Prints from the Clark Foundation for Mexican Folk Art

Presenter:
Chevron

Patron:
Aera Energy LLC

Sponsors:
Carlo and Renata Bocardo
Robert Tafoya and Sandra Serrano
Gary and Nancy Sampson

The 85 linoleum block prints presented in this exhibition portray important episodes of the Mexican Revolution by 16 artists from the Taller de Gráfica Popular, People’s Graphic Workshop or TGP. Founded in 1937 by artists Leopoldo Mendez, Pablo O’Higgins, and Luis Arenal, Taller was a vibrant collective of established and emerging artists committed to the direct use of visual art in the interest of social change.

Many of the artists in Taller had fought in the Revolution and their ideals are strongly imbued in these powerful prints. Fame was not an objective for these artists; rather, they saw the value in the collective process and were primarily focused on educating the masses about the struggles and triumphs that surrounded the Mexican Revolution. Today, their significance resonates far beyond the Mexican borders, educating people worldwide.

Paintings By Chelsea James and Ryan Reynolds

Presenting Sponsors:
Fred and Ginny Hamisch

Sponsored By:
Tejon Ranch Company
Susan and Rod Hersberger

This exhibit features the work of Chelsea James and Ryan Reynolds, two painters who examine the subtleties of their surroundings, and record the persistent changes of everyday landscapes. These artists portray actual sites as inspiration focusing on the elements of time, space, and light. Reynolds’ congested freeways and urban environments are complemented by James’ delicate stillness of vast countrysides. Together, the two present work illustrating the transformation of the landscapes with the passing of time.

PICTURE: “Above,” by Chelsea James.

Print Based Work from La Mano Press and La Mano Gráfica

Lethal Beauty: Samurai Weapons and Armor
September 15, 2011- November 27, 2011

The striking duality of deadly weaponry forged with artistic beauty is on full display in Lethal Beauty.  With approximately 65 works by more than 30 master craftsmen from the 13th to 20th centuries, the exhibition features full suits of armor, helmets, warrior hats, face masks, long and short swords, daggers, rifles, and more. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Andreas Marks, the director and chief curator of the Clark Center for Japanese Art.

Convergence: Selected Work From the Art Faculty at Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield
September 15, 2011- November 27, 2011

The BC and CSUB Art Department faculty members consist of practicing artists and art professionals who exhibit and publish regionally, nationally, and internationally. The Bakersfield Museum of Art highlights this group of distinguished faculty members for a multifaceted exhibit. Convergence features the selected works from twenty different faculty members and focuses on the wide range of disciplines including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, assemblage, and multimedia work.

 Art Sherwyn-Us: The Connecting Line
September 15, 2011- November 27, 2011

For over thirty-five years Art Sherwyn has been creating and teaching art. Sherwyn’s latest works focus on the physical exchange and interactions of people that have come into and out of his life. This exciting exhibit features new drawings that focus on the idiosyncrasies of human interaction. Art examines the simplicities of life such as the mundane task of waiting to board a bus or the delicate touch of a familiar hand. Art’s notable gestural lines move into and out of his figural subjects creating movement and adding excitement to life’s quieter moments.

California Art Club – Splendor: Paintings of the Tejon Ranch
June 16, 2011- August 29, 2011

The Tejon Ranch is one of the most impressive preserved expanses of land in not only California, but also the United States. From forests to high desert, the 270,000-acre ranch offers amazing vistas, rolling hills, 400-year-old oak trees, wildlife and blankets of wildflowers. In celebration of the centennial of the historic California Art Club and its 100 years of capturing California’s natural resources on canvas, artist members of the organization were given unprecedented access to paint at the ranch during 2010 and 2011. The finest of the resulting paintings are displayed in this exhibition.

 Visual Arts Festival: Juried Fine Art Small Works Exhibition
June 16, 2011- August 29, 2011

For the 2011 Visual Arts Festival, California artists were asked to create artwork in any medium dealing with the theme: Connection. The work shown in the exhibition was selected by juror Joe Davidson, a contemporary artist who had work featured in the  Mini-Size Me Exhibit. These pieces, in two or three dimensions and up to 14 x 14 inches, are available for sale.

Mini Size Me: A Monumental Critique on Today’s Hand Held Society
June 16, 2011- August 29, 2011

“The bigger the better,” is an antiquated statement to today’s generation.  Smartphones, ipads, and ipods allow access to the world via a tiny screen in the palm of the hand. Society has been trained to look, watch and read in a miniature fashion.  Artists, whether inadvertently or not, have responded to this shift by critiquing society in various tiny mediums.

