'Animal Instincts' Show + Guest Critters = Success Worth Repeating!

Over the years Topanga Canyon Gallery has played host to critters of all kinds, in paintings, photos, sculptures and other art forms. Who can forget the menagerie Debbi Green has created on canvas over the years? (Remember her huge painting of a rooster titled "A Really Big Cock"?) There have been Robyn Feeley's whimsical critters, cheetahs of Carol Hernandez and Felice Willat photos that included animals from faraway climes.

But things were different Friday, August 14, when a number of exotic guests showed up at the opening reception for "Animal Instincts," the gallery's 2009 summer theme show. .

Taht night we had real live critters strutting, stalking, sniffing and slithering around the gallery. They ranged from Snowman the barn owl and Jake the gopher snake to a Kestrel appropriately named Fidel! And no, he wasn't originally from Cuba.

All are current residents at the Nature of Wildworks Animal Sanctuary and Education Center, which provides lifetime care for non-releasable wildlife. And they won the hearts of everyone present.

Fortunately, however, the animals did not hog the attention (pun intended) of everyone all the time. Human guests also focused on the art and purchased a number of pieces, which was fortunate because this was a fundraiser for the Wildworks organization.

Overall, the event was so successful it will be repeated by popular demand in a closing reception on Saturday, August 29 from 5 to 7 pm at the gallery.

"We thoroughly enjoyed sharing our live Wildworks critters with all who attended the opening of Topanga Canyon Gallery's "Animal Instinct" exhibit and will be happy to return for the closing reception," reports Mollie Hogan, founder and president of Wildworks.

"I want to thank Robyn Feeley for her fundraising idea and all the hard work that she and the gallery artists put into this successful event with its fabulous turnout. I am also very impressed with the quality and variety of animal art pieces, especially Zoe Chressanthis' paper mosaic of Phoenix the mountain lion, our "founding animal," which she created and so generously donated for the fund-raising auction. What a special gift from a truly talented artist."

Other works for the auction were donated by Robyn Feeley, TCG president, Fae Horowitz, Debbi Green, Susan Haskell, Robin Becker and Felice Willat. This raised a significant amount that will go directly toward the care and feeding of the 50 current animal residents.

Animals other than those named above who strutted or slithered their stuff at the opening reception and may do a return engagement on August 24 were: Tara, the red-tailed hawk; Arthur the opossum; Harley and Chopper, ferrets, Boxer, an African serval; Stormy, a Western Gray squirrel; and Hopi, an Australian Shepherd.

Wildworks also brings the wonders of nature into California classrooms and other venues through its Educational Outreach Programs. For example, a "Wild in California" program introduces audiences to some of the amazing birds and animals that are native to the golden state. It focuses on the lifestyles and habits of our local critters and the contributions that wild animals can make to the environment.

Other programs explore how animals survive in the wild, the foods they require, how they protect themselves from predators and more. There is even a program that teaches the ins and outs of animal training, both wild and domestic. It covers some techniques anyone can apply to their pets at home.

"Our gallery is pleased to partner with Wildworks in this fundraising effort for a very worthy--and local--organization. We were elated with the success of our opening reception and hope to repeat it at the encore reception on the 24th," says TCG President Feeley.

You need to visit the Nature of Wildworks website to appreciate the depth and breadth of the organization's activities: www.natureofwildworks.org. The site contains a wealth of information about its very worthwhile activities, programs and the animals that live there..

It makes you really appreciate the work Mollie Hogan and her staff are doing, and proud that it's happening in our own backyard.

Annual Studio Tour Is Bigger, Sports 'New Look' This Year!

Topanga Canyon Gallery artists didn't plan it exactly, but the theme for their 8th annual Studio Tour on Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14 definitely could be "New Faces, New Places, New Art." It will be the biggest Tour in TCG history, solidifying its status as the Canyon's premier visual arts event of the year.

Among the 19 member artists and 35 guest artists participating--nearly double the total of just a few years ago--many will be Tour first-timers And a number of the more than 27 studio sites will be part of the Tour for the first time.

Moreover, several Tour veterans will be showing work that is different, in genre, technique or media, from what they have done in the past. A few examples: Linda Bolhuis, some pastels and a new series of paintings on silk inspired by trips to Baja; Rebecca Andrews, miniature whimsical fused glass figurines; Susan Haskell, glass art objects formed by manipulating glass rods over a torch flame.

And every artist involved has worked hard in recent months to produce new art specifically for the Studio Tour. They have also toiled industriously to spruce up their studios and surroundings, providing a fresh look for visitors.

"We're all aware that this is a unique opportunity for the public to share the intimacy of our artists' spaces, to get new insight into where and how, even why, our art is created," says Robyn Feeley, TCG president.

"And we all learn from sharing with our visitors," chimed in Rebecca Catterall, TCG veteran who will be helping in the gallery this year. "A lot of give-and-take goes on that gives our artists a fresh, outsiders' view of their work."

