Too Good to Forget: "Lighten Up" at Studios on the Park

Remembering the Past at Studios on the Park

This blog preserves what I find interesting in Paso Robles. Of course, I can't keep track of everything that interests me or I wouldn't have time to go enjoy it, but I try to make frequent visits to Studios on the Park. Much that is worthy to remember from there happened before this blog started. This "Lighten Up" exhibit had lamps designed by many of my favorite artists.

Many artists in residence back in January 2014 whose work I feature here are no longer there. Many artists not in residence also exhibit their work here. I featured Dale Evers' contribution to this exhibit on my Tidbits from Templeton blog which preceded this one. See his amazing lamp here. Laure Carlisle was also in residence then. So was Joe Thomas. This post will show some of what I skipped when I wrote the first post on that event.

Hanging Lights

In the photo above you can see the display of lamps hanging in the atrium. The one in the foreground was painted by Anne Laddon.  One of my favorites isn't visible in this shot, so I'll show it to you below. The title is "Smudge and Squiggle" -- the mascots of Studios on the Park. This lampshade was created by Joe Thomas.

Table and Floor Lamps

Most of the lamps on display were table lamps, with only a few floor lamps to be seen. Here is a typical display from this exhibit, and this one also has a floor lamp.

This mixed media lamp below is one of my favorites. I like it because I need a lot of inspiration and bright ideas myself. Although to the best of my knowledge Nancy Vest has not yet been an artist in residence at Studios on the Park, she usually is a participant in the Paso Robles Art Association exhibits.

Ever wondered what to do with your collection of old cameras? Laure Carlisle had a great idea. Make a lamp out of them. I'll bet you've never seen a floor lamp quite like this before. Displays were crowded close together and in odd places -- wherever they would fit, so it was hard to isolate this lamp from its surroundings. I blew up the cameras a bit so you could see them in more detail without the shade.

Which lamp do you think is most inventive? Which would you rather have in your home?Have you ever made a lamp? Feel free to share in the comments. 

Paso Robles Art Association Throws an Art Costume Party

The Paso Robles Art Association Hosts an Artist Reception Every Month

The party normally coincides with Art after Dark dates, but the artist receptions usually start at 5 pm, an hour earlier than Art after Dark. I usually go to Studios on the Park for the PRAA reception before five to get an early start. I go directly to their Showroom Gallery near the back of the building.

Each month has a new theme to inspire the artists, who then try to address it. This month's theme was appropriately "Costume." Some artists came in costume,  but some only put the theme in their works. By the time I took this photo, the party had become quite lively.

An Early View

Saturday I was later than I wanted to be because my Charter technician hadn't called to confirm our 6:00 appointment and I wanted to make sure my husband was home before I left. He never did call and he didn't show up, either, so I'm glad I didn't stay home. They must have fixed our connection remotely and not bothered to tell us.

I usually arrive to these art events early because the early birds usually find the best parking -- unless there are too many of them. I was really lucky Saturday night. Someone pulled out right in front of me, right across the street from Studios on the Park. Naturally I swooped right into the place. When I entered the building, it was almost empty with hardly an artist to be seen. I did run into artist Jordan Hockett as he ran between studios arranging things. I'll be featuring his art in a future post.

When I arrived in  the Showroom Gallery, they were still setting up. This is how it looked when I arrived as the party began.  There's still plenty of food, and the art is easier to see when there aren't so many people blocking the view.

Not All Art Hangs on the Wall

Although many painters and photographers participate in these art exhibits, not all the artists have works that can hang.  Here is one of my favorites from this show. Unfortunately the title of this acrylic painted bottle created by Deprise Brescia was only partly legible. It appears someone had left a cup on it and the title was smeared. I'm glad no one harmed this delicate but elegant artistic expression . I love the way the shadows dance on the wall behind it.

Deprise Brescia is also responsible for creating "Breath of Fire," an encaustic mixed media piece that does hang on the wall.  "Orange Magnum," which was created by a guest artist, sits below it. What a shame someone had to leave that drink behind. I wasn't sure whether to cut it cut or not, but that would have also cut off the design on the bottom of the decorated bottle.

I wish I'd managed to get a photo of my favorite painting, but somehow I didn't. It might have been too crowded when I found it. The painting was an exquisite tree in its "autumn costume."