 Participating artists are Larissa Bates, Joe Davidson, Thomas Doyle, Misako Inoaka, Adia Millett, Coke Wisdom O’Neal and Slinkachu.

 Anne Laddon, Celebrating Color: Impressions of the Central California Landscape
June 16, 2011- August 29, 2011

For over 30 years, artist Anne Laddon has focused on color and design in her work. This exhibit highlights Laddon’s interpretations of central California ranches, hayfields, and coastal vineyards, in a full spectrum of saturated colors. Her simplified forms create a distinctive vision of this classic California landscape. Laddon’s studio is located on a cattle ranch west of Paso Robles.

Eye Gallery: Inside Out
June 16, 2011- August 29, 2011

Once again the Bakersfield Museum of Art has partnered with The Bakersfield Californian with Eye Gallery, a project inviting artists to contribute work for exhibition at the Museum as well as publication in the newspaper.  The 2011 theme – Inside Out – focuses on artists who either have roots in the Bakersfield but are living elsewhere or artists who have moved to Bakersfield and now call it home.  Participating Artists: Julia Heatherwick, Julie Nueberg, Katie Gilfoy, Marissa Mercado, Harry Wilson, Andy Anderson, Brent Eviston, Floyd Dillon, Berklee Comstock and Ron Pete.

California Fiber Art: Fiber Optics
March 24, 2011 – May 29, 2011

CFA is a group of independent fiber artist who have joined their collective works together forming exhibitions of exciting and diverse fiber art. California Fiber Artist describe their work as fusion art using fiber as well as other mediums to develop texture, shape, color, and design. The 28 members present skills ranging from sculpture, basketry, mixed media, art quilts and other fiber related materials.

Cathy Breslaw: Explorations: Space and Light
March 24, 2011 – May 29, 2011

Space and light are central to the contemporary visual artist Cathy Breslaw, whose skillful layering of unordinary materials results in extraordinary sculptural pieces. Her current work engages materiality. Twisting, stretching, wrapping, tapering, weaving, slashing, tucking, tying, gathering, folding, layering and sewing are ways in which the industrial mesh is manipulated to create wall and suspended installation works that often reference painting and sculpture in their formal considerations.

Simple Complexities: Still Life Paintings by Angus Wilson
March 24, 2011 – May 29, 2011

Angus Wilson was born and raised in Scotland and has lived in numerous cities throughout the UK, as well as spending a period of time working in California. His new work focuses on common objects used in a clean and simple manner. He then dissects the work with horizontal and vertical lines that both fracture and unity the painting, adding complexity and depth to his still likes.

Space/Silence/Spirit Maynard Dixon’s West: The Hays Collection
December 9, 2010 – March 6, 2011

This traveling exhibition of paintings, illustrations and drawings by Lafayette Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) are drawn from the private collection of Lalla and A.P. (Abe) Hays of Paradise Valley, Arizona. Their collection, Space, Silence, Spirit: Maynard Dixon’s West, The Hays Collection, spans six decades, dating from 1892 to 1944.

Marco Casentini: Grand Junction
December 9, 2010 – March 6, 2011

Extending his paintings beyond the confines of the canvas, Italian artist, Marco Casentini, known for his monumental works and saturated color palette, will transform the Ablin gallery into a site-specific installation piece. Inspired by the forms and colors of urban space Casentini will deconstruct the cityscape of Southern California through lines, grids and shapes using wall murals and works on Plexiglas.

Uniquely Ours: Modern Architects in Bakersfield
Exploring the Local Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright & Richard Neutra
December 9, 2010 – March 6, 2011

Three families living in Bakersfield commissioned two of the most formidable architects of their time: Richard Neutra and Frank Lloyd Wright, to design their homes.  As a result, these residences left an indelible mark of modernism in Kern County’s history.  Through photographs, documents, furniture, and sketches, this exhibition will highlight and celebrate the distinct designs these imperative architects have contributed to Bakersfield.

Visual Arts Festival: Juried Fine Art Small Works Exhibition
September 9, 2010 – November 21, 2010

Open to all California artist, juried small works will be on display in the Cunningham Gallery. The theme for 2010 is “Vessels,” and artist were invited to create pieces depicting their version of that concept, using all mediums. These pieces, in two or three dimensions and up to 12 x 12 inches, are available for sale. Juror is Aron Wiesenfeld, a contemporary painter who recently exhibited at the museum.

