Some of us can instantly relate to the idea of finding worth in objects which have been either cast aside intentionally, or lost in the translation of daily existence. Others of us glide through our livelihoods, and gloss over materials which are essential to the world which seeks to sustain us. Louise Leong represents a case of noteworthy vision, in that she has the ability to facilitate her frame of reference through her artwork, in order to bring light to the weeds that peak through pavement, the oils that stain Santa Cruz asphalt, and the cars which burnish our local streets.
The rarity of her sight and her pointed articulation of such through her current collection, Cars, has generated interest in our team beyond that of our decision to adorn the walls of Stripe MEN with her work. For that reason, I reached out to Louise with curiosities that burned in my belly; how could such simplicity be conveyed in this way which forces nostalgia through the tips of my fingers? I reached out to Louise, who is producing work for shows all over Santa Cruz, and blessed be the day she responded and dropped knowledge and inventive thinking right into my inbox. If you need a perspective alteration which will ultimately result in keening your daily environmental and residential awareness, keep on reading.
Kay: One (wo)man’s trash is another (wo)man’s treasure. Do you find this idea relevant to your work in the sense that you tend to find and focalize lost objects that may be unseen or overlooked by others?
Louise: Yes, absolutely. I love to bring attention to things that are often overlooked, dismissed, or straight-up mundane. My feeling is that these little things really add up in the full experience of living life.
Most recently, I was appreciating the tenacious weeds that grow in the asphalt cracks along the side of the warehouse that I work at. My attention to the weeds is likely heightened from working on my latest series of paintings of street scenes that include sidewalk cracks and oil stains in the street. Those details really add to the overall impression of the paintings, as small as they are.
Kay: In terms of your work, what does your definition of beauty look like? Does beauty have anything to do with your process of creation?
Louise: I don’t consciously think about what’s beautiful as part of my process but I am very aware of where I direct my attention. Maybe the attention you give something is indicative of its beauty, rather than the other way around.
At the moment, I am very attuned to the found beauty of street scenes which include parked cars, blossoming trees and their fallen petals, and clunky abandoned furniture on sidewalks. If I feel the urge to look at something again, I stop to take a photo of it. I paint from these reference photos and paint them as-is in the original composition that made me look twice.
Kay: How do you ideally hope for your pieces to be interpreted? Does interpretation by an audience at all shift the way in which you articulate your work?
Louise: I’d like my audiences to be able to personally relate to my work and find connections between how they experience something and how I express it.
This is especially true for my illustration and comics. I like to make people laugh and I like to hit the nail on the head. I enjoy hearing, “Yes, I’ve felt like that before!” I don’t think my experiences are exceptional, but I’m motivated to visualize them first and very concisely, like getting to say the punchline to a joke. It thrills me!
With my paintings, I am more interested in variety of audience interpretations and responses. Because my paintings are typically slice-of-life mundane scenes, hearing someone’s interpretation of those paintings is more telling about themselves than the work itself. Learning about people that way thrills me too.
I guess that the ways that I articulate my work is crowdsourced and synthesized from collective experiences of the audience and myself.
Kay: Is your art meant to be seen by anyone in particular?
Louise: No, not usually. I’d like anyone and everyone to see my work. However, I was hoping to get the drivers of the cars that I painted to see my show. I left flyers on car windshields with personal invitations. Who wouldn’t want to see a lovingly painted portrait of their cool car?
Kay: What differentiates your current work from those which you have created in the past? How does the distinction indicate your transformation and growth as an artist?
Louise: My earlier work is graphic, pop-art oriented, a little juvenile, and irreverent. It’s clear that I am inspired by classic cartoons, carnivals, and arcade games by my illustrations. My lines are bold and crisp with a palette mostly composed of highly saturated primary colors. The qualities of my work are determined by the medium in which I create it. The flatness and weight of line in this earlier work is informed by working in screenprinting.
Likewise, working in gouache paint has given my current body of work a subtlety that diverges from my early work. Layers of transparent and opaque washers of color give my paintings a richness that also displays a more skillful handling of color. There is an energy to my current body of paintings that feels more controlled and deliberate than the frenetic energy of my earlier pop art.
Though I’ve shifted my technique from graphic illustration to representational painting, my choice of subject maintains a connective thread of humor to my earlier work. My motivations remain the same to elevate the mundane and overlooked.
Louise's show CARS is up at Stripe MEN until Monday, July 29th. She is also part of Little Giant Collective.
]]>Kelsey Cerdas is a Santa Cruz based artist currently focusing on her modern fiber art collection, titled “Inspire By Kelsey”. Each one of a kind piece is inspired by elements and scenery from nature and design, and created with intention to inspire and intrigue those who gaze upon it. To create her unique style of art, Kelsey creates a fiber canvas by suspending hundreds of ethically sourced wool from wood, she then “paints” her canvas by carefully hand dying each strand to create a stunning fiber painting.
Charlie Powell
Charlie Powell is an established illustrator whose work you may be familiar with from publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wired, Slate, Forbes, Guitar Player and many more. For this show, Charlie has created an original body of work which reflects his deep interest in music and portraiture. He will be showing paintings of some of his musical heroes including Johnny Cash, Leadbelly, and Patsy Cline.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Kelsey Cerdas at Stripe
Charlie Powell at Stripe Men
Friday, August 2nd
5-9 pm
]]>Susan Migliore’s has been painting full time. After she stopped teaching art at West Valley College and Mission College she has had the time to develop a large body of work, Although Susan does a variety of subjects in her oil paintings, she most enjoys painting the California landscape.
“I have been painting for many years but most enjoy painting outside from nature. Most of my paintings are done outside. The larger paintings are finished in the studio from sketches I make on location. It always amazes me the variety of scenes that are near by from ocean, to rivers and ponds, wetlands as well as mountain vistas. I can be at the same location many times but I aways see something new depending on the season and time of the day. It is always an interesting challenge."
Susan has exhibited in a wide variety of venues and is represented in my private collections.
California Jewels
“The sunlight and turquoise sky of California gives the landscape a unique vibrancy. All my life I have been fascinated by how light, color and texture affect each other. In this collection of paintings I have tried to capture the unique qualities of the diverse landscapes.”
Louise Leong
Louise Leong produces art that evokes nostalgia and amusement. She is known for making bold and graphic screenprints of illustrated characters and handmade pinball art toys. In recent years she has begun painting in gouache to capture sidewalk scenes of free piles. Her latest series of paintings capture and celebrate the numerous “nice car” sightings in her daily travels through Santa Cruz neighborhoods.
Louise is an owner and member of the Little Giant Collective printmaking studio located in downtown Santa Cruz and exhibits regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I love cars. I love my car. I love the Cars. I love songs about cars and driving. Cars are sleek, sexy, shining, and also busted, boxy, and ugly. I love those too.
