Brushstrokes

NILES CANYON Volume 1, Issue 3 October 15, 2013 ARTISANS Banners for Main Street, Sunol

By Lynn Kozma Welcome to the Sunol Art Gal- Contributing artists for this show Featured in this lery! Well, it’s not an official art were Kathy Zunino (fox paint- ing), Connie DeGrange (Gaugin issue: gallery but Tom Harland was inspired to curate local artists’ inspired farm scene), Stephen paintings on the lamp posts along Barkkarie (train through the hills) Main Street in Sunol. For the and Simone Archer (Degas in- Banners for Main first show, he coordinated with spired dressing woman). Sharon Street, Sunol the art teacher at Sunol Glen Stanton painted the School and held a competition inspired painting. When asked about her selection of subject for the painted canvas banners. SAGE 1st Annual For the second show, Tom con- matter, she said, “I chose to do a Harvest Festival tacted the Niles Canyon Artisans copy of his Starry Night painting Banners by Kathy Zunino with the idea to create a because it's one of the most and Simone Archer. “unifying style by emulating the recognizable and most copied of impressionist style” in each ban- Van Gogh's works. Van Gogh enjoyed the aerial acrobatics of ner for the project. Kate Gra- also did a painting called Crows the hummingbirds in my yard and Inside this issue: ham, one of the artists who par- over a Wheat Field. By adding this image reminded me of the ticipated in this project, sug- the crows into Mary Cassatt painting “Louise gested a theme of local wildlife. painting; I paid tribute to two of feeding her child”. Tom Harland Van Gogh's work and also in- Reflections on 2 Tom thought the wildlife theme selected the kingfisher as his cluded local wildlife.” Lynn subject, inspired by the birds that Summer Shows was “interesting because it al- lowed the artist to think of sub- Kozma painted the banner of nested in the creek near his ject matter they might not have hummingbirds. According to home. And Kate Graham se- Lynn, “I chose a hummingbird Chat Room: 2 otherwise considered”. lected the Steelhead Trout as her feeding her chick. I have always Simone Archer Continued on page 3 SAGE 1st Annual Harvest Festival Calendar of 4 Events By Lynn Kozma Here in California’s wine coun- activities such as an opportunity try, when someone says to meet chickens, make corn “Harvest Festival” the first thing husk dolls, and face painting. that comes to mind is grape And what autumn agricultural harvesting. SAGE (Sustainable festival would be complete Agriculture Education) brought without a pick-your-own pump- the term back to its “roots” kin? with the First Annual Ag Park Niles Canyon Artisans partici- Harvest Festival held on their pated with a triple canopy fields adjacent to the Willis Polk booth as well as a booth dedi- Water Temple in Sunol on Oc- cated to Kathleen Elliott’s or- tober 6th. ganic olive oil. As always, the The event featured tours of the artisans showed very well with various farms on the premises displays that highlighted the as well as a number of good old works of about a dozen mem- fashioned family fun! The bers. Visitors could view and event also included children’s SAGE’s Ag Park Harvest Festival Oct 6th. Continued on page 3 Page 2 Brushstrokes