Something else new this year will be live music at the gallery during the Saturday evening reception, provided by keyboardist Court Converse, well-know local musician. Several Tour sites also plan to have live music. Musician Devitt Feeley will be back by popular demand, joining Sophie Pegrum and Robyn Feeley at their 2009 Studio Tour location, Abuelitas Mexican Restaurant.

Studio Tourists will find surprises around every corner: unexpected treats--for the eyes and palates--at various venues. And "getting there" really is at least half the fun. Sights range from grand mountain vistas to cozy studios set in the Canyon's nooks and crannies.

A major benefit of Topanga’s own Studio Tour over city tours of commercial galleries is the pricing. Because the gallery is a co-op group of artists who pay dues and operate it themselves, commission fees are 30 to 50 percent lower than those of typical commercial galleries. “It’s all volunteer labor; every member has a job,” reports Debbie Green, TCG past-president. “Our overhead is low, so we can offer high-quality art at very reasonable prices.”

"Our sponsors have been critical to the Tour's success over the years," reminds veteran TCG member and ceramist Rebecca Catterall. "Steve and Leslie Carlson of Homegrown helped from the start and are current Art Angel sponsors." Art Supporter sponsors include Café Mimosa, Sienna Skin Care, Pritchett Rapf - Chryssa Lightheart, Topanga Theatricum. Art Patron sponsors are: Grolsch Beer, Topanga Lumber, Topanga Properties – Eric Nelson
Self-guided tours begin at Topanga Canyon Gallery, Pine Tree Circle, 120 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, #9, where attendees pick up the comprehensive, detailed (distances given to 1/10th of a mile) Tour Guide. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, June 13, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, June 14. Reception and Silent Auction will be 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Studio Tour tickets, covering both Saturday and Sunday, are now on sale at the gallery and from TCG members. Pre-sale tickets are $15; price at the door on Tour days are $20.


TIPS FOR TOUR NEWBIES

Fill your tank before setting out. There are no gas stations in the Canyon.

Wear comfortable shoes. Some walking is involved, and Topanga isn't big on sidewalks.

Bring a camera! You will be sorry if you don't, as you travel through some of SoCal's most scenic areas.

Have a water bottle in your car. Many studio sites offer drinks and other treats, but it can get thirsty out there.

Call to Digital Artists, Photographers

Hello All,

The following is our first call for entries in the Digital Diversity Open Juried show to be held at the gallery this summer. Yolanda & I are the only digital artist members of the gallery, but many others use digital cameras regularly - and may have photos of a quality suitable for a show such as this one. You may also have friends who might be interested in entering; please pass the information on to them.

Landing Rex Bruce as juror continues our record of having highly qualified judges who are well-known in their fields. Rex has been a pioneer and true mover & shaker in the digital art world. Click here to visit his Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, which regularly draws hundreds of entries from all over the world for its exhibits. It is not just an L.A. center for digital art, but has become one of the more important national, even international venues for such work since Rex founded it five years ago.

Here is the generic call to artists; I will also prepare targeted examples for such groups as computer & camera clubs and artist organizations, plus exclusive feature articles for many of the publications on our mailing list. Barbara Kolo also has agreed to help me get the word out to online sites to whom she sent Calls to Artists for our January Open Juried show. Thanks, Barbara.

I must also pay tribute to Yolanda Klappert, show co-curator, who has been doing her usual outstanding behind-the-scenes work on this event. Having a digital show at TCG has been a joint dream of ours for well over a year. Yolanda never seeks credit for all the contributions she makes to the gallery and working of the Digital Diversity exhibit is no exception - but she is more than a full partner in the effort. - Ken Fermoyle

Topanga Canyon Gallery Issues

Call to Digital Artists, Photographers

Topanga Canyon Gallery announces Digital Diversity, a juried open exhibit exclusively for digital art and photography. It will be held June 22 to July 15. Juror will be Rex Bruce, artistic director and curator of the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art (LACDA). Cash ($300, $200, $100) and merchandise prizes will be awarded.

"We are extremely fortunate to have Mr. Bruce as our judge," notes Ken Fermoyle, Digital Diversity co-curator. "Since opening LACDA five years ago he has played an important role in the rapidly growing field of digital art. He is known internationally for his advocacy and leadership in the digital arts world, having curated or participated in over 60 exhibits, panels, screening and other digital events."

An innovative feature of the exhibit is that every entry will be displayed, reports Yolanda Klappert, co-curator. "We will hang all work selected by Rex Bruce on gallery walls, but all other entries will be displayed digitally as slide shows throughout the run of the exhibit.

"We feel this not only will give our artists great exposure, but will also demonstrate to gallery visitors the full measure of diversity that is a hallmark of the digital arts world today."