Speaking of Costumes

Were I to give a prize to the best costumes on the peope I saw, it would go to this pair. I'm sorry I didn't get their names. They were so social I had to round them up to get this photo of them together, since they were both circulating with others, usually with their backs to the camera. I'm glad they agreed to pose for me.

So Much to See, So Little Time

This the second of my series on the October Art After Dark event at Studios on the Park. Here's yesterday's post, Welcome to Art After Dark at Studios on the Park , Part 1. I have often written about Art after Dark and Studios on the Park in the  years I've written this blog. To find the related articles, just use the handy search box in the right side bar. You will also see the future posts I'm about to write if you look in the Blog Archive near the bottom, in the right-hand column of the of the side bar. 

If you enjoyed this post, please share it. The image below was designed for Pinterest. 

Hellie Blythe and the Pistachio Figures in Cigar Box Vignettes

Hellie-Blythe's "The Orthodontist" Photo © B. Radisavljevic

I first saw one of Hellie Blythe's cigar box scenes at Studios on the Park in May, 2011. On my February 11, 2016 visit, there was almost an entire gallery devoted to them. If you have never seen any of these clever mixed media works of art, you really need to get to Studios on the Park soon to see Hellie Blythe's cigar box vignettes of pistachio figures engaged in some challenging and daring activities. These bits of original cigar box and pistachio shell art are bound to start many conversations wherever you  display them. It's not only the art that's clever, but the signage is also designed to make you laugh. An example is 'The Orthodontist," pictured here. Be sure and click any of these which are not full page width to enlarge them. Below is the sign that accompanied this.

Hellie-Blythe's "The Orthodontist" Photo © B. Radisavljevic

Blythe's creations cover a multitude of subjects and some may even seem to have political or social implications. The one below,"The Magician," might be considered by some to be one of these.

Hellie-Blythe's "The Magician" Photo © B. Radisavljevic

I love the detail and color in "The Mariachis," pictured below. First the overview, then a closer look at some of the detail.

Hellie-Blythe's "The Mariachis" Photo © B. Radisavljevic

Hellie-Blythe's "The Mariachis" Closer View, Photo © B. Radisavljevic

Lastly, one of my  favorites, "Don Pistachiote."

Hellie-Blythe's "Don Pisachiote," Photo © B. Radisavljevic

Don't miss this exhibit. I have only shown you examples of Hellie Blythe's work. She has used other medical themes such as "The World's First Successful Brain Transplant," and some early science themes such as "The Alchemist." She shows you a daring family of acrobats in action, "The Flying Pistachicrows." And artists are not left out of the fun, since she also has created "The Sculptor's Reception." There are many more. Photos can't really do justice to these cigar box vignettes. Don't miss seeing them in person while you can.

Learn more about Hellie Blythe here.  See what gave her the idea of working with pistachio nut shells here. 

Related articles

• Back to Studios on the Park
• How Will You Celebrate Inspire Your Heart with Art Day?

More Art To Be on Display for the Soundscapes Exhibit at Studios on the Park

On Sunday I showed you a project Eve Chartrand was working on with a violin  for the Soundscapes exhibit opening on February 4 at Studios on the Park. Eve also showed me a guitar her studio partner, Anna Meyrick, has  finished. Above is the front of the guitar. Anna's favored medium is mosaics.

This is the back of the guitar, which  Eve is holding up so you can see it better. These photos were taken in the studio shared by Anna and Eve at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles.

If you live in the Paso Robles area,  I hope you will come to see the Soundscapes exhibit. It will be the most fun if you come for Art after Dark , February 6, 6-9 pm for music, art, and wine. 

 Music quote - poster

 Three Guitars Poster Music Speaks Poster

January 15 is National Hat Day: Fashion and Function

January 15 is National Hat Day. Since I was born in the 1940's in Southern California, hats were only part of my life on special days like Easter Sunday, or, later on if I visited the snow in the mountains. On Easter Sundays, women wore hats to be fashionable and traditional. When I wore a hat in the mountains it was functional in keeping my head warm.