Before I started driving, I fantasized about the car I would own and what kind of music I would listen to while driving with the windows down. I made a mixtape of the songs. It’s called Rock n’ Roll Car Ride. I love being in my car on the road and being simultaneously in public and private.
My dad was a driving teacher when he immigrated here. My parents later ran a used car dealership. My car worship is slice of Americana that I’ve claimed.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Susan Migliore at Stripe
Louise Leong at Stripe Men
Friday, July 5th
5-9 pm
]]>One day each year, we take time to appreciate the fathers in our lives who have have proven their strength, resilience and determination. It is so often that parenting isn’t recognized on a daily basis, but at Stripe MEN we are creating a space wherein Father’s Day is a year long event, encouraging father’s to “treat yoselves” on any given day of the year.
This Father’s Day, we decided to drive pedal to the metal (quite literally) and invite our local makers, Amber Duncan and Terry McInerney to showcase their one of a kind, handmade items which will doubtlessly fit on the hand or in the pocket of any Dad in your life!
Amber Duncan is the owner and creative wildfire behind Mountainside Jewelry. She has been selling her stone cut earrings, necklaces, and inlay rings with Stripe for a year and a half, and she instantly became a customer favorite. With several jewelry making workshops under her belt, a new brick and mortar in Felton, and a spiritual head on her shoulders, we thought she would be the perfect maker for our Father’s Day pop-up event at Stripe MEN.
Because of her organic drawing, her jewelry tends to be fairly genderless in its style, especially when it comes to her Waylon and Roam Signet rings, as well as her Dune style inlay rings. Amber will be hauling these bona fide beauties down from Felton and straight into our MEN’s store, where you and the father in your life can meet the artist, and cart home a treat for Dad (maybe one yourself too, if you can’t resist.)
When we think about tenured makers at Stripe, we cant help but place a finger on Terry McInerney from Nuala Leather. Ever since the fateful day (10 years ago, if you can believe that) when Suna saw Terry on the streets of Santa Cruz carrying her magical creation— the Signature bag— we have been carrying Nuala leather pieces. It began of course with her Signature bag, which you have most likely spotted on Santa Cruz locals and others, and as Nuala has grown, she has expanded her collection to wallets, bracelets, smaller totes, and she’s even begun working on leather sandals. Lucky for us (and for the Dad in your life), Terry will also be joining us at Stripe MEN on Father’s Day weekend to sell her bifold and card wallets, all hand sewn in Santa Cruz by the creative genius herself. Even more enticing is the opportunity to hand stamp Dad’s initials into the given wallet you choose to purchase— yes, you read that correctly! Terry is bringing leather stamps in every letter, and additionally several emblematic stamps if thats more of Dad’s style.
Point being, we want to make sure you have Father’s Day covered in whatever form that means to you— whether Dad is into sporting some unique bling or simply needs a durable and individualized place to stow his cash, Amber and Terry are here to equip you with all the tools for Dad this weekend at Stripe MEN.
Father's Day Event
Saturday, June 15th
Stripe MEN
12–5pm
Lydia Harder is a Santa Cruz based artist currently studying at Cabrillo College and transfering to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the fall. Her work spans across many mediums such as print making, painting, fiber and material arts, as well as digital fabrication. Harder often pulls inspiration from herself and life experiences, constantly examining her relationship with herself and utilizing various mediums in order to best execute these explorations.
“This particular body of work is part of my ongoing series exploring the concept of a self-fabricated image of one’s identity. Examining personal and family history, along with objects, symbols, and moments that I associate with myself help me to bring my own self reflection into a physical and public space. We rely so heavily on these ephemeral external sources as a way to express and communicate ourselves to others. I plan to continue my study of this topic in the foreseeable future as I believe there is still so much to be learned about our perceptions of identity.”
Brian Rounds
For me, the act of painting outdoors provides an escape from the humdrum, a respite from an increasingly pervasive culture of commodification in which we live. In searching out a quiet place, I am seeking a temporary sanctuary, a meditation, a point from which I can follow along and perhaps lose myself among the contours of nature and the play of light, of color and form. I make a few initial brushstrokes and so begins the familiar process of building up a small reflection of the world before me—a thoroughly absorbing task urged on by the gradual and changing passage of light. The time it takes to complete a piece might be a single session of four hours or may be the product of a series of sittings. Sometimes the work is finished in the studio.
Although I do enjoy working on both figurative and non-objective (abstract) paintings and learn a great deal from that process, I find there is something endlessly compelling about the whole project of taking oil painting outdoors and into the fresh air and sunlight. There is risk and unpredictability there along with the hope of discovering something hidden, and the chance to try to express, through your own lens, a sense of being there. My hope is that something of the character of these places—a visual echo tangible yet ephemeral—emerges in these pieces.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Lydia Harder at Stripe
Brian Rounds at Stripe Men
Friday, June 7th
5-9 pm
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Motherhood begins at birth, the revelation that the power of a woman expands into the life of another human being. The act of mothering doesn’t end at birth, though, as these mothers in Santa Cruz know. Being a mother means actualizing care — for one’s own child, for the people she surrounds herself with, and most importantly for herself.
When it comes to being a mother, a working woman, and an individual with a personal life of her own, Lydia Klem and Bonnie Steward know the challenge all too well. Through struggles of differentiating the possibilities for individual children, finding time for self care, and confronting the challenge of being compared with other mothers, these women have proven their strength and resilience through the role of motherhood.
After a photoshoot with Anne Martinete at Suna Lock’s farm house in Happy Valley, Bonnie Steward and Lydia Klem have agreed to answer several questions on the issues of motherhood — the adversities, intricacies, and delights that are involved in the experience. Lets dig in…
Kay: How are the acts of motherhood dependent on your own self preservation, and how do you go about creating space and time for self care?
Bonnie: This is by far one of the hardest things for me to balance in my life as a mother. I know I show up best to my kids when I have shown up best to me first; which feels totally backwards instinctually, but makes a huge difference. My kids know that my "coffee time" in the morning is my alone quiet time. I set them up with all that they need first, then I enjoy my coffee in total silence for about 15 minutes. My kids know the phrase "take a minute" means I am leaving the situation to calm down and get grounded. They both "take minutes" also when they are feeling frustrated or upset. Exercise is a huge part of my life so I try to include that during my day to stay relaxed and grounded with my kids.
Lydia: Honestly, this is one of my biggest struggles. I still find myself having to justify (to myself) taking time away from kids or work to do something that seems utterly indulgent. I very much struggle with creating space and time for self-care.
Bonnie Steward, pictured above.
Lydia Klem, pictured above.
Kay: What have been your most significant challenges in being a mother?