All digital artists and photographers are eligible to enter. Deadline is May 15, 2009 and fees are $25 for two entries, $35 for three entries, $40 for four entries.

Topanga Canyon Gallery is located at #109. 120 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. in the Santa Monica Mountain community of Topanga, CA 90290. It draws patrons, collectors and art aficionados from nearby Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, the Westside, the west San Fernando Valley (Encino to Woodland Hills and Calabasas). plus the Conejo Valley.

Click here for prospectus and entry form. For additional information, contact Ken Fermoyle at mailto:digital.kenf@gmail.com

Local Gallery Artist with International Credentials

As a writer for many decades, I am always pleased to happen on an apt word or phrase. As a late-blooming artist, I appreciate work that is innovative, beautifully done and draws one in to its very core. I found this combination our own Barbara Kolo, a very active Topanga Canyon Gallery artist of considerable talent and\ impressive credentials – as will be apparent when her solo show opens March 9 at the gallery.

The term she uses to describe her paintings, Neo-Pontillism, is spot on (though after eight years of neo-cons in Washington, I thought I’d never want to see the “neo” prefix again). Since pontillism was also called "post impressionism," she could call her work "post-post-impressionism," but that does not trip lightly from the tongue. Barbara’s paintings are a 21^st century version of the genre Georges Seurat pioneered in the 1800s. But she updated more than the name of the style; she also gave the technique she uses a 21^st century twist.

She replaces the brushes and oils that Seurat, Paul Signac, Henri-Edmond Cross and other early pontillists used with squeeze bottles filled with modern acrylic paints. “The squeeze bottles enable me to make long drips of paint that set up the structure of each painting as well as the pointillist "dots,” Barbara explains. So, new name, new technique, new tools, new medium; definitely 21^st century!

Barbara refuses to call what she does revolutionary. “I feel that I've taken different elements from different eras in art and mixed them together. The result is different, but not revolutionary,” she says.

Ok, point taken, but her work and how she creates it has certainly evolved from the early pontillists. Her paintings are much more abstract than, say, Seurat’s "Bathing at Asnières" or Signac’s “Port St. Tropez.” Contrast them with Barbara/s “Myth” or “Mirage,” one of two Kolo pieces currently on display at a show in LAX Terminal 1, "In the Abstract", sponsored by the Angeles Cultural Affairs Department. She was also selected for the 2007 annual TCG Juried Open exhibit by Laddie John Dill, show judge and internationally known sculptor/artist.

 

And these are just the latest in a long list of Barbara’s impressive solo and group credits, which include exhibits in Paris, New York and all over Southern California. Here are just a few samples:  2008 Brand Library Art Galleries, "Circle in the Square" Glendale, CA; 2007 Kanvas, “Paintings of Color and Light”-NYC; 2003 Off Rose Gallery, “ColorRhythms”-Venice, CA; 2002 Pluralism, “Dessins & Peintures”-Paris, France; 2001 WICE, “Before and Paris”-Paris, France; 1999; Knickerbocker Gallery, “Flora: Inspiration, Subject, Metaphor”-NYC 1999 Brand Library Art Galleries, “The Black & White Series”-Glendale, CA; 1996 Antioch University Los Angeles, “Recent Work”, Marina Del Rey, CA; 1993 School of Visual Arts, “Pastel Paintings”, NYC. 

Having developed an appreciation for art from an early age, her interest in drawing and painting led her to attend the High School of Art and Design, followed by The School of Visual Arts, receiving her BFA in 1981.

During the 1980's she built a career as an award-winning art director in creative advertising for films and television. It was this career that bought her to Los Angeles in 1989. As an independent freelance art director, she worked with major film and design studios specializing in film advertising. In 1991, she became Director of Print Advertising at Universal Studios. 

Barbara's early interest in drawing and painting never diminished throughout this period. During the early '90's, she began to develop her own personal artistic voice, and also joined Los Angeles based artists organizations such as SITE (Seeking It Through Exhibition) to become more involved in the art community.

Her drawings were soon being included in local group shows and national juried shows. In 1992 the School of Visual Arts, in a very special gesture, gave her a solo show, a rare occurrence for an alumna of eleven years. Over the next few years, Barbara's drawings were accepted in more group shows and commissions and sales followed.

Slowly, this second career as a fine artist became her main focus. She welcomed a chance to work, exhibit, and live in Paris, France for two years in 2001.

Barbara's work was included in an exhibit at the American Chamber of Commerce, "La Genie de la Bastille" (a Parisian event similar to the Venice Art Walk) both in Paris. Outside of Paris, her work was also included in an exhibit with Voeux D'Artists at the Palais des Arts in Marseilles and a group exhibit in Descartes, France. When asked about the future of her career as an artist Barbara said, "I want to focus on developing my artwork to a higher level artistically, expanding it conceptually and reaching a wider audience."

You can see samples online here on the TCG website and on her own site.