Janet Robinson, OUSD Chair of the April 2024 Arts Ambassadors exhibit in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, provided the above photo of Hugo Slinsky’s artwork entitled “Crane.” He is a fifth grader at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School in Orinda where Robinson teaches.
Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: 17th Arts Ambassadors – Youthful Art Lightens the Heart
The Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC) presents artwork from students in grades one through eight of the Orinda Union School District (OUSD) April 8 – 26 in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library. Participating elementary schools include Del Rey, Glorietta, Sleepy Hollow and Wagner Ranch. Orinda Intermediate School (OIS) is also participating.
Meet the students, their families, friends and art educators at a reception on April 25 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Orinda Network for Education (ONE) is hosting a snack table where students can pick up their Arts Ambassadors ribbons. Enjoy the OIS Jazz Band on the terrace and at 5 p.m., a fourth- and fifth-grade instrumental ensemble performance in the Library Auditorium.
Janet Robinson, a Sleepy Hollow art educator and event organizer, thanks OUSD art educators Bee Adams-Walker, Tim Christianson and Sean Ferguson for heading up the student art collections; Executive Director Emily Allen of ONE and Executive Director Ali Kozoll and Board Member Lois Reynolds Mead of the LAC, who have been instrumental in organizing and funding the exhibit and event.
Allen expressed gratitude for the integral role art educators, school families, local businesses, Lamorinda Arts Council and community members play in keeping the schools’ art programming meaningful and vital to students.
“Once you see the joy on the faces of young Arts Ambassadors, there is no doubt of the positive influence art education has on students,” said Allen. “Join us as we celebrate these achievements together.”
Visit the Gallery to view student artwork April 8 – 26 at 26 Orinda Way. Hours are Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and closed Sundays. Call 925.254.2184 for more information or visit ccclib.org. For exhibit information, email gallery@lamorindaarts.org, visit lamorindaArts.org/ or call 925.359.4490.
Lance Jackson’s acrylic painting “Five Ents” pulls us into J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world of Middle-earth where “Ents” closely resemble trees. They are giant sentient beings which appeared in “The Lord of the Rings” as ancient shepherds of the forest and allies of the free peoples of Middle-earth during the War of the Ring. Today we might call them environmentalists.
Art Gallery at Wilder: Artistic License – Married to Art
The Lamorinda Arts Council invites you to meet espoused artists Lance Jackson and Barbara Lind of Orinda in the Art Gallery at Wilder on Sunday, April 7, at a reception in their honor from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., where light refreshments will be served. Jackson draws inspiration from traditional news media, echoing his career in media illustration and digital design.
His acrylic painting “Five Ents” pulls us into J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world of Middle-earth where “Ents” closely resemble trees. They look like giant sentient beings which appeared in “The Lord of the Rings” as ancient shepherds of the forest and allies of the free peoples of Middle-earth during the War of the Ring. Today we call them environmental activists as these Ents attended a 2018 Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.
Barbara Lind has touched many art forms in her creative life: drawing with pencil, charcoal, pastels, ink; painting with watercolors and oils; and calligraphy for the immediacy of that art form.
“The silver lining in the pandemic for me was the wealth of artistic resources online. I took Zoom classes with great teachers and artists and was exposed to many different painting styles,” said Lind.
Look for her “Calla Lily” watercolor, a welcome harbinger of local gardens in spring.
Lind just started painting plants and works exclusively from photos.
“I do life drawing at the Orinda Community Center and watercolor classes from Leslie Wilson through the Walnut Creek Recreation Center,” she said. “I’ve taken some classes at proko.com to learn more about anatomy to improve my eye.”
Her current artistic influences are Stephen Zhang and Brenda Swenson, plus Charles Reid in the field of watercolors.
Visit the Art Gallery at Wilder, 20 Orinda Fields Way, Orinda, Monday – Friday from 3 – 5 p.m. For more information visit LamorindaArts.org/galleries-2, email info@LamorindaArts.org or call 925.359.9940. Be sure to download the PDF with directions if you plan to visit.