Bonnie: The most significant challenges were the lack of sleep for the first 5 years of my son's life. He woke up anywhere between 3-12 times a night with night terrors or bad dreams. My kids are the pickiest eaters and have totally different palates so feeling like a restaurant has been a huge challenge. I enforce a healthy diet which causes daily meltdowns, pushback, arguments, and a very long dinner time. My son also has severe type 3 ADHD so that in and of itself is a full time job trying to keep on track, having him hear me, finishing and completing tasks, getting dressed, playing well with others, and social awareness.
Lydia: My biggest challenge has been making time for myself.
Kay: What does being a good mother look like, and who is to say what that actually means?
Bonnie: Being a good mother to me means that my kids feel seen and safe. That they are supported and encouraged, taught boundaries and respect, manners and gratitude. I feel like there is a lot of pressure on moms today to be constantly engaging with your kids, playing with your kids, mindful and gentle communication, etc. A "Pinterest" mom type of lifestyle and I think that is total garbage. I think that direct communication is key to raising my kids, allowing them alone time and imagination time is a must, and if all of their basic needs are met and we still have time at the end of the day to create together-absolutely! But it is not a pressure in my house to always be entertaining them.
Lydia: A good mom is any mom that's doing her best to show up, however that may be, for her family.
Kay: What does “mom shame” mean to you, and have you experienced this stigma through your process of mothering? If so, in what ways have you experienced this?
Bonnie: I honestly haven't experienced mom shame that much because I don't engage on social media and I keep my choices private and personal. I have a lot of fear around mom shaming or about people spewing their judgements on me, but fortunately I don't take any shit and think people kind of pick up on that energy. ;)
Lydia: Luckily, I think our community here in Santa Cruz has really embraced every style of "momming" and the moms here are so incredibly supportive and respectful of one another. I have family members that live out of state who are confused by my choices to breastfeed past a year or to co-sleep with my babies, but I'm doing what my gut tells me is right for my family, and frankly, it's none of their business. :)
Kay: Working mommas— Have you found it possible to “do it all?” Is there anyone in your life who supports you so that you can work, provide care for yourself, and take care of your family?
Bonnie: It feels nearly impossible to "do it all" but when I keep my expectations low and my positive attitude high, it actually is possible. I have been a single mom for several years now and I feel like if I have enough forward insight on what I need and what I need to set up for my kids then it feels doable. My partner is now starting to step into a mom role which I know is a huge deal and shift for her, but also for me. It is always shifting and changing being a mom, managing two kids' schedule, my own personal schedule, my partner's schedule, so trying to take as many deep breathes as possible is a huge game changer.
Lydia: Personally, I have no desire to do it all. I feel like that's just setting myself up for failure. Having kids brought me clarity in that respect - all I can do is my very best, but I need to maintain healthy boundaries to have enough "juice" to still be a mindful and present parent. Having said that, I honestly couldn't run my home-based, full-time business without the help of friends and family. Having children finally got me to the point where I felt comfortable asking for help, which has been a huge gift. Knowing when I'm reaching my breaking point with all of the to-do's on my plate and being able to reach out to my network has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. Nannies, Grandmas, "Aunties" (both blood and chosen) make my life possible!
]]>As an emerging artist in Santa Cruz, California, my vibrant abstract landscapes evoke the lovely shades of Northern California seascapes and beaches. In 2017, I was inspired to create paintings of the beautiful botanicals of my travels. I currently have two abstract series reflecting these two inspirations.
I consider myself a colorist, focusing more on featuring intense colors rather than forms. My abstract paintings are modern, bold, feminine and colorful. As I layer colors on the canvas, my pictures tend to evolve, with each layer adding texture and depth.
Matt Farrar
Matt Farrar is an artist and graphic designer from the Puget Sound in Washington State. He studied painting and printmaking in Seattle and earned his BFA in 1996 from Cornish College of the Arts whereupon he developed a modest studio art career. In 2004, he earned a Graduate degree in Scientific Illustration from UCSC and turned his attention to architectural illustration and graphic design. At the moment Matt is an Art Director at Poly (formally Plantronics) and continues to provide graphic services to local and Bay Area clients.
This small series of art works are representations of landscapes from memory—scattered vistas and wooded interiors around the Central Coast and High Sierra. Each is painted on panel with oil paint and beeswax. The material process is referred to as cold-wax encaustic which creates a pleasant surface and luminosity that supports the intended light in memorial.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Caryn Owen at Stripe
Matt Farrar at Stripe MEN
Friday, May 3rd
5–9pm
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I tend to work in whatever medium necessary to bring my visions to light. Over the years this has ranged from painting to ceramics to cast metal sculpture and other media. This recent series has emerged from reclaimed wood and other discarded, found materials from the city landfill. Each found sculptural element bears a history and character that has determined its place in each composition. Conceptually, this body of work reveals formative memories and imaginings from childhood perceptions of nature as a protector. This work reexamines our relationship with nature through repurposing the overabundance of trash that threatens its very existence.
JOAN BOGART
Her botanical and ocean prints carved from linoleum blocks are inspired by the motif of Indonesian Batik, an intricate hand designed textile made from wax resist printing. Outside of carving the relief blocks, pulling prints by hand is the most satisfying part of printing. Her curiosity in fabric batik design and technique is deconstructed by transferring the delicate shapes and organic lines from blocks of ink onto paper.
She received a BA in Art Practice from the University of California, Berkeley, then spent 11 years working in a large tech company. While she maintained illustration work on the side, Printmaking was re-introduced to her shortly after moving to Santa Cruz in 2016.
Joan teaches workshops locally where she makes printmaking accessible to all. She practices her craft in her backyard art studio while raising three children with her husband in Santa Cruz, CA.
Read more about Joan at www.joanpbogart.com
Follow her on Instagram at @art_by_joanpbogart
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First Friday Artist Reception
Mary Tartaro at Stripe
Joan Bogart at Stripe MEN
Friday, April 5th
5–9pm
Whatever Works is a mixed media series and self-reflective exploration of current events using analogue mediums. Simplifying contrasting information + subtext, while striving to find moments of clarity and wit, provides a way to process this political landscape visually. This series focuses on the simplicity of tribal lines, graphic movement, high contrast with surface texture using fluid line work, vintage text and metallic stitching that holds it all together.
Ellis Hepburn holds a BFA in Graphic Design + Art History, and an MFA in Fiber Arts / Textile Design both from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. She is a member of the Textile Society of America and an Adjunct Professor of Fibers / Textiles at SCAD.
CHERYL MORENO
Cheryl Moreno was born in Carmel, California. She received her degree from Art Center College. In 2010 Moreno began drawing and painting full-time. She works mostly from imagination and memory. Her studio is in Aptos, California.
This new body of work is a brief departure from painting. Moreno became interested in found objects after participating in the SCRAP residency in 2018.
