Creative Minds brings together the creativity of 59 artists
By NANCY CARPENTER
This story is a part of our Arts section. For more stories as well as our arts calendars, visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts.
Gallery Q and the Community Arts Project (CAP) had the perfect solution to kick off the Memorial Weekend: an evening Art Reception on Friday, May 23 at Gallery Q. The exhibition itself runs through July 16, so it doubles as a Fourth of July destination, or any other reason to come and enjoy an incredible eclectic gathering of art. None of this could have happened without the 59 gifted artists, as the show’s name Creative Minds implies, and there are about 85 pieces of their original works in all variety of media.
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Photo by Nancy Carpenter
The Seaview Serenaders – (L-R): Patrick Quilter, Brian Oppegaard and Tom Joliet plucking and strumming
I arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule and watched the Seaview Serenaders set up. Serenade they did promptly at 5 p.m., as guests began to wander through the various rooms and studios that make up Gallery Q.
In the lobby, I worked my way past walls served as backdrops to photography, mosaics and collages, and tables supporting sculpture and assemblages. Close to Studio One, I found Jose Cedeno proudly pouring wine. He confided that he enjoyed working these events. By now the tip jar was full. “All of the money goes to the gallery,” Cedeno explained, as he handed me a generous glass and I commented I thought his tips were well-deserved.
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Photo by Bill Atkins
(L-R) Artwork on the wall by Linda Ruddy, John Ehlers and Bob Sember hold court over Adrienne Fayne’s two sculptures and something brought to us by nature
Bill Atkins, art director for Gallery Q, was my host and guide. He directed me to another space with even more variety in form and media. “A dynamic bunch,” as he put it. Prominent on the left is The Red Dress by Linda Ruddy, who is known as a painter and ceramicist; center stage is a stunning sculpture titled Akira by John Ehlers, who has another piece in the Game Room, and a bright and fun assemblage titled The Lookout hangs, one of two pieces from artist Bob Sember. Sember is a retired graphic artist and sign painter who now merges reclaimed wood with vintage hardware for one-of-a-kind pieces. Whatever I might call junk in my home he might see as raw materials for a piece of art in another’s.
As for the sculptures – Shrouded and Modern Muse, two very unique interpretations of two very serious thinkers – later while taking a moment to listening to the Seaview Serenaders serenade in the Great Room, I found artist Adrienne Fayne. Buffet tables were weighted down with platters of hors d’oeuvres, meatballs warming in stock pots and requisite sweets for those still hungry. We shared sips and nibbles along with philosophies on art. Fayne looked familiar; it came to me the next day that we had met several years ago at another Gallery Q opening.
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Photo by Bill Atkins
Windows intrigue, especially if you can’t see in, by artist Bill Gibson
Bill Gibson is a graphic designer who discovered a talent for creating fine art. The simplicity of the subject and his ability to take watercolor to a new level make this painting of a window an exceptional contribution.
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Photo by Nancy Carpenter
“Created Mind” by Linda McInnis draws the viewer in
Linda McInnis works in about every media imaginable, including collaged fiber, beads, fused glass (such as this piece) and other elements found throughout the world. Which is to suggest, this could be a self-portrait, her mind that creative.
Even though familiar to most of us, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Community Art Project or CAP’s annual partnership with Gallery Q. CAP is possibly most known for commissioning public art, including more than 20 sculptures and murals that can be enjoyed throughout Laguna Beach. That’s a lot for a nonprofit that has been around since 1998. Find out more about upcoming events at Home – Community Art Project by clicking here.
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Photo by Bill Atkins
One of Casey Parlette’s works in metal
Casey Parlette was raised in Southern California, so no surprise he is drawn to nature and more often what can be found in the ocean. He uses metal, wood and stone, and combinations thereof, to interpret what he sees beneath the waves. I recently heard him speak at the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center where another of his pieces was showcased.
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Photo by Nancy Carpenter
“Redacted” is a work by John Ehlers
Atkins and I stood in front of Redacted as he shared a bit of his history. He is a transplant and longtime resident of Laguna Beach. In those early years, he participated in the Festival of Arts and the Sawdust Festival. As he tells it, sometime in 2017 Gallery Q’s Executive Director Nadia Babayi recruited him as art director. Responsibilities include curating this show, and that means selecting the art, and equally challenging, choosing the locations of each piece and overseeing their installation. He does this five times a year, on top of other roles he happily assumes in our art community. And then there’s his “real job” as a commercial artist.
I was surprised when he said, “Not all the artists in this show are Laguna Beach residents.” Which led us to talk about the process of accepting art for any of the Gallery Q exhibitions. “There are many venues in Laguna Beach for artists to explore and have their work be seen and enjoyed. Galleries, of course, and contests. Here at Gallery Q, we ask the artist to submit good photos of what they want us to consider. Our review and selection process is based on those images.” Good news for artists starting out, because resumes and websites are not a requirement.
Gallery Q has a roster of events, programs, special interest groups, courses, and yes, workshops focused on the arts. To qualify for the exhibitions, artists are not required to attend art classes, just as class participants are not given preference in the gallery’s selection process.
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Photo by Bill Atkins
The location familiar – Crystal Cove – this approach less so, by artist Patsee Ober
Patsee Ober is a fixture in Laguna Beach. Here two photographs combine a panoramic view of a beach landscape with a closeup of another kind of landscape beneath the ocean.
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Photo by Bill Atkins
“Joy Ride” by Gabriella Kohr was inspired by an artist-in-residence in South Hampton
It is impossible to talk with every artist, just as it is impossible to include every piece of art in this article. (Another reason to see the art for yourself.) But I did meet with Gabriella Kohr. More accurately, I shared time with her and a guest who was familiar with her art. We hovered around Joy Ride, one of two of her works on the library’s fireplace mantel. “The inspiration for this came to me when I was an artist-in-residence in South Hampton during the summer of 2024,” Kohr said.
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Photo by Nancy Carpenter
A great grouping of three pieces (top to bottom): “Kauai Cliffs” by Kate Carmell along with “Aliso Beach Lifeguards” and “Winter Day at Aliso Beach,” both by Phyllis Edmonds Themis
The gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and there is no admission. Though Gallery Q rubs shoulders, metaphorically speaking, with the Susi Q Senior Center, all ages are welcome to come in and browse the exhibition. There’s much to see, and all of it is for sale.
Gallery Q has two more exhibitions this year. The summer finishes off with Cultural Flow, Work that Captures Movement from July 30 through October 1, with the art reception being held on August 1.
Then their finale, Art & Nature in partnership with the Laguna Art Museum’s Annual Art and Nature Festival, will be on display from October 15 to December 18; the art reception is scheduled for October 17.
Artists: Be sure to check out Gallery Q’s website for more information about submitting your work for their upcoming exhibitions, click here.
This story is a part of our Arts section. For more stories as well as our arts calendars, visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts.
