large format and she plans to exhibit black and white drawings as well.  This exhibition will be June 8 to July 3.  A reception for the artists will be Saturday, June 10^th 5-8 pm.

 SUMMER EXHIBITS

A number of Partners who have not exhibitied in over a year will be having exhibitions either solo or with other Partners.  In July, Arlene Reiss will be showing her work along with Judith Beam.  Arlene’s work will feature new paintings completed recently during her winter stay in Mexico.  These lively abstract works pair nicely with Judith’s richly textured jewelry that combines metal and colorful unusual gems.  N’ima Leveton’s show in August will be her first since her series of landscape paintings describing her travels in Mendocino County.  This new body of work will include floral images.  Ricia Araiza and Michael Leventhal, who collaborate on all their work will have the first show of new work in over two years. 

Moving into the Fall season Carolyn King, who joined the gallery over a year ago will have her first one person show in the gallery. She will be sharing the gallery with Kristin Otwell.   Carolyn works with diverse natural materials she finds in the environment that surrounds her.  She combines pine needles, skeletonized leaves, pygmy forest soil, roots and seeds with other media, to creat her sculptures and paintings.  Kristin will be exhibiting paintings.

NEW JEWELRY STUDIO IN MENDOCINO

Partner, Judith Beam is opening a studio gallery in the town of Mendocino, Mendocino Gems. Mendocino Gems will feature jewelry & gemstones , as well as repair & custom designs. The gallery will also be a venue for local artists, including Partners Gallery members. Mendocino Gems will have a grand opening reception on 2nd Saturday,  June 10 from 5-8pm.

CARLETON DESIGNS RUGS
Careton Designs rugs are hand-Jacquard woven in the American summer-winter tradition with reversible light and dark sides.  Combining the highest quality Argentine worsted wool, Irish linen, and Swiss dyes of the most subtle shadings, these rugs are timeless in beauty and unrivaled in durability.  Currently on display at the gallery is a rug created from felt.  Rugs may be commissioned in many patterns and to fit specific needs.

PARTNERS IN THE NEWS

Karen Fenley and Mina Cohen both created plywood whales for the recent Chamber of Commerce “Whales on Parade.”  Elizabeth Ross is the Program Coordinator for the Rural Murals Program. This program is funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and comes through the AOD Prevention Program of Public Health. The program, which has produced 25 murals in the county over 5 years, brings together high-risk youth with mural artists to express images about their lives and dreams, with substance use prevention education. The program supports resiliency and provides a positive opportunity for youth throughout the county to participate in a public art project. This year there are five projects: Noyo Continuation School, Pacific Community Charter (in Point Arena), Trinity Youth Services (in Ukiah), Anderson Valley Teen Center, and Round Valley High School in Covelo. Kristin Otwell continues to coordinate “Art Explorers” in Fort Bragg. This program provides a studio/class and exhibition space for 15 artists with developmental disabilities.  Visitors are welcome to their studio in Fort Bragg at 138 E. Oak Street. Elizabeth Ross and Pamela Hahn are included in “Abstracted Elements”,  July 8 – September 17, 2006 at the Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah.  Seven regional artists use compositional elements of shape, color, texture, image fragments, or found objects to create their abstracted visions in painting, collage or assemblage. Pamela Hahn and N’ima Leveton recently shipped work to art collectors in Paris who is dedicated to including Mendocino artists in their collection.

 EVENTS ON THE MENDOCINO COAST

First Friday, Fort Bragg Galleries (monthly)

Second Saturday, Mendocino Galleries (monthly)

Farmers Markets (Fort Bragg Weds., Mendocino Fris.)

May 1-31: Wildflower Show, Ford House, Mendocino

May 5- Mendocino Heritage Days

May 6-7: Historic House Tours

May 13: Symphony of the Redwoods, “Pops Goes Big Band”

May 18-21 Mendocino Film Festival, 1^st Annual

May 21: Opus Chamber Music

June 1-July 31: 20^th Music Festival Exhibit, Fort House

June 4:  Big Fun Fair, Friendship Park

June 23-24 Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Tournament

July 4: Barbecue on Kelley House Lawn

July 8:  Little River Albion Fire Barbecue

July 11-23: Mendocino Music Festival

July 15-16: Art Center Summer Arts & Crafts Fair

July 22:  Art Center Festival of Gardens

August 5-6:  Caspar World Folk Festival

August 12: Art in the Gardens

August 23-27:  Vibrant Living Expo, Living Light

September 2-3:  Paul Bunyan Days

September 16:  Big River Run, Walk-a-Thon

October 8:  Abalone Cook-Off and Festival

October 13-15:  Opera Fresca Chamber Opera

More information at www.mendocinocoast.com