These delicate collage pieces incorporate objects found at the local landfill. They explore multiple ideas around stereotypes, gun violence, domesticity, nature, and industry.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Stripe and Stripe MEN
Friday, March 1st
5–9pm
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Presence
Conceptually, Presence is an expression of abstract feeling. Its purpose is to communicate the importance of self-reflection, memory, and awareness of our personal perceptions. Perception also echoes in the nature of the work, it shifts between sculpture and photography with both 2D and 3D elements — blending light, color, and thread to make the abstract concrete.
Artist Bio
Jennifer Hamilton was born in the Central Valley and is currently based out of Santa Cruz, CA. Her enchantment with light has been a part of her as long as she can remember. "I am in love with the light,” she says, "I watch it, follow it, study it. I use it as a language.” Her art is also informed by her studies in cognitive science, discussing ways in which memories build upon our impressions of a place. She earned both her Cognitive Science and Studio Art degrees from UCSC.
She has been interviewed on KZSC’s radio show, Artists on Art. Exhibitions of her work have taken place at Sentinel Printers in Santa Cruz, as well as NextSpace, Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery, and Eduardo Carrillo Gallery. A multiple award winner, she has been selected as an Irwin Scholar, receiving both a grant and a spot in the highly publicized IRWIN 2017 Exhibition. Additional awards include project grants and recognition as a 21st Century DaVinci Scholar by UCSC.
For general inquiries, words of wisdom, or a friendly hello, she can be reached at hello@jenniferhamilton.co.
LINDA BENENATI
Linda Benenati studied art at San Jose State in the late 60’s, but ended up with a degree in English. After college, she pursued a career in graphics and writing in the tech industry. Consequently, she loves the interplay of images, words, and titles.
Over the years, she has worked in many different media: oil and acrylic painting, found object and papier mâché sculpture, and mixed media collage. A few years ago, she ventured into encaustic painting which just might be her all-time favorite medium with its vibrancy and versatility. She now considers herself almost exclusively an encaustic artist.
Among her favorite artists are Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Marc Chagall, Claude Monet, David Cornell, Wayne Thiebaud, Maira Kalman, Joan Brown and Inez Storer.
Linda has a passion for cats and small dogs, 1920’s and ’30’s collectibles, and anything French. Much of this influence is evident in her art. When she is not creating, she loves to scavenge through flea markets and second-hand shops. She resides in the South Bay with her husband—her fellow scavenger and sometimes art collaborator.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Stripe and Stripe Men
February 1, 2019
5–9pm
This series was inspired by the incredible shoe collection of my husband’s late grandmother, Eleanor “Elly” Clara Somers. Born 1925 in the Bronx, New York, she learned about beautiful clothes and shoes from her mother Serena, an expert seamstress who worked for the designer James Galanos. Elly originally studied fashion illustration, but when World War II started, she contributed to the war effort by using her artistic skills as a technical illustrator. In 1950 she moved to Los Angeles where she continued her career as a technical illustrator and art director. Along the way she collected and cared for countless pairs of beautiful shoes, always keeping each pair stuffed with tissue, wrapped in plastic, and stored in its original box. In 2012, Elly passed away, leaving behind a lifetime of shoes. Her diligently cared for shoe collection reflects her many interests from hiking to high fashion. Seeing all her shoes together has stirred in me such respect for how our choices of footwear reflect who we are. I find the collection to be an intriguing portrait of a woman whom I was lucky enough to have met, and whose family I am so lucky to have joined.
As an illustrator myself, I’m no stranger to meticulously detailed assignments. With a BA in Painting and a Master’s Certification in Science Illustration, I have illustrated a range of natural science subjects from botanical field guides in Hawaii to interpretive panels on the bluffs of the Seymour Center. This is the first time I’ve tackled fashion illustration. Painting each pair of shoes felt like a good way to honor and preserve Elly’s collection without keeping a storage locker of shoeboxes (with a few exceptions, we have donated a majority of her shoes). It has been such a fun and intimate experience to paint each pair. I have tried to present a style that is both detailed and accurate, but also loose enough to betray the brush strokes of my hand—a human touch for this human story. Though this series is unfinished (after painting 20 pairs, I’m less than halfway done), I’m excited to show them together for the first time. I look forward to painting the next 30 pairs and being able to share the stories that will reveal themselves through Elly’s shoes.
Follow my progress and see other examples of work on Instagram @hawkandhammergram or check out www.hawkandhammer.com
WYATT HESEMEYER
Wyatt J Hesemeyer is a traveling tattoo artist based out of the Central Valley of California, who goes by the moniker The Line Defined. Over a three year period he worked tirelessly to bring to life, THE LINE DEFINED TAROT.
The Line Defined Tarot takes the timeless symbolism of the tarot and updates it into a modern blackwork style, inspired heavily by imagery of the ancient occult, natural splendor, and mystic geometry.
On display will be the original drawings, complete with the wine stains, blood and tears required to make this extensive project a reality.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Tina Fuller Somers at Stripe
Wyatt Hesemeyer at Stripe Men
January 4th
5–9pm
My work over the last few years was initially born from curiosity. What began as a study and representative expression of flora and fauna slowly morphed into a dedicated body of work in which I found myself as an artist for the very first time. With block printing as my primary medium, I have locked into an exploration of the many wonders of the natural world, and don’t see an end in sight.
This body of work takes a step back from the colorful norm I’ve worked with in years past and examines detail and linework from a new perspective. With only black and white to represent the images I created for this show, the details of each carving become front and center. The goal of this simplification of color was to heighten the relationship of positive and negative space, rather than distract from it.
The pinnacle piece of this show is “Queen of the Night”, my interpretation of the truly alien-like and elusive cacti which cast a spell of intrigue over me since I first came across it many months ago. This piece is the largest scale I’ve ever experimented with, requiring weeks of intricate planning and execution. The mystique of this plant comes primarily from it’s short lived blooms, which reveal themselves rarely and usually wilt before dawn. I wanted to capture an interpretation of the Queen of the Night and pay homage to it's glorious detail and singular characteristics.
While my art practice is an ongoing evolution of ideas and techniques, this show has inspired me to branch out even further into varying scale and means of expression. I anticipate many more pieces to come as part of this body of work and I look forward to sharing whatever comes next with you all!
ANNA FLETCHER
Originally born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA, I am very happy to call Santa Cruz my home with my husband Isaac and our cat Chin- Chin. I work full-time as a Registered Dental Assistant in Aptos and co-own a wedding planning business.
I earned my Bachelors of Fine Arts from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 2010 and quickly moved to Santa Cruz after graduation. One of the many things that drew me to Santa Cruz was the climate. I’ve always been a beach girl, but now I could hike a few miles and find myself surrounded by towering redwoods, or drive up the coast to see massive cliffs that drop into the ocean below while windsurfers race in the distance. There is something about Santa Cruz that is refreshing and ever since moving here I wanted to capture that enticing feeling.
