This past summer I had my first opportunity to "cross the pond" and I chose to celebrate the occasion by going to Ballinglen Art Foundation in Ballycastle, Ireland, County Mayo. Ballycastle is a short distance from the ocean, surrounded by emerald countryside. Ballinglen Art Foundation is a magical environment, and the folks at the foundation are the best hosts you can imagine. I took a week long class with Catherine Kehoe, which focused on the figure. That was a rigorous and truly helpful class.
When I returned to my studio in California I got to work on this painting of Sovann Nhep (left) which is part of the exhibition, "With Liberty and Justice for Some". I used some of the skills I learned in Kehoe's class, and I have no doubt that what I learned will stay with me a long time.
Tomorrow evening the exhibition opens at the Berkeley Art Center. I am looking forward to seeing all of the work in this show which honors American immigrants and their positive presence in our country.
Here is the press release from BAC
Opening Reception: Saturday, Sept 23, 6 - 8 pm
Seeking Refuge, Saturday, September 23 at 4pm is a special presentation by representatives from the benefitting organizations CERI and YAZDA.
Free and open to the public.
Co-curated by artist Monica Lundy and gallerist Walter Maciel, this exhibition features portraits of immigrants to the United States by artists from Southern California and the Bay Area. Back when Donald Trump was still the President-elect, long before his executive order became a flashpoint for pro-immigrant rallies at airports across the nation, Lundy, like many in her artistic community, felt both helpless and determined to do something. In response to this need, Lundy and Maciel invited artists from across the country to make 8 x 8-inch portraits of individuals who came to the United States as immigrants including historic subjects, personal friends, relatives, strangers, and self-portraits. The exhibition launched in Los Angeles, then traveled to the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery and will be exhibited at Berkeley Arts Center from September 23 to October 8, 2017.Notable subjects portrayed in this exhibition include actors Bela Lugosi and Marlene Dietrich, entertainer Grace Jones, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Architect I. M. Pei, Province of Pennsylvania founder William Penn, and several established artists such as Eva Hesse, David Hockney, Louise Bourgeois, Mark Rothko, and Enrique Chagoya.Each portrait will be priced and sold individually, with a percentage of the sales going to the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants(CERI) and YAZDA – A Global Yazidi Organization.
Berkeley Art Center
1275 Walnut Street, Berkeley, CA 94709
Hours: WED - SUN 11-5PM
With Liberty and Justice for Some will be on display until October 8th.