“North Coast Live” and “Area 52”

“North Coast Live” and “Area 52” are two new exhibits sharing the stage at the Dolphin Gallery in Gualala beginning Saturday, October 9. The exhibits feature two artists: Chris Grassano and Paula Haymond. Hours during the Saturday opening are 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. A preview for members is set for Friday, October 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Regular hours are 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, Thursday through Monday. The Dolphin Gallery is at 39114 Ocean Drive, in Cypress Village, Gualala. (707) 884-3896.

Chris Grassano has had an enduring passion: drawing and exploring nature. “My earliest subject matter was my dog and the flowers in my backyard. The beauty of the physical world in all its diversity inspires me, whether it is the texture of a feather, the richness and harmony of the color of a flower petal or the rhythm of a waving branch in the wind.” 

Grassano’s goal is to blend realism, imagination, emotion, and design to communicate a personal vision that touches the universal. Her journey from the east coast to the west included embracing her artistic talent. Born in New Jersey, she attended Montclair State College where she majored in fine art. After school, she worked in a variety of mediums including acrylics, oils, glass mosaics, copper relief and pen and ink. While living in San Francisco she earned a BFA in Illustration. “For the last 30 years I have been inspired to create oil paintings that celebrate the nature of Northern California and other natural environments.” She lives in the small town of Cazadero, part of the Russian River area and takes her inspiration from the majestic coast redwoods. “It is here that I find my daily life made more human through interaction with the plants and creatures of this place. And here that I derive the most joy from the art that comes from this connection.”

Paula Haymond grew up in Indiana and attended Butler University, earning both a Bachelors and Master’s degree in psychology and psychometric assessment.  She later attended Indiana University, completing her Doctor of Education degree in counseling, and in 1982, moved to Houston, Texas, as an administrator at a children’s hospital. She was licensed as a psychologist in 1988, after which she went into private practice specializing in vocational rehabilitation and neuropsychological testing.

In 2010, Haymond began working full time as a wood turner / sculptor, fulfilling a lifelong love of crafting and woodworking. Curiosity and a drive for creating, led her to an artist-in-residence rotation at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft in 2011.  While at the center, she was accepted into membership at Archway Gallery, the oldest artist-owned and operated gallery in the country. Her accomplishments as a wood artist were rewarded in 2012, when two of her vases were juried-in by Catherine Anspon of PaperCity Magazine in the Houston Visual Arts Alliance “30th Juried Member Exhibition.” Since then, she has continued to be acknowledged for her innovative and unique style of wood sculpture. In late 2017, Haymond and her partner of 35 years moved to the northern coast of California. Among her exhibits, she has had a solo exhibition at the Coast Highway Artist Collective (May 2019),  and has participated in two seasons of Art in the Redwoods at Gualala Arts Center, winning first place in sculpture in 2019 and first place in woodworking in 2020.  She has been an active member on the board of directors of the Gualala Art Center since 2019, and resides in Anchor Bay, California.