Pamela Hill Enticknap: Currents
September 9, 2010 – November 21, 2010

Carpentaria artist, Pamela Hill Enticknap, observes and sketches human activity at the beach and translates these into paintings. Her on-location sketches enable her to capture her subject’s spontaneity, fluidity and gesture. Attracted to beautiful shapes and colors rather than specifics, the identities of the subjects become unimportant. Her continuously changing compositions are never identical to the preliminary drawings.  This preserves a level of vibrancy in her final paintings. The final result is a fluid composition that uses color and gesture to convey a leisurely moment in contemporary America.

The Ceramic Art of David Furman: Forty Years in the Making 1970-2010
September 9, 2010 – November 21, 2010

David Furman is Professor Emeritus at two of the Claremont Colleges in California, where he occupied the Peter and Gloria Chair from 2004 to 2007. He has had over 45 one-person shows, and his work has been included in exhibitions at the Whitney Museum in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. Furman developed a fascination with ceramic at an early age, eventually mastering trompe l’oeil which reflects his personality as a perfectionist. His narrative sculptures are often whimsical and humorous, colorful and dazzling to the eye.

Eye Gallery: Close to Home
September 9, 2010 – November 21, 2010

The Bakersfield Californian has once again commissioned a group of Kern County artist to create pieces for the gallery as well as for publication in the newspaper. Over ten artists were selected this year and have created pieces with the theme of “Close to Home.” These wonderful artworks will be on display in the Chevron Gallery.  Participating artists: Alison Beitzel, Brian Demarest, David Gordon, Larry Jason, Lila Martin, Chris McKee, Nancy Merrick, Mel Paleo, Samantha Purdy, Barbara Reid, Norma Savage, Nicole Saint-John, Matthew Slominski, and Hank Washington.

The Best Of the West: Bakersfield Collects
June 10, 2010 – August 22, 2010

The Best of the West exhibit is comprised from seventeen local lenders with eclectic western collections.  The exhibit showcases paintings, watercolors, bronze and wood sculptures, etchings, ceramics, buffalo heads, artifacts including spurs, bits, saddles, ropes, bridles, blankets, guns boots, hats and chaps, and stage coaches.  Pieces date from over from well over a hundred years to the present depicting Native American Art, Cowboys and Southwestern contemporary art.

The Masterworks of Western Paintings
June 10, 2010 – August 22, 2010

This exhibit will begin as the era began with panoramic, colorful and lyrical paintings of the 19^th century with Albert Bierstadt. The melodramatic canvases of the Sierra, along with his studies, created an atmosphere that was innovative to the West. The exhibit will move to the Southwest, to those chroniclers of an early 20^th century, 1890’s through 1927. Maynard Dixon, Walter Ufer, Joseph Sharp, and contemporaries who have depicted the vistas, the grand canyons, monolithic forms of red and ocher buttes, Native Americans and of course cowboys and horses. Other exhibiting artists include: Edgar Payne, George Caitlin, Conrad Buff, Carl Oscar Borg, Edward Borein, and Frank Tenney Johnson.

Aron Wiesenfeld Paintings and Drawings 
June 10, 2010 – August 22, 2010

This retrospective is a cross section of the work Weisenfeld has been doing for the past five years. The inhabitants of these drawings and paintings confront perilous circumstances on quixotic paths to freedom. They may be labeled pilgrims, refugees, or nomads; brazenly questing into the unknown with self possessed determination. They travel through the silent, “non” places of the world, between the cultivated and the wild, where materiality softens under the pressure of fantasy.

They Swim, Fly, Wiggle, Walk, or Slither: The Hidden Code of Animals in Japanese Art
March 11, 2010 – May 30, 2010

The Japanese fauna is rich with animals like the carp and the rooster that carry symbolic significance. From turtles to peacocks and tigers to fireflies, this exhibition on loan from the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture introduces seventeen different animals and their meanings. This exhibition presents the animals in four groups, starting with examples from the Zodiac animals. The aquatic animals like the carp and the large amount of flying animals are the next two groups that are discussed. Both these groups consist of animals that are domestic to Japan. The exhibition concludes with illustrations of “exotic” foreign animals like giraffes that found their way into Japanese art.