While I primarily work in watercolor for stationery design, I have recently tried stepping out of my comfort zone to take a more loose, abstract and organic approach towards my landscape paintings of Santa Cruz and Monterey County. The series consists of my two favorite mediums, watercolor, which has the power to move in ways that can be unpredictable, and oils, which bring a richness to the canvas. It’s been fun pushing myself in ways I haven’t tried before, all while getting to explore this amazing city we live in. As for long-term goals, I have some children’s book ideas in the works and would love to be published one day.
10% OF SALES FROM MY ART WILL GO TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS TO HELP THOSE DEVASTATED BY THE RECENT FIRES IN SHASTA AND BUTTE COUNTIES
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First Friday Artist Reception
Anna Fletcher at Stripe
Lili Arnold at Stripe Men
December 7th
5–9pm
Most often said about my work is its order, attention to detail and balance — its harmony. After 20+ years as a graphic designer my grid theory, negative space and hierarchy of information are evident. I’m most interested in color and its myriad ways it can be presented or ignored.
My work is created to bring a sense of calm, of peace to our environment while questioning what is special in our lives. I begin by gathering images, color and textures, mostly paper, that I find intrinsically connect. There is often the addition of wire, metals or found objects that ask what it is that we find precious. I recently began painting on canvas with acrylic while continuing to incorporate these same materials.
ANNA SOFIA AMEZCUA
The The The The (Women, Gods, Seeds, Fruit)
Our history of masculine-driven actions has brought us to the precipice, and it is impossible to deny that our social structures, for human and nature alike, are untenable. It is imperative that we find more balanced ways of being. Through powerful and intimate expressions of femininity that delve beneath the surface to encourage and validate deep emotionality and the strength in vulnerability, I celebrate what has been culturally sidelined as ‘feminine’. In this, I seek more nuanced and inclusive expressions of gender and power that embrace the full and infinite spectrum and variety.
This body of work: The The The The (Women, Gods, Seeds, Fruit) is part of an ongoing musing on the myth of Persephone and Hades, which feels particularly apt during the fall season, and which has come more intensely into focus for me during the recent Ford/Kavanaugh hearings. This work is about the deep wounds and dysfunctions we are grappling with as a society around how we relate to each other sexually, emotionally, and politically. It’s about finding ways to heal my own and all women’s traumas. It’s about my desire to have ever more compassion for everyone, including perpetrators. It’s about continuing to love fiercely, joyfully, and playfully, and to hold many paradoxes together, at once. It’s about the riches we compost from the muck, the jewels we find in the underworld and in embracing our shadow — the shadow that, like it or not, we are vigorously confronting as a collective.
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First Friday Artist Reception
Tauna Coulson at Stripe
Anna Sofia Amezcua at Stripe Men
November 2nd
5–9pm
35mm can be disappointing — it can be exhausting, unexpected, and let’s be real — expensive. But in spite of this, and in many ways because of this, it is one of the most rewarding endeavors I have experienced. Although my love affair with film began about five years ago, these emotions have remained at peak intensity since the day I developed my first roll. Film photography has shown itself to be a teacher to me time and time again; it continually offers me lessons of patience, acceptance, and perseverance. There are times when I am not necessarily satisfied with the results but I have learned that it is okay, for I am an ever changing artist, woman, human being — constantly evolving and reshaping what I define to be beautiful and how I want to capture it. Film allows me to explore its possibilities and embrace the beautiful imperfections that come along with shooting analogue.
This collection of photographs was captured in Bali, Indonesia. I find a liking to preserve the distinctiveness of an individual and the unique lived experience which they embody. Portraits have the ability to evoke a feeling of simultaneous mystique and familiarity. They too capture the instantaneous identification of the human experience combined with the intrigue to understand a person’s story. The juxtaposition of the human form and botanics, as emphasized here, celebrates the simplest expressions and interactions of life.
These photos are dedicated to and inspired by those whose form I’ve been allowed to capture and whose story I’ve been able to become a part of.
“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.”
– Irving Penn
Instagram: @atessamaria
atessamaria.com
KEVIN TAKASHI SMITH
My challenge as a photographer has always been one of translation. How can I utilize this box of glass and metal to describe what I see before my eyes? Can I transcribe it faithfully? Is it possible to express more than a visual record of a place on Earth; can I invoke the feeling of a place within a viewer?
I believe this is the primary goal of the artist - to crystallize and re-create their sensory experience of the world. The first goal is to provoke a response, and the next is to promote thought. My personal hope is to create a sense of longing - to feel nostalgia for a place by viewing a picture, even if you’ve never been.
For the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of working as a photographer and videographer in the outdoor sports industry. This has granted me more days in the wilderness than most can afford each year. However, the focus of my work has migrated away from that desire to translate, and has been replaced by contracts, assignments, and shot lists from companies and clients.
This exhibit, and my continued work as a landscape photographer represents my hope to keep up my work of translating my experiences and feelings in nature.
I chose to focus on the concept of prominence. There are two main ways to quantify the size of a mountain, with either the ultimate elevation of its peak, or its prominence - the mountain's height relative to its surroundings. Too often people fixate on an arbitrary mark of elevation (Colorado’s obsession with 14,000+ft peaks, for example). Too often do we disregard the context that prominence brings to mountains. In a barren and flat desert, a peak rising a mere 600 feet from its humble surroundings can seem more imposing than a giant lump of earth that just so happens to be 14,000 feet tall overall.
Each mountain pictured has a striking degree of prominence, both in physical space and also in my mind. I hope that I can present to you the space that each of these monoliths carves in my mind, and inscribes inside my soul.
“…mountains remind us of our vulnerability, our ultimate lack of control over the world we live in. Mountains…demand humility, and yield so much peace in return.”
— Alex Lowe
Instagram: @kevintakashismith
kevintakashismith.com
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First Friday Artist Reception
Atessa Farman at Stripe
Kevin Takashi Smith at Stripe Men
October 5th
5–9pm
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Modern architecture is the main subject of my work. I use minimalism, abstraction, and soft color to interpret built environments into calm and spacious compositions. My process begins with photography of buildings and spaces. In the studio, the photographs are printed and collaged, or digitally manipulated to create each layout. I use house paint, and sometimes incorporate screen printed elements. Drawing from my background in design, some pieces are completely planned and then precisely executed. Others go through multiple iterations of re-photographing, digital sketching, and returning to the canvas.
Sarah Lesher (b. 1983, Arcata, CA) Is a painter and graphic designer living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She has studied at the Instituto de Bellas Artes, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA, and at SFAI, San Francisco, CA. Her work has been exhibited in Santa Cruz, CA, Eureka, CA, San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and in Portland, OR.
