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Gualala Arts
Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961.
Archive of past events: 2004 through 2014
About Mendocino Coast FurnituremakersMendocino Coast Furnturemakers was founded in 1999 by a group of designers and furniture makers living on the north coast of California. The association is dedicated to the preservation and evolution of the fine art of furniture making. All current members studied with the world-renowned cabinetmaker James Krenov, who, in 1981, founded the Fine Woodworking Program at the College of the Redwoods, in Fort Bragg, California. The MCF mission is the preservation and evolution of fine furniture making. Anyone who has ever seen any piece from this group will recognize the quality and value inherent in each piece. Each of the wood artists will know not only the heritage of the original wood but each finds a statement within the execution.
Furnituremakers showing are Kerry Marshall, Paul Reiber, Taimi Barty, Bob Sanderson and Graham Gilbertson. About Bruce Jones
I paint primarily in watercolor, ink and pastels because I have found I can move them around more quickly than oils, and get more color and texture variation than I can with acrylics. In contrast to most watercolorists, I like to use hard lines and strong darks in my compositions and I spend a lot of time working on textures. Since 2004 I have been using pastels over watercolor to accomplish special effects and textures. Seascapes: I grew up spending a lot of time at beaches in Washington, Oregon and California. I like to dive for abalone, build sandcastles and driftwood houses, body surf and beachcomb. I like to paint the ways the ocean moves in patterns with rocks, sand and fog. Landscapes and Floral paintings: My father loved ornamental gardening and got one of my sisters and myself deep into it. I enjoy figuring out how the pattern identification works that enables us to differentiate plants at a glance. And I love the contrasts in colors and textures in a well designed garden. People paintings: We are interested in human shapes and especially faces, because we are humans and we can't help it. We are very good at reading the languages of human gestures. Small changes in eyes, mouths and hands are interpreted immediately. These are the effects I'm exploring in my paintings of people. Sculpture: I have done paper mache masks for decades and have been carving stone since 2005. Stone carving is becoming my consuming passion, probably because I had a good teacher, Robert Milholland from Little River. Robert teaches in the traditional Italian method using a hammer, chisels and rasps. Personal History: I have been painting all my life, as did my mother and grandmother. My teachers include my Mom, Bill Kucha, Arne Westerman, Doug Haga, and Steve Memering. In 2000 I moved to Gualala and started doing art pretty much full time. I am past President of the North Coast Artists Guild, President of Gualala Arts, and a member of the Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County."
The Sea Ranch Lodge is located at |
The Sea Ranch Lodge Front Gallery, managed by Gualala Arts, will have a free exhibit of the Mendocino Coast Furnituremakers and Bruce Jones showing watercolors through November 9. The Furnituremakers specialize in custom designed one-of-a-kind pieces in
both traditional and contemporary styles.
"I'm fascinated with the way our brains use clues of shape and texture to figure out what we are seeing. I explore patterns of these clues in my paintings and sculptures.