People in California, except in some of the cities, dressed pretty casually, and most of the time we did not need hats to keep our heads warm. We needed them more often to keep the sun out of our eyes and prevent sunstroke and sunburn. The picture above was taken one year at what was then the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts, now known as the Paso Arts Fest. If you click on the photo to see it full size, you will see that many of the people working on the sand sculpture and those around them are wearing hats. Most of these hats are more functional than fashionable.

The basic function of a hat is to cover the head and protect it from excessive heat or cold. Most of the following photos were taken at the Festival of the Arts, an outdoor event in Paso Robles at the end of May. It's usually very warm, and many of us are outside for most of the day. That's why many of the vendors, artists, and attendees wear some sort of hat to protect them from the sun. I went through my files to show you some the hats worn by people I had photographed for other reasons. Perhaps you've met some of these people, many of whom are artists. I'll identify them if I can. I can't see the name tag on this artist. It appears her hat is the type that keeps the head warm. She is participating in the Plein Air Quick Draw which starts at the very beginning of the day. The artists only have a couple of hours to finish their paintings.

Next we have Anne Laddon, without whom we would not have Studios on the Park or the art festivals in Paso Robles. She has lots of help, but she got the ball rolling and does a lot of the work. I had to look at a few more photos to be sure this was Anne, since her face doesn't show here. She is also working on a Quick Draw painting.  I chose this view because it shows off her hat, which is both fashionable and functional.

John Partridge is teaching a watercolor workshop in this photo. I was watching his demonstration.  You can see John's paintings hanging in public places all over Paso Robles. He paints a lot of the most historical and famous places in the city.  His hat serves well to keep the sun out of his eyes.


Julie Dunn, on the right, is one of the many artists exhibiting her art in the park. I liked her hat. Like Anne's it's both fashionable and functional.  It does a good job of shading her face and protecting her head from the heat.

I'd like to show you a couple of other men who were at this event wearing hats. The first is a model for one of the plein air artists during the Quick Draw. I believe the finished work had the word "Cowboy" as part of the title. Do you like his hat? I don't have his name. You can click the photo to enlarge it for a better look at his hat. I didn't crop for just the hat because I just couldn't leave the tree out of the picture.

Larry Kappen is another plein air artist participating in the Quick Draw event. The years I took these pictures, the Quick Draw paintings were auctioned off on the steps of the old Carnegie Library at noon to help support the arts and selected city projects. I like Larry's hat. 

All but one of the hats shown here do a good job of keeping the sun off the faces of the ones wearing them. I have a sun hat I love, but I didn't like the only photo I had of myself in it. It has a drawstring to keep it on my head, since I often walk where it's windy. Without the drawstring, I would have already lost my hat several times.

HAT: HOPE IS AN APPLE BLOSSOM

I also made myself a hat at Zazzle to memorialize my apple tree that died. If this kind of trucker hat is enough protection for you, or if you want to make a personalized design and choose your colors, Zazzle is the place to choose or create a hat.  There are many styles to choose from now, not just the basic style above. Pick any style and add your own image and / or words, or use the search box in the upper right corner to find one of thousands of already created hats on any topic you can think of -- humorous, political, scenic -- whatever you want to express. 

Do you have a suitable hat to protect you from the sun? Or maybe you still need a warm hat during this cold  winter. Amazon has a great hat selection. You can use the handy search bar to find just the right one to meet your needs. If you need a hat for a man, or a winter hat, just change the search term.

Related articles

• One of the Most Painted Buildings in Paso Robles
• A Plein Air Dream
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Susan von Borstel at Heritage Gallery West

"Green River Crossing" by Susan von Borstel, Oil on Granite

I'm always discovering new artists at Heritage Gallery West. Some have grown on me and become favorites. One of these is Susan von Borstel. I see her work on display almost every time I go in. Susan is a California  artist whose love of Western landscapes and horses show in her paintings. She now does most of her oil paintings on natural stone treated archivally. That is the case with her painting "Green River Crossing" pictured above. It was painted with oils on marble. You can enlarge the photo with a click.

Drop into Heritage Gallery West soon to see Susan's unique work. It's a great place to pick up a special gift for someone who loves western art.

If your budget doesn't allow for the paintings you see at the gallery, here are a few more affordable works of western art you can get at Amazon.

Related articles

• This Unusual Artist Got Bored Of Paint, So He Started Using Trees Instead... WOW.
• Valley View
• Sculptures by Central Coast Artist Vel Miller