STACY FRANK
For the past thirty years I have had the good fortune to live in Santa Cruz. As a student at UCSC I began my art training as a member of the Scientific Illustration program my last year at the university. Years after graduation I learned of a printmaking course offered at Cabrillo College in the evenings. From the first night class I was hooked.
I now work out of my home studio equipped with a Griffin IV press, a large work surface and a well-ventilated drying area for new prints. My art is clearly influenced by my natural history and scientific illustration training. Botanicals, animals and treescapes predominate with attention to patterns and layering.
I pull both singular, unique monotypes and monoprints as well as more traditional editions of thirty etchings. My collection is well archived and constantly growing.
Several times I year I host printmaking workshops using non-toxic materials with up to four students at my studio — visit my website and sign up for my mailing list to receive updates.
stacyfrank.com
Instagram @stacyfrank
Facebook: Stacy's Studio
vimeo.com/stacyfrank
info@stacyfrank.com
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First Friday Artist Reception
Sarah Lesher at Stripe
Stacy Frank at Stripe Men
September 7th
5–9pm
Months ago I imagined that I would create a new series of very hip and very irresistible small works of art for this show at Stripe. That didn’t happen, but during the procrastination process someone (N.S.) suggested I show works with stripes. Turns out that almost all of my works include some stripes. Problem solved. Here are some old, some new things with stripes. I hope you will enjoy them and consume them.
COLTON BILLS
I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. This series of photographs was made after moving back to Santa Cruz from Portland, Oregon. Jobless and homeless (I now have a job and home, thankfully), I spent as much time as I could taking pictures of things and people that I'd left behind for all those years. These photos are only small parts of average days I've spent here, but they're important despite their seeming insignificance. What makes life is the collection of moments, things both important and unimportant, good and bad. These photos are my collection of in-between moments.
My main medium is 35mm black and white film. The first art medium I ever really loved was darkroom film photography, which I took classes for in high school. Even after graduating, it stuck. Pulling a roll of film out of the developing tank, holding it up to the light, and seeing those perfect little rectangles for the first time - this is the closest to magic I'll ever get.
coltonb282@gmail.com
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Artist Reception
Stripe & Stripe MEN
August 3, 2018
5–9pm
Join us at our pop-up with Lindsey on Saturday, July 21st from 12-4pm.
We visited Jonas’s Santa Cruz studio where he showed us how he makes a mug from start finish. He’s very precise, and the whole thing is incredibly mesmerizing.
He’ll be having a pop-up with us at Stripe MEN Saturday, July 21st from 12–4pm. Join us!
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Growing up, what did art mean to you and how did you find yourself drawn to creating? Where did you start diving into your medium?
Growing up art was always a fun outlet, I started skating at a young age and loved the artwork on skateboard decks and skateboard culture. It got me into drawing and trying to recreate photographs in magazine i would read. I started diving into photography at a young age and throughout high school. I picked up a camera again in 2014 with a renewed sense of purpose and an idea of what i wanted to accomplish as a photographer.
How were you trained and who/what are some of your influences?
I learned from trial and error. Shooting film is an expensive way to learn and experiment. But it is also very rewarding. I was first influenced by skateboarding and photographers like Spike Jonze. My influences range from the great photographers like William Christenberry and Eggleston to contemporary photographers like Jason Lee.
What do you find yourself being inspired by lately?
Lately I am inspired by the everyday stories that people carry with them. On a recent road trip through California I met a number of people whose stories are fascinating. I love to spark a conversation with a person and get to know them before I start photographing. It makes me have a better understanding of how to photograph them and gives the photo a back story that will give it more meaning.
What is something that gets you out of the house to go shoot some film?
Some things that get me out of the house to shoot some film is the sense of adventure and the spontaneity of it all. I like to pick a part of town I have never explored and just drive there and then get out and walk. I might find a scene that speaks to me, meet someone with an amazing story to tell, or I might end up with nothing. But it’s all fun. Shooting film helps me understand myself better, and also helps me connect with the people and places of my community. I want to help share stories while I am out shooting.
Growing up, what did art mean to you and how did you find yourself drawn to creating? Where did you start diving into your medium?
Growing up I loved reading and particularly loved Grimm Fairy Tales and their illustrations. My brother’s and I were encouraged to draw and paint and we had an endless stack of recycled paper to create on. Like most kids I had a pretty big imagination and loved trying to recreate with drawings what I saw in my head to try to make it more real. I really began to dive into my medium when I was a art student at UCSC where I was taught woodcut printmaking. When I first carved a block of wood and printed from it I felt an immediate affinity with the process. My image ideas and style were a natural fit and I have been working in this medium since then.
How were you trained and who/what are some of your influences?
I was a student at Cabrillo College and first took intaglio printmaking from Howard Ikemoto and then transferred to UCSC and learned about woodcut printmaking from Paul Rangell. Some of my influences are Swoon, William Kentridge, Artemio Rodriguez, medieval woodcuts, and fairy tale illustrations.
What do you find yourself being inspired by lately?
Lately I have been inspired by stories of resilience and strength in the face of personal and political obstacles. I am inspired when I read about the tiny tardigrade that can survive extreme conditions of heat, cold, air deprivation and radiation and the mushrooms that can clean up oil spills.
How do you feel you have changed or are changing as an artist?
In the last few years I have begun to explore working with stop motion animation. I am using my prints, paintings and collages as the material for these pieces and learning more about how to incorporate sound and most recently trying to write some text to go along with these videos.
Stop by Friday, July 6th from 5-9 to see Trey and Bridget's debut. We will be serving up drinks, and donating 10% of our sales and 100% of our tips to Santa Cruz Boys and Girls Clubs. See you there!
]]>Most of my life has been lived in the company of horses. They feature in my memories, so in my imaginings, so in my art. Mankind has commonly portrayed the horse as a symbol of power and authority. I prefer to see horses as individuals, as a source of comfort and joy. It is my hope that this is reflected in my work.
Hello everyone I’m Joe Uglyeye, born in Mexico and raised in Pajaro, California. I am currently a student at Cabrillo College majoring in Studio Arts. My goal is to learn as many art processes that I can. I love to learn and to push my artistic skills and talents in any medium I can get my hands on. Learning about different art forms (e.g. Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Ceramics, Graphic Design, and Small Scale Metals) has taught me not only to be resourceful, but also to appreciate that there are many ways to get a project done.
I’ve recently quit my full time job in order to focus more on my art and school. Diving in the pool of uncertainty I’m chasing a dream that I hope will bring me more happiness. Having said that I present to you my series titled “Neon Summer”. This work has elements of things that make me think of summer, or are inspired by the people around me. The color palette I’ve chosen are bright fluorescent neon colors, some of the paintings focal point differ when color lights illuminate them, and also some have glow in the dark paint mixed in for pizzaz.