Betty Finch: Home Grown
March 11, 2010 – May 30, 2010

Growing up, Finch made many of her own toys out of natural material.  In high school, she admired the accomplishments of Lewis Pasteur, and began mimicking his gardening experiments with plant genetics. In her adult life, Finch worked as a Deputy for the Kern County Sheriff’s Department where her 25-year career included, Patrol, Homicide Detective, and CSI Sergeant in addition to being the department forensic artist, attending the FBI Academy facial composite course in Virginia. After retiring, Betty returned to her roots, combining her passions for plant experiments and creativity. In this exhibit Finch blends the lines between plants, animals and humans in her gourd art creations, merging her FBI facial reconstruction skills with her avid interest in nature.

Francis Baker: Everyday Garden
March 11, 2010 – May 30, 2010

While repotting some plants, Francis Baker became fascinated by the root structures that formed the cylindrical shape of the pot. This exhibition is a series of photographs and three-dimensional pieces that experiment with the casting of roots in the shapes of everyday objects thereby challenging the meaning of both.

Hobos to Street People: Artists’ Response to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present
December 10, 2009 – February 21, 2010

The California Exhibition Resources Alliance presents a timely exhibit featuring the works of 30 artists working over the last 75 years to document the tragedy of homelessness and the government’s role in the crisis.  Through painting, printmaking, photography, and mixed media, Depression-era and contemporary artists offer glimpses of life on the street and show many similarities between the eras.  An Audio Tour featuring the exhibition curator Art Hazelwood, historian Dr. Charles Wollenberg, advisor Paul Boden, and several of the artists add additional insights into the issue of homelessness and the work of the artists.

Loss and Redemption: The Art of James McMillan
December 10, 2009 – February 21, 2010

Loss and Redemption: The Art of James McMillan is a portrayal of racial injustice and the resulting desolation.  According to McMillan, his work, especially that of the 1950s and ‘60s, clearly examines the depths of personal loss, of the deep psychological damage caused to individual American blacks by institutional and everyday racial injustice.

Felix Adamo: Society’s Edge
December 10, 2009 – February 21, 2010

Local photographer, Felix Adamo, will show photos taken between 1980 and the present of the homeless in Bakersfield in an exhibit titled Society’s Edge. Adamo said he began photographing the homeless as a news photographer for The Bakersfield Californian and finds it interesting that the issue of homelessness remains a constant in the Bakersfield community. His photographs will be for sale, with all proceeds donated to the Bakersfield Rescue Mission and the Bakersfield Homeless Center.

No Place to Go: Paintings of the Homeless by Pat Berger
December 10, 2009 – February 21, 2010

No Place to Go: Paintings of the Homeless by Pat Berger is a compilation by the Los Angeles artist who spent over five years in the 1980s on skid row in Los Angeles, making a statement through paintings to bring attention to the issue of homelessness.

The Colors of China: Paintings, Calligraphy, and Children’s Art
September 17, 2009 – November 22, 2009

The year 2009 is the 30^th Anniversary of the diplomatic relationship established between China and the United States. A group of adult and youth painters from China will show their artworks to American public at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. The 30 years of reform in China has resulted in great change in the country.  A more diversified and “colorful” society has emerged compared with the “single colored” society of past decades. We can see much development in the Chinese painters as they express themselves with more color and exquisite line and brushwork. The world in their eyes comes from the heart. “The Colors of China: Paintings, Calligraphy and Children’s Art.” Is comprised of 40 artworks represented by the renowned adult painters from all over China. In addition, 80 artworks will be executed by children from different providences of China.

Dia De Los Muertos: Day of the Dead
September 17, 2009 – November 22, 2009

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to the indigenous peoples such as the Olmec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Mexican, Aztec, Maya, P’urhépecha, and Totonac. The festivities were dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, known as the “Lady of the Dead,” corresponding to the modern Catrina.This exhibition introduces historical images by José Guadalupe Posada as well as an impressive installation by the Linares Family, which is inspired by a Posada image. The exhibition also includes contemporary paintings and sculptures and an altar with 50 porcelain sculls transformed into pieces of art by artists of our community and beyond historical images by José Guadalupe Posada as well as an impressive installation by the Linares Family, which is inspired by a Posada image. The exhibition also includes contemporary paintings and sculptures and an altar with 50 porcelain sculls transformed into pieces of art by artists of our community and beyond.