Reflections on Summer Shows

By Conover Smith shared space The summer months for the and showed as Niles Canyon Artisans were a a group bring flurry of shows and gatherings. up the whole As a group we've explored sev- notion of com- eral of the opportunities to par- munity, and ticipate as a group, and as indi- the value it viduals. represents. I The shows at the Pacific Loco- Handmade jewelry display. personally have made Artisan Conover motive Association train runs Smith displays their events. Bev Patterson, one more friends Art gallery at the Train helped us to layout and share his ceramics. Depot. display spaces, and gave us a of the organizers of the train this summer chance to test the waters of shows, said these outdoor gallery than in any three month time in events were wonderful! “It was my life. We've worked together, great to see how receptive peo- helped each other and created ple were to the art. ” some really nice displays. One local Sunolian, Dirk Christiansen, who owns the I think the Artisans are playing an Studio Seven art gallery in Plea- important part in developing that santon has put together a very sense of community, a process “...community, nice art show on the first that only can occur when folks Wednesday street faire evenings. get involved. a process that Our members displayed at sev- Ceramics and Glass display. eral of these shows, and because only can occur shows at the train station in it is only a 3 hour show, have had moderate to light success selling, when folks get Sunol. Displaying at the 'Wine Trains' seemed to not provide and most agreed that it is a valu- able addition to our schedule. involved.” enough traffic for an art show to be viable, but the 'Steam Week- We displayed as many as seven ends' have much larger turnout, artisans’ works, in a 10' x 20' and our results were generally space, and the half hour set up better for our members. We and take down honed our skills at getting in and out in a hurry; most likely will choose several dates for 2014 and continue to always a good thing. These lar- Tilework and jewelry work with the PLA to develop ger events in which the artisans display.

CHAT ROOM: Simone Archer

An artist never knows when design were painstakingly above fireplaces, in kitchens, their creativity will resonate replicated in handmade with others. ceramic tiles they were In the spring of 2004, completed and pieced Simone was commissioned together like a puzzle; to illustrate a list of 100 each tile a unique shape. things special to Livermore This experience inspired in a design for the “Wine Simone to design and Country Wall”. After the fabricate new handmade art commission approved Simone Archer tile murals which are her panoramic illustration, the fabrication process be- now in private homes, gan. Small areas of the total majestically hanging Ceramic tile depicting koi. Continued on page 3 Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 3

Harvest Festival

Continued from page 1 with a 19-year old gopher snake purchase handmade glass, jew- that people could handle (with elry, paintings, photography, care) as well as several animal ceramics, and textiles. skins of local wildlife. In addition to the artisans, a Food and drinks were also avail- number of community groups able in the form of tastings pro- were represented with infor- vided by New Leaf Market and mation booths. These included Whole Foods Market as well as San Francisco Public Utilities a fabulously delicious Mexican Commission (SFPUC), Sunol food truck. Fenestra Winery Repertory Theatre, Little was on hand pouring a tasting of Artisan Steve Barkkarie’s palm-a-gami demonstration. Brown Church of Sunol, and some of their new releases. Sunol CERT. East Bay Regional SFPUC kindly provided chilled inaugural success ensures that Parks District also brought water for free to the public. this will truly be the first festi- their portable museum van The event was attended by ap- val of many years to come! proximately 1000 visitors. Its Banners “I’m looking for Continued from page 2 curate the 1st two shows of completed banners and a ladder and a hung them before most a couple of subject. According to Kate, “I artwork but am looking for a couple of people to help curate residents awoke”, added artist selected the steelhead trout people to help because they once flourished in this project moving forward. Connie DeGrange. the Sunol creeks and are hope- Any takers? An idea for the fully returning to this beautiful next gallery showing: I would This project also prompted sev- curate.” landscape, I thought this would like to talk to the art depart- eral of the participating artists to ment at Foothill High School to be a nice subject. Claude consider other possible public art Monet was the inspiration for see if they may be interested in a competition similar to the one projects. Ideas included a fiber painting my banner. He was art project, a mural project, a known as the" father of Impres- held at Sunol Glen for the first project that incorporates histori- sionism . " He loved to show. If they are interested, I’d paint water scenes. He used like to work with them over the cal references to add an addi- "dabbing" brushstrokes and he winter and hang the new works tional layer of depth to the art painted reflections on the wa- in the early spring.” are being considered, and even a ter.” “One aspect that was so much (plywood) cow decorating con- What’s next? According to fun about the banner project is test. Stay tuned and keep your Tom, “I think of the street light that it was like participating in a eyes open for possible future Banners by Tom Harland, polls along Main Street as a gal- Connie DeGrange, and Flashmob! Early on Sunday public art displays in and around lery and have been happy to Sharon Stanton. morning