July in the Art Galleries at the Orinda Library and Wilder
Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: Lords of the Garden Drawings, Juxtamorph Sculpture, “You Are Here” Paintings and Photos from the Road Less Traveled
Poet Mary Oliver advises, “If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it.” Summertime provides many opportunities to experience joyful moments in nature, perhaps via a fragrant breeze of blooming jasmine or grass between one’s toes. The artists in the July gallery have already been sparked by joy, as is evident in what they exhibit.
Carla Gelbaum creates large-scale acrylic paintings exploring the juxtaposition of seemingly improbable past, present and future moments with the people and places she cares about. Her current series entitled “You Are Here” borrows a familiar phrase from maps. In her case, the phrase refers to merging different places, people and times into the present moment within her painting. The butterflies hovering in her 36” x 60” You Are Here No. 1 acrylic painting set a tone of wonder and delight.
Gelbaum, of Moraga, explains what goes into each of her pieces: “My paintings contain images of impossible encounters and of settings that blend my dreams and memories in order to manifest a new reality, one that dares to be both nostalgic and full of enthusiasm for the future.” She added, “They’re made with love and deep appreciation for all the people in my life, past, present and even future!”
Keep up with Gelbaum’s creative activities on Instagram @carlamakesart or www.cwgelbaum.com.
The butterflies hovering in Carla Gelbaum’s 36” x 60” acrylic on canvas entitled You Are Here No. 1 set a tone of wonder and delight in this multi-dimensional window setting.
Tim Hancock of Lafayette is a longtime freelance illustrator, art teacher and advocate of “Tradigital” art.
Tradigital art combines traditional media, such as pen and ink drawings, with the use of digital software, such as Procreate. His signature anthropomorphic illustrations, drawings and sketches are familiar to many. Who else would create “Sir Grasshopper Bopper,” a rabbit who walks with a carrot cane? He is exhibiting prints of his pen and ink drawings.
Hancock enjoys evoking humor and fashioning uplifting illustrations in his artwork.
“My Lords of the Garden theme comes from a timeless tradition of classically illustrated tales, including Brer Rabbit drawn by A.B. Frost, and Wind and the Willows, drawn by E.H. Shepard,” he said.
He recently completed an Artify Orinda public art project by painting an electrical box for the Lamorinda Arts Council. Located in front of Rite Aid (across from the Community Center), it depicts two of his favorite characters, the kindly Sir Grasshopper Bopper rabbit and the wily Huckleberry Fox. Follow Hancock @Timhartccc on Instagram or visit www.timhart.org.
Karl Stinson of Walnut Creek is a “Road Less Traveled” traveler who revels in taking photos of people on the streets of the world. He is displaying a collection of 48, 8” x 10” color photographic prints entitled “People of the World.”
Stinson’s photograph, “Custodian, Amber Fort, Jaipur, India,” conjures robes dipped in saffron, draped over a gracile citizen. His two central messages, apparent throughout his exhibit, are “The world is full of fascinating, colorful, friendly people” and “Keep on
traveling.”
Andrew Werby is a sculptor who lives in Berkeley and works out of his studio in Oakland. His ongoing artistic project grew out of a hands-on approach to the art of bronze casting, which he began as a student at UC Berkeley.
Instead of creating models in clay and turning them over to technicians for mold making and casting, he learned how to do this work himself. His graceful steeple-like 10” x 4” x 4” SLD (Selective Laser Sintering) 3D print titled “Rubrum Viridis” reminds one of intricate lacework.
“My fascination with the process of making molds, particularly of natural objects that can be transformed into personal art objects, has broadened over time,” he said.
Werby coined the term, ‘Juxtamorph art,’ which he defines as combining forms, textures and images taken directly from nature using molds, impressions, photographs and holograms. To push the boundaries of art making, he uses 3D scanning and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining, among other technological innovations.
His exhibition of 20 pieces spans the development of his “Juxtamorph” process from bronze casting into other media, such as ceramics, wood and 3D printing.
“As people puzzle over the various forms and textures in my work, I want them to realize these things are all around us in nature, exuding natural beauty,” said Werby. “This beauty speaks to us, even if we are not listening.”
Learn more about Juxtamorph art at www.juxtamorph.com.
To learn more about the Lamorinda Arts Council, visit www.lamorindaarts.org. This exhibit runs July 1 through 31 in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way. Hours are Mon. – Thur., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. – Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sunday. The Library is closed July 4. Call 925.254.2184 for more information about the Library or visit www.ccclib.org. Email the curators with questions at gallery@lamorindaarts.org or call the Lamorinda Arts Council at 925.359.9940.
Craft designer and woodworker Grant Glossop patinated offcuts of pine using a variety of techniques then added a painted panel to complete his 12” x 9” x 3” work entitled Sheffield #73. Watch him demonstrate these techniques during his July 10 reception.
Art Gallery at Wilder: Reclaimed Wood Transformed with Patina and Imagination
The Lamorinda Arts Council presents the woodwork designs of Grant Glossop at their Art Gallery at Wilder, Sunday, July 10 through Saturday, Aug. 6. Meet the artist July 10 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., where light refreshments will be served. Glossop will demonstrate a variety of woodworking treatments, including patination options at different stages of design completion during his reception. Patination is a generic term meaning changing the surface of any material (such as wood, metal or cloth) with a substance.
Glossop, who hails from Yorkshire in the U.K., now lives in Novato. He first trained as a jeweler in the U.K. where he developed his love of working with metals. After finishing art school, he became interested in creating larger pieces. This led him to incorporate wood into his designs.
For many years, Glossop designed and created work for himself, but that changed during the pandemic. Glossop launched a website to expand his reach.
“Creating during quarantine helped me find some kind of balance during a challenging time,” he said.
His goal is to make something someone else sees as beautiful. His 12” x 4” x 4” “Loxley Floating Box,” made of treated wood and paint, seems to hover above its resting place, catching the eye and imagination. Learn more about Glossop’s work at www.grantglossop.com.
The Wilder Art and Garden Center is located at 20 Orinda Fields Way. It is in-person for the opening July 10 but virtual the rest of the month because of COVID-19 restrictions. Viewings by appointment with Curator Aniston Breslin can be arranged by request at anistonbreslin@berkeley.edu. For more information, call the Lamorinda Arts Council at 925.359.9940.
Elana O’Loskey can be reached at business.orinda@gmail.com.