Visual Arts Festival: Roots
May 14, 2009 – August 30, 2009

This year the Visual Arts Small Works exhibit will change to a uniform format of 12 x 12 inch paintings and sculptures. This year’s subject matter is “ROOTS”. ”Roots” conjures up a multitude of interpretations from the literal to historical and political, natural and synthetic. The interpretation is open to the artist.

Just Some Guy Making Stuff in His Garage: Ceramic Sculptures by David Hallaway
May 14, 2009 – August 30, 2009

Hallaway grew up in the south. As a child he learned the discipline of copying old master’s works in oils. He attended a variety of universities and art schools. A third generation salesman, he told stories of wheeling, dealing, and soul stealing. He recorded these stories and began to sketch and in the “big stack of brilliance” there were a few good stories that were made into clay. These daunting sculptural images are allegories of everyday characters catapulted into surreal conditions.

Salvador Dali: The Divine Comedy
May 14, 2009 – August 30, 2009

In 1957, the Italian Government commissioned Salvador Dalí to illustrate Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Dalí’s 100 watercolors were to be reproduced as wood engravings and released as a limited edition print suite in honor of the 700th anniversary of Dante’s birth. When the project was announced to the public, Italians were outraged that a Spaniard had been chosen to honor the anniversary of Dante’s birth and the commission was rescinded. Dalí, confident that a publisher could be found, continued to work on the project. In order to translate Dalí’s watercolors into printed plates, two artists hand-carved 3,500 blocks, a process that lasted five years. French Publishers Editions les Heures Claires and Editions Joseph Horet jointly produced the “Divine Comedy” Print Suite in 1964. Dalí considered this project to be one of the most important of his career. The Bakersfield Museum of Art is proud to present a selection of 30 of Dali’s Divine Comedy woodcuts.

Ludvic: The Dynamic Interval of Art
February 26 2009 – April 26, 2009

Ludvic is both a painter and sculptor who is known for the diversity of works he creates. His series of works are created at times exclusively and at other times simultaneously. From large and small abstract paintings, still life food paintings, sculptures created from scrap metal and more intimate sized pieces created from old American tools, his work has been featured in numerous museums and galleries nationally and internationally. He has been most recently exhibited at the Hunterdon Museum of Art, The Noyes Museum of Art, the Janes Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum and the Montclair University Gallery. Born in Sudan and raised in Cairo, Ludvic has a BA in Architecture. He continued his art studies in Europe and received his masters degree from Basel School of Art in Switzerland. In the mid-1980′s, Ludvic opened his studio in New York City where he began working larger scale.

Michael Chittock: Great White Hunter
February 26 2009 – April 26, 2009

Michael Chittock’s paintings are expressions of his fascination with the human animal in the society of the spectacle. His work explores the ever-evolving relationship that we have to our social, cultural and political contexts and how these produce the ideas we hold about ourselves. Friends, family and other relationships are the primary sites he works with in his paintings about the complexities of human communications.

Harlem Renaissance Legacy and Beyond
December 11, 2008-February 15, 2009

The Harlem Renaissance took place from 1920-1930 as an unprecedented outburst of creative activity among African-Americans and occurred in all fields of art. Harlem attracted a prosperous and stylish black middle class from which sprang an extraordinary artistic center. Like avant-garde movements in Europe, it embraced all artforms, including music, dance, film, theatre and cabaret. This exhibit will include works from Romare Bear-den, Jacob Lawrence, and Aaron Douglas.

Phil Joanou: Reflections
December 11, 2008-February 15, 2009

Joanou is a Pasadena, California based artist. He sees his art as being influenced by his experience with mass communications and psychology because of his background in the advertising industry. Gerritt Henry, contributing editor for Art News and The New York Times wrote, “Joanou is a social commentator of great depth, stalwart technique and unflinching prophecy.”

William Wray: Highway 99
December 11, 2008-February 15, 2009

Plein Air painter of “dirty beauty”, William Wray is an LA urban impressionist artist. He finds beauty in the mundane. “Look again, see the faded glory of times, feel the dirty beauty”, says Wray who will be putting together a body of work of Bakersfield scenes.

You See: The Early Years of UC Davis Art Department
September 11, 2008 – November 23, 2008

Between 1959 and 1962, Richard L. Nelson brought together a legendary faculty built around the participation of Robert Arneson, Roy De Forest, Manuel Neri, Wayne Thie-baud, and William T. Wiley. These artists managed to found a highly productive and nationally respected art department that prospers to this day.

