The Dolphin Gallery invites you to celebrate with artists Lloyd Engelbrecht (watercolor) and Bea Curran (raku pottery) at their opening on Saturday, November 6, from 5ö7 p.m. Gratis wine and hors dâoeuvres will be served, and admission is free. The exhibit can be enjoyed through November 20.

Lloyd Engelbrechtâs will show his series of work, "Highway 1," his watercolor debut on the Northern California coast. His series depicts his appreciation for those points of interest along the California highway from Bodega to Point Arena.

He first worked with both color and black and white photography, utilizing his darkroom to enhance his images. Drawing on skill developed while studying technical drawing at the University of Illinois, Mr. Engelbrecht next began to paint complex architectural and landscape scenes using acrylic on canvas. And while photography and painting satisfied his desire for realism, he found the medium of paper sculpture more effective for abstract presentation of his ideas and images.

His move to watercolor as a medium is recent. He chose the medium specifically to document his hometownâs locally significant landmarks. These paintings were shown there early in the fall of 2004. Equally appreciative of familiar Northern California landmarks, Mr. Engelbrecht next developed his most recent series for our local coastline, "Highway 1."

Mr. Engelbrecht is an author as well. He recorded his experience of growing up with the influence of small town infrastructure, extended family, and the camaraderie of childhood friends in Waterloo, Illinois, for his children and grandchildren in his illustrated book, Meet My Waterloo, published by Heritage Books this fall.

Beatrice Curran named her art show "Surprises," and has been creating her surprises for three years. Beatrice says she feels fortunate to have found a creative medium that has become her passion. She is enrolled in a Santa Rosa Junior College pottery class at The Brandybuck Ranch Studio where she has received instruction and great support from instructor Kaye Like. "I love having fun and I love surprisesöthatâs what experimenting, creating, and playing with clay provides for me," Beatrice says.

She prefers the raku method of firing and the pit fire process, because they provide an element of suspense. Surprises are present in every aspect of her work. Her pieces are rarely planned, but evolve as the clay dictates. The glazing process continues as colors are chosen, but she learned early on that the raku fire is always in charge. More surprises emerge as the pieces are removed from the ashes of the reduction stage. The last phase, washing and cleaning the soot from the pieces, yields even more amazing results.

Beatriceâs pieces are organic and flowingöallowing the viewer to continually discover something new in each piece. She is a hand builder, using the slab and coil method to create her works. If the piece is to be pit fired, she will burnish the clay before it is bisqued. After it is removed from the pit fire, it is cleaned and waxed.