Two gallery owners share dos and don’ts for showcasing art at home. –Moderated by Allison Hata
Paul C. Jillson, Owner of Pacific Edge Gallery:
Proper lighting is essential to get the most out displaying artwork. I recommend using halogen light fixtures positioned at an angle to the painting or sculpture rather than directly on it, both to bring out the texture and minimize reflections. When collectors tell me they are out of wall space, I take that as a challenge. I can almost always find a place they hadn’t considered for art where something will hang quite happily, and in the process actually expand the visual perception of the space. It is possible to find an overlooked wall or niche where you wouldn’t normally think of placing artwork, but once it is there, you find yourself seeing the space in an entirely new way. Too often, people are hung up on dimensions or the colors they already have in the room—if they buy something they really love, it will feel right in almost any location.
Carla Tesak, Owner of Saltfineart:
The best way to highlight a piece, other than lighting, is really to find it a home. I believe each home has an individual reality that reflects the hearts and minds of the owners. Every piece belongs somewhere; you need to take the time to move around the house and hold it up in different places. Don’t do it in the abstract—actually hold the piece up. You will be surprised by how sometimes pieces that would not seem to complement each other feel like magic when it actually happens. One of the things that collectors need to be most wary of is the sunlight and what it can do to a canvas. Rather than worrying about keeping the pieces in the dark, the best thing to do is put a great UV film on your windows—that way you can have your collection how you like it. Finally, another thing to be wary of is high traffic or tight areas where people’s purses or clothing can scratch pieces.
Gallery Events
AR4T
For his inaugural show in Laguna Beach, Russ Pope presents a creative social commentary in “Tax Included.” The exhibit will run at AR4T from April 25 – 28, with an opening reception on April 5 from 6 – 9 p.m. (210 N. Coast Hwy; 415-690-6180; ar4t.com)
Sandstone Gallery
Howard Hitchcock’s “Persons of Interest” sculpture and painting exhibit and K.L. Heagan’s “Atmosphaire” landscapes will be on display through April 30. Also exhibiting are Marge Chapman, Sunny Kim, Mada Leach, Anne Moore and Lynn Welker. From May 2 – June 4, mixed media work by Marge Chapman in “It Figures” and abstract paintings by Sunny Kim in “Cosmic Dream” will be featured, with an artists’ reception on May 3 from 6 – 9 p.m. (384-A N. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-6775; sandstonegallery.com)
Silver Blue & Gold
The Ring 4 Spring exhibition displays unique engagement, wedding and just-for-fun rings featuring a variety of metals and stones. Offering an alternative to strictly traditional rings, Ring 4 Spring will be at Silver Blue & Gold through May 20. (1492 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-3000; silverblueandgold.com)
Studio 7 Gallery
A special “Art in Bloom” exhibit features a floral oil painting from 15 plein air artists. The show will run at Studio 7 Gallery’s two locations from May 1 – May 31. (384-B N. Coast Hwy; 949-497-1980; and 1590 S. Coast Hwy. Ste. 3; 949-715-0012; studio7gallery.com)
Laguna Canyon Artists
More than 25 artists and craftspeople from the Laguna Canyon Artists group showcase paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics and more at a special one-day event at the Laguna Canyon Artists enclave. The connected studios will be open to the public for a one-day exhibition on May 12 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (3251 Laguna Canyon Rd.; lagunacanyonartists.com)
Pacific Edge
Plein air paintings by local artists Jacobus Baas and Bryan Mark Taylor will be shown at Pacific Edge Gallery on May 19 with an artists’ reception from 6 – 9 p.m. The exhibits will be on display at the gallery until May 31. (540 Pacific Coast Hwy. #112; 949-494-0491; pacificedgegallery.com)
JoAnne Artman
Expressive women are depicted with a sense of pure whimsical fantasy in the exhibit “Girls, Girls, Girls,” featuring new works by Belgium-born artist Anja Van Herle. Her work, which combines a European sense of high fashion with an American sense of wonder, will be on display at Joanne Artman Gallery through May 31. (326 N. Coast Highway; 949-510-5481; joanneartmangallery.com)
Festival of Arts/foa SOUTH
Making a splash in Laguna is the new exhibit from foaSOUTH, “Selections from the Collection: The Water Show.” Combining the theme of water with the artistic medium of watercolors, the exhibit will be on display through June 5. (1006 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-1145; lagunafestivalofarts.com)
New Girl on the Block
By Allison Hata
Named after literary figure Aurora Dupin, who wrote under the male pseudonym George Sand, the George Gallery celebrates the work and achievements of female artists. Gallery owner Lisa Aslanian believes in exhibiting the strongest and most powerful art, selecting women who have shown all over the world and held their own alongside men.
From bold portrayals of aggressive sexuality to parodies of domesticity, the George Gallery showcases established and emergent artists who transcend gender with their work. Lisa’s focus is on exploring the visually stunning and conceptually acerbic, while creating an open question—“What does it even mean, in 2012, to have an art gallery that only shows women?”
“Art is often gender neutral—so if you only feature art by women, you will not end up with a gallery that feels like a kitchen or a nursery,” Lisa explains. “You get a lot of interesting art that turns gender on its head, either by representing experience from a female perspective or you cannot even tell that the work was made by a woman—[…] this is often the case and the most interesting.”
The George Gallery opened Feb. 2 with “Accomplished,” an exhibition featuring the multimedia work of seven world-renowned female artists. (354 N. Coast Hwy; 949-715-4377; thegeorgegallery.com)
Studio Arts Has Moved
Studio Arts Laguna is now located at 21062 Laguna Canyon Rd., about two miles inland from Main Beach. From the new location in a beautiful canyon setting, owners John and Rebecca Barber enjoy an authentic artist live/work space. An on-site showroom displays selections of work from local artists, including blown glass, jewelry, fused glass and sculptures. Studio tours and glass blowing demonstrations are available by appointment for an inside look at an artist’s creative environment. (949-367-1619; studioartslaguna.com)
Art for Peace
By Allison Hata
Twisted gun barrels, empty chambers and mangled triggers are transformed into figures that evoke images of human faces in Victor Hugo Zayas’ new exhibit, “Mi Obra,” at Laguna Art Museum. Unveiled at an opening reception on Feb. 25, the show features a new sculpture series made from more than two tons of destroyed guns acquired from the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Gun Buyback Program, which encourages individuals to surrender their firearms.
“The 4,000 people that have died in the streets of south Los Angeles, Victor has captured in this exhibit and pays tribute to each and every one of them,” says Pat Gannon, LAPD deputy chief of police.
Taking confiscated guns that were capable of causing great violence, Victor created sculptures that symbolize peace. When the exhibit closes, the sculptures will be donated to the LAPD as a lasting testament to the artist’s effort in making the community a safer place.
“Normally they tell you that you can’t play with guns, but this is the way I play with guns—and I really enjoyed it,” Victor says. “The message that I’d like to get across with these sculptures is the message of transformation. You can take something, it could be very ugly, and you transform it into something beautiful.”
The sculptures, along with paintings from the past 20 years of Victor’s career, are on display through April 29 at Laguna Art Museum (lagunaartmuseum.org).
New museum hours: Monday – Tuesday, Friday – Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; closed Wednesdays. LBM