Dorthy Churchill Johnson: Surreal Realism
September 11, 2008 – November 23, 2008

Churchill-Johnsons’s paintings are notable for their large scale as well as their attention to detail. In fact, size is often the message. By painting a small subject on a grand scale, she is asking the viewer to see the everyday world with childlike awe.

Labor and Leisure: Watercolor Paintings from the Collection of George and Marcia Giumarra
September 11, 2008 – November 23, 2008

“California Style” watercolor paintings will take you on a journey into the past, to a place of California’s cities, industrial sites and landscapes to visit the people within those environments. This style was very popular in the mid 1920s-1950’s. The difference in this style was the use of bold brush strokes and vivid colors where the artist became storytellers of everyday life in California.

Visual Arts Festival: Fractions
May 22, 2008 – August 18, 2008

Open to all California artists, juried small works will be on display in the Cunningham Gallery. The theme this year is Fragments…a new way of looking at things. We are encouraging artist to focus on representing the most powerful part of an artwork which is why we chose the new format of 5” x 5” to capture just that. All mediums including painting, drawings, mixed media, photography, and sculpture will be accepted into this juried exhibition. David Furman, Professor Emeritus, Claremont Colleges, will be our juror. He recently participated in the Museum’s Trompe L’oeil exhibit.

Dirk Hagner: Woodcuts
May 22, 2008 – August 18, 2008

Hagner was born, raised, and educated in Germany. He studied drawing, printmaking, photography and painting at the Folkwang School of Fine Arts where he received his masters of art degree. He has lived in the United Sates since the early 1980s. He brings a complimentary blend of old and new new techniques to his art. Often, subject matter is drawn from historic geographic and political connections. He portrays international figures of importance with his style and technique reminiscent of German Expressionism.

Melt My Art: Encaustic Expressions
May 22, 2008 – August 18, 2008

Encaustic art is a versatile medium, made of beeswax. It can be polished to a high gloss, molded, sculpted, textured, layered and combined with collage materials. Eight artists will come together to show us this exceptional and unique process. California artist include: Mary Black, Matt Duffin, Julia Heatherwick, Eric Hesse, Thea Schrack, and Tina Vietmeier. Carolyn Springer joins us from Indianapolis and Judith Kindler from Washington State.

Lie to the Eye: Trompe L’oeil
March 6 2008 – May 5, 2008

For the first time, Bakersfield museum of Art will feature a Trompe L’oeil exhibition. This exhibit is about optical deception. Lie to the Eye will feature historical works of the Salzer Collection from the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science as well as works of contemporary American Trompe L’oeil masters. Artists include: Pamela Carroll, Larry Charles, Donald Clapper, Eric Conklin, Andrew Denham, Gary T. Erbe, David Furman, Daniel Jackson, Lorena Kloosterboer, John Pugh, Molly Springfield and Gregory West.

Wine Affairs: Paintings by Beverly Wilson
March 6 2008 – May 5, 2008

The Ablin Gallery will host Beverly Wilson, whose brightly colored landscape paintings depict Northern California. She paints vibrant scenes capturing the subtle changes of the seasons, temperature, and light. Wilson spent a year in Italy developing her passion for painting wine landscapes in Umbria and Tuscany. She moved to the Napa Valley in 1983, where she continues to paint her passion: landscape of the California’s wine country.

Kamal Youssef: An Artist’s Journey
March 6 2008 – May 5, 2008

A beautiful exhibit of Kamal Youssef’s paintings will adorn the Dezemer Gallery. Egyptian-born, Youssef has been painting since the 1940s. In Cairo he was a member of the Le Groupe de l’Art Contemporain, exhibition in Paris in 1954. Since his beginnings in Cairo, Kamal’s works have been depicted social issues, from the struggles of the working poor through the tragedy of 9/11. Justice and peace are common themes in this intriguing exhibit.

Santos, Saints, and Santa
December 6, 2007 – February 25, 2008

This winter the Bakersfield Museum of Art will showcase a stunning multicultural exhibit for the holidays. The Dezember Gallery will feature a historical transformation of the Santa Claus, as seen in various media throughout the past. Modern icons by the Bakersfield Icon Guild will also grace the gallery. Latin American saints, presented chronologically in retablos and bultos will adorn the Cunningham Gallery.