]]>Dan Wysuph is a local Santa Cruz artist. His work can be seen in everything from playing cards to tote bags to framed masterpieces. As a tattoo artist by trade, he spends his days at O’Reilly’s Tattoo Parlour in Santa Cruz. An acrylic artist and a global celebrity in the tattoo world, we are honored to have his work displayed in Stripe MEN this month.
With children at home, he has been spending long hours revisiting the books and games that he loved as a kid, as well as discovering new artists working in the field of children's illustration. Because of this, he’s had the opportunity to reconnect with how much he loved these images and he is excited to explore this realm himself.
When asked what sparked his interest in the tattoo industry, Dan explained, “Tattooing really reached out and chose me when I was 17, to put it cosmically. I was immediately obsessed from the first time I set foot in a shop. I started getting tattooed the day I turned 18, and by 20 was working in a shop.”
Dan has recently been writing and following his love for storytelling in all its forms. He used to write more when he was younger and is exercising this muscle he hasn’t used in a long time. He is enjoying getting back into it, and we are all waiting on the edge of our seats to see what he comes up with.
While having family deeply rooted in the Santa Cruz area, Jodi Lyford was raised in a small farm town in the Cascade Mountain Range. Camping was her parents idea of a vacation and living intertwined with the local landscapes, flora and fauna became a source of curiosity and creative inspiration from early on in her life. After graduating high school Jodi moved around Northern California continuing her education while maintaining her traditions of connecting with nature and exploring new landscapes and the living creatures that inhabited them. After years of exploring different avenues for her creative energy she found herself re-visiting her love of drawing as she was enchanted by the tattoo realm.
“Under the Southwest Sun” is inspired by a late Summer road trip. Eight National Parks in 7 days. Camping with their dog Bandit, Jodi and Jesse explored desert landscapes, hot springs, towering cacti, white sands, red rock and countless new plants and animals. Stopping at roadside attractions along the way displaying beautiful handmade jewelry, pottery and rugs... taking in the incredible canyons, dense cactus forests and awe inspiring pastel palette of the painted desert. All while settling into the overall slower pace of wide-opened space.
This series was created in the hopes of inspiring the desire to travel, to connect with nature, to reflect upon a vast landscape and to be humble enough to hear its wisdom and be grounded by it. Let us be reminded that we are not separate from Nature, nor are we superior to it. To support our National Parks and truly appreciate how incredibly lucky we are to have them.
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When did you start painting?
I began painting with gouache in the last year. Because of my background working in screenprinting, I usually plan out my prints in flats of opaque colors. I'm able to compose my gouache paintings in the same way but I started thinning my paint with so much water that I'm using them like a traditional watercolor.
What is the most indispensable item in your collection of your tools and mediums?
29 cent Astrobrite scratch paper pads from Darco Paper (on Doyle Street) and a chisel tip Prismacolor Illustration pen. I make thumbnail sketches whenever I am working on a new paint marker art piece. Over the last three years I have probably made over 200 drawings using Darco scratch pads and these pens. In the end I actually like the thumbnail sketch better than the final piece for the character they have.
What about Santa Cruz inspires you?
I'm inspired by store regulars, seeing people pass through my neighborhood or work neighborhood and knowing their schedule, and seeing familiar people all around town at their jobs. It's comforting to see so many familiar people all the time and develop relationships to them in whatever capacity. And so many people are artists here! In the morning, our mailman, Juan, drops off the mail and from time to time will show us a photo of the designer cake he made the night before. In the afternoon, I stop by the hot dog stand for lunch and to talk to my friend Daniel who takes art classes at Cabrillo and we discuss painting. I'm inspired by people and feeling connected to them because we're all working through the day to keep at our other passions.
Brian Rounds
Growing up, what did art mean to you and how did you find yourself drawn to practicing it/making it a career?
Growing up, I was one of those kids who was constantly sketching in the margins of school notebooks. Recognition from teachers early on was encouraging. By late high school I was carrying around a sketchbook almost everywhere and trying to make every page well designed. Fellow students would try to get me to complete their art projects for them. I would illustrate stories in ball point and meticulously catalogue cassette tapes with copious attention to detail cover artwork.
Tell us about your training and influences.
In college, I started out in literature, then design, and wanted to be an illustrator. My professors at Cal Poly could not satisfy my hunger for drawing so they prescribed for me a much more rigorous studio art curriculum. At UCSC, I was lucky enough to study with Patrick Aherne, who had a gift for instilling in his students a great love and respect for painting. That was where I first tried my hand at painting the landscape outdoors. I also practiced freelance illustration for a while but it was painting in oils that really took hold of me.
Some of my deepest influences go way back to old friendships, mentors and fellow artists. Other artists I find endlessly inspiring are Cezanne, Barbizon painters, Corot, Courbet, Morandi, Ab Ex painters, Diebenkorn, and many more.
What do you find yourself most drawn to in painting?
With painting, I feel as though I've taken on a challenge that I will never be able to truly exhaust and that notion spurs me on today just as it did when I finished school. In a way, I have kept a steady course but there is always so much room for improvement as a visual artist, as a craftsman, and as a person. There are also many places I look forward to painting.
Mickey Ta
As a photographer I enjoy capturing shapes and forms. I enjoy looking at the small features of mundane things most people pass by. Small parts are what make up the larger whole. I'm especially attracted to scenes that have just one or two focal points--the drama is in the details. Half as much, but twice as elegant.
http://mickeyta.com
mickey@mickeyta.com
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Join us for Mickey Ta's First Friday Artist Reception
March 2, 2018
5-9pm
Stripe MEN
117 Walnut Ave
Santa Cruz
Cocktails will be served.
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Caryn Owen
As a passionate artist and scientist, I have devoted my life to studying both marine biology and artistic expression. Although these topics may seem mutually exclusive, I have spent years blending both of my passions. Over the past decade, I created abstract art while simultaneously balancing motherhood and my career as a marine biology professor. In 2014, I chose to leave marine biology behind to predominantly focus on my art, design and my house full of boys (my husband, two sons, and our male pit bull!) In 2015, I launched House of Boys Art + Design to sell my abstract contemporary art inspired by the beachy modern vibe of Santa Cruz.
As an emerging artist in Santa Cruz, California, my vibrant abstract landscapes evoke the lovely shades of Northern California seascapes and beaches. In 2017, I was inspired to create paintings of the beautiful botanicals of my travels. I currently have two abstract series reflecting these two inspirations. I consider myself a colorist, focusing more on featuring intense colors rather than forms. My abstract paintings are modern, bold, feminine and colorful. As I layer colors on the canvas, my pictures tend to evolve, with each layer adding texture and depth.