The Outsiders: Northern California Plein Air Painters
December 6, 2007 – February 25, 2008

The Ablin will house seven plein air artists from Northern California: Nicki Basch-Davis, Pam Glover, Ray Jackson, Judy Molyneux, William Rushton, Randy Sexton, and Jerrold Turner. These artists exhibit modern trends in their plein air paintings yet all were impacted by the southern California plein air movement that dominated the California art scene at the beginning of the twentieth century. Their loose brushstrokes and vivid colors make the paintings come alive in this vibrant exhibit.

Rebirth of Classical Past: Master Drawings and Etchings from the Renaissance to Baroque
September 13, 2007 – November 18, 2007

The Bakersfield Museum of Art will feature twenty-six drawings, etchings, and engravings from European Masters. Highlights from the exhibit include works by Rembrandt Van Rijn, Albrecht Dürer, Pellegrino Tibaldi, and Ludovico Carracci. The theme of the exhibit is humanism, a movement that sought to reconcile classical ideals with Christian beliefs, which began in the Renaissance and impacted art throughout Western Europe into the Baroque period. This exhibit will showcase works from some European Master’s for the first time in Bakersfield.

Gregory Kondos: Retrospective
September 13, 2007 – November 18, 2007

Gregory Kondos is one of the foremost landscape painters in California. His paintings often depict his ancestral Greece or vistas from his homes in France, Santa Fe, or California. Kondos’ broad patches of color and beautiful blue skies mixed with simplistic designs create a soothing and appealing body of work. This exhibit opened in Greece and has toured to several museums ending in Bakersfield.

Jeff Neugebauer: Renaissance Painter of the Present
September 13, 2007 – November 18, 2007

The Bakersfield Museum of Art presents Jeff Neugebauer. Neugebauer paints in a realistic style using a Renaissance style as a back drop to his modern compositions. He uses the same technique that Leonardo da Vinci was known for, Verdaccio, which uses green-grey colors as a base for the rest of the composition

Eye Gallery
September 13, 2007 – November 18, 2007

The Bakersfield Californian and The Bakersfield Museum of Art are co-sponsoring an exhibit of ten local artists who are capturing aspects of Kern County in their works. The artists include Jim Bates, Jennifer Bowles, Vikki Cruz, Patti Doolittle, Iva Fendrick, Lila Martin, Marisela Oropezo, Mel Paleo, Gary Schallock, and Elizabeth Sherwyn. The works will be on display in the Bakersfield Museum of Art for the duration of the fall exhibits.

Wondrous Life: Paintings and Drawings by Sylvia Fein
June 28, 2007 – August 26, 2007

The Bakersfield Museum of Art presents Wondrous Life: Paintings and Drawings by Sylvia Fein. Sylvia Fein painted for over 40 years in the Magic Realist style, a genre of painting that brings extreme realistic details to ordinary subjects. Fein’s works in egg tempura, a classic medium she mastered in a period where new paints and abstract compositions prevailed in American art. Fein’s renderings of people are detailed and have their own distinct style and her landscapes offer a unique representation of the natural world. This exhibit showcases her paintings and drawings from her expansive career.

Visual Arts Festival
June 28, 2007 – August 26, 2007

Open to all California artists, juried small works will be on display in the Cunningham Gallery (16” x 16” or smaller). All mediums including painting, drawings, mixed media, photography, and sculpture were accepted into this juried exhibition. All works will be for sale. Prize winners will be announced at the the June 28^th exhibit opening.

As I See It: Paintings by West Fraser
April 12, 2007 – June 12, 2007

A retrospective by West Fraser will be featured in the Ablin gallery. Fraser moved to Charleston, North Carolina in 1984. He paints maritime scenes and has captured Charleston’s history and character in his paintings. His emphasis is on capturing light from observation. West Fraser has had an incredible career as an artist, including extensive publications and inclusion in permanent collections in eight museums throughout North America.

Impressions of California: Paintings by John Budicin, John Cosby, Dan Goozeé, and George Strickland
April 12, 2007 – June 12, 2007

The Cunningham Gallery will highlight plein air paintings from four artists, John Budicin, John Cosby, Dan Goozeé, and George Strickland. They all paint from life to create scenes that empower the complexity of light. Budicin’s paintings depict a wide variety of California landscapes, from grandiose vistas of the California Mountains to more serene glances of rural life. Cosby’s paintings offer a glimpse into California life as well. Some of his works embrace the more urban scene; however he also paints the majestic mountains that occupy so much of California. Goozeé captures panoramas of ocean landscapes, rural California, as well as historic sites. His plein air works truly exhibit the range of scenery that California has to offer. Strickland’s paintings encompass the Western United States and beyond, including mountain settings in Montana, rural towns in Arizona, and the Tuscan countryside.

Kurt Solmssen: Paintings and Works on Paper 1986-2006
January 18, 2007- March 29, 2007

Solmssen graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, America’s oldest art school.  He earned his BFA at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia in 1986. Solmssen is a plein air painter who creates realistic images that offer a contemplative feel. This exhibit features paintings that he has created over the last twenty years, focusing on the charming scenes that stretch from Bakersfield to Washington.

Celebration of Place: Bryan Mark Taylor and Pam Panattoni
January 18, 2007- March 29, 2007

Two California plein air painters, Bryan Mark Taylor and Pam Panattoni, will fill the Ablin gallery with beautiful scenic paintings. Taylor’s paintings often depict serene land and seascapes, while Panattoni’s work focuses on more urban scenes, much of it from the Central Valley. Together, their work creates a holistic depiction of life in California.

Places: Paintings and Drawings by Marvin Saltzman
January 18, 2007- March 29, 2007

The Dezember Gallery will host colorful paintings and pencil drawings by painter and art professor Marvin Saltzman. He paints abstract landscapes from around the world, which are created from drawings that he composes while traveling with his wife. This exhibit features paintings and drawings from several series depicting both European and American landscapes.

Observations: Errol Barron Paintings & Architectural Drawings
September 28, 2006 – January 2, 2007

The Bakersfield Museum of Art presents “Observation,” paintings, sketches, and watercolors by New Orleans artist Errol Barron.  He is an award-winning architect who brings a trained perspective to his formal drawings. His sketches and watercolors are impressive in that they capture the spirit of his subject, sometimes very loosely and others in a more tightly composed form. This exhibit features formal architectural compositions as well as watercolors and sketches Barron created while in France, New York, and New Orleans.

Landscapes and Figurations Wayne and Diane La Com
September 28, 2006 – January 2, 2007

The Ablin Gallery will feature Wayne and Diana La Com. Although they have been married for many years; their paintings demonstrate their individuality as artists. Wayne is known for his incredible watercolors and scene paintings, while Diana’s artworks are more figurative and reflective in nature. This exhibit highlights both Wayne and Diana LaCom’s paintings in an intimate setting that engages the viewer.

Milton Goldstein: Visions of the Magnificent West
June 29, 2006 – September 11, 2006

Visions of the Magnificent West features the photography of Milton Goldstein. He is a renowned nature photographer who captured the beauty of the Western United States. His photographs were exhibited in the Smithsonian Institution and also are on permanent display in National Park visitor centers throughout the United States. Many of Goldstein’s photographs are described as mountain portraits, for he has captured their majestic beauty through his camera lens. His connection to nature is evident in the 45 photographs that are featured in this retrospective exhibit.

Visual Arts Festival: Juried Small Works Exhibition
June 29, 2006 – September 11, 2006

Open to all California artists, juried small works will be on display in the Cunningham Gallery (16” x 16” or smaller). All mediums including painting, drawings, mixed media, photography, and sculpture were accepted into this juried exhibition. All works will be for sale. Prize winners will be announced at the the June 29^th exhibit opening.

Douglas Golightly Paintings
April 6, 2006  – June 12, 2006

Douglas Raymond Golightly is a contemporary artist who has been painting for over forty years. He is an academically trained artist who draws his artistic inspiration from magic realism painters he studied under and Salvador Dalí. His technique is inspired from the Northern Renaissance painters such as Jan Van Eyck and Albrecht Dürer. Golightly has participated in over fifty gallery exhibits, including one-man shows and continues to work on images he started many years ago as well as creating new works.

No Empty Wall Space: Private Collection of Stan and Ginnie Eschner
April 6, 2006  – June 12, 2006

This exhibit of art from local collector’s Stan and Ginnie Eschner truly represents an eclectic array of works that have been collected for over five decades. The Eschner collection includes works from the famed Society of Six who started painting together in the early twentieth century, Catalina Scene Painters, California Plein-Aire painters, and an array of both early and contemporary artists from California and beyond. Stan and Ginnie Eschner have added their creative insight for the exhibit to provide a whimsical interpretation of the collection.