House of Boys Art + Design
by Caryn Owen
www.houseofboysart.com
@houseofboysdesign
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Join us for Caryn Owen's First Friday Artist Reception
March 2, 2018
5-9pm
Stripe
107 Walnut Ave
Santa Cruz
Cocktails will be served.
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Landline
Ellis Hepburn
Landline, a mixed media series of fifteen varied works, is a self-reflective exploration of current events using analogue mediums. Simplifying information and striving to find moments of clarity and wit, allows me to process. This series focuses on color, texture and engaging with each piece by hand using stitching, gold leaf and indigo.
Ellis Hepburn holds a BFA in Graphic Design + Art History, and an MFA in Fiber Arts / Textile Design both from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.
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Join us for the artist reception! Cocktails will be served.
Stripe
5–9pm
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CONTINUUM
Akiva Levi
Continuum is a collection of “visual meditations” inspired by nature; an exploration of gestural line work, shape and color. Each piece stems from dozens of hand-drawn minimalist illustrations suggesting natural or imagined landscapes. The intent was to create subjective work that invites an exercise in perceptive agency and sense of relativity for the viewer. Repetition, continuity and connectedness are some of the more inherent qualities. There are also moments of resistance; when blocks of color, the edge of a mountain, or the linework that holds everything together oversteps the frame. These attributes speak to larger existential themes and how we choose to define, interpret, or contextualize what we see.
Akiva Levi is a multimedia artist born in Santa Monica, CA. He attended UCSC, receiving a B.A. in Fine Arts in 2010, with an emphasis in sculpture and installation. His body of creative work includes illustration, watercolor, hand-lettering, graphic design and metal sculpture. He is a professional illustrator, graphic designer, and branding consultant currently serving as in-house creative for Verve Coffee Roasters. He lives in Santa Cruz with his partner and very large cat.
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Join us for the artist reception! Cocktails will be served.
Stripe
5–9pm
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Carol Aust
I work with acrylics on canvas and wood panels. Through my figurative paintings I endeavor to express the human need for connection and belonging, and the difficulty of achieving either. Each subject in my paintings is at some critical juncture of a spiritual/psychological journey.
My figurative paintings are emotionally-charged narrative fragments infused with tension and secrecy. Sometimes celebratory, sometimes lonely and disturbing, my paintings express a wide range of human desire and yearning. My work consistently features strong and vibrant colors along with figures that are both engaging and vulnerable. My method is to have some starting point—a curve of beach, a combination of colors, or a child on a hip, for example—and then be open to surprises. I layer contrasting colors, adding and subtracting figures and clouds and trees until the work feels complete but mysterious.
I believe creating art is like raising children. Just like sons and daughters leaving home, a painting isn’t finished when I sign the corner. Actually its life has just begun. When a painting leaves the studio and elicits responses from viewers, the art becomes a living force in the world. Viewers of my work add the next chapter to the unfinished story, explaining why the woman is traveling alone, why the couple is dancing in the clouds, why the party is being held in the desert.
carol.aust.art@gmail.com
Visit Carol's website: http://www.carolaust.com/
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Join us in welcoming Carol Aust as our Stripe First Friday artist for the month of January!
Artist Reception
January 5, 2018
Stripe
5–9
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Face It by Tyler Benjamin Speas
Tyler Benjamin Speas was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin on October 26th, 1984. He moved to Milwaukee in 2003 where he attended the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Peck School of the Arts. He graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. He has been creating art and living in Santa Cruz, California ever since.
This collection of work was developed over the course of almost a year. It branched off from a previous project that involved people mysteriously falling. I wanted to hone in on the faces of these fictional falling people. As I focused on the faces more, design elements opened up and the work grew from there. The facial expressions were important and when combined with the overall compositions, they took on an implied narrative. These faces are reacting to something. The mystery of what they’re seeing became the central theme and something that is best left unanswered.
Visit Tyler's website: http://www.bloodonbrushes.com/
tylerspeas@gmail.com
IG: @bloodonbrushes
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Join us in welcoming Tyler Speas as our Stripe Men First Friday artist for the month of January!
Artist Reception
January 5, 2018
Stripe Men
5–9
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Vincent Waring Artist Statement
Through this series, I explore the complex interrelationship between nature and ourselves. The present ways in which we share and connect to one another has been radically changed. The instantaneous ability to communicate, and what we thus absorb from the various information sources around us, gives me pause to consider how this has affected our own comprehension of our place in things. Our appetite for resources is visible. As we start to witness the disappearance of wild spaces, I find that it is paramount to have conversations centered around our relationship to nature— that we are in fact nature. We are effective at listening to the noise that we ourselves have created, but have perhaps lost grasp of our daily practice of listening to the humbling, living environments that surround us. Listening to the voice of the Earth is becoming an ever-pressing need. It is what is essential to maintain the fabric that supports life.
This work allows me to explore my personal sense of responsibility to this larger living world. Some images in this series explore the intricate beauty of the landscape, and others have radiographic waves and magnetic pulses overlapping with the organic. This speaks to the layers of forces present in each moment, affecting our finite and delicate Earth in life-altering ways.
Vincent Waring is a maker of sorts based out of Santa Cruz, CA. He is interested in the ecology of wild and intentional spaces, which he often explores through imagery reflecting parts of the whole. He utilizes a variety of mediums, including printmaking, painting, and drawing. Born and raised in the Central Valley, he moved to Santa Cruz to attend the University of California where he received a BA in Studio Art. In the midst of making art, he also spends his days working with textiles, wood, and plants.
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Join us in welcoming Vincent Waring as our Stripe Men First Friday artist for the month of December!
Artist Reception
December 1, 2017
Stripe Men
5–9
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Stephanie Martin Artist Statement
Ephemeral/Eternal
Etchings by Stephanie Martin
I've been described as obsessed with nature, and will not argue with that label. For the past ten years I have been dedicated to portraying some of the ephemeral treasures of our California coast, especially our birds and plants. With each sketch, I learn something new about my subject; time slows down, and I can become lost in wonder.
Etching is a perfect medium for me. It allows me to create delicate lines, use the aquatint process to make fine tonal areas that almost look like watercolor, and make striking marks and textures. It is a long, challenging and vexing process, involving copper, acid, scribing and burnishing tools, a press, powdered rosin, heat, ink, and paper. Not all etchings cross the finish line. I figure that if it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing.
Some of the newer pieces in this exhibit are illustrations for my husband Orin's book on fruit trees. See if you can find them. Many thanks to Stripe (Suna, Dana and staff) for hosting local artists in this beautiful venue.
Stephanie Martin
831 426-2495
martins4@cruzio.com
fb/insta: stephaniemartinart
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Join us in welcoming Stephanie Martin as our First Friday artist for the month of December!
Artist Reception
December 1, 2017
Stripe
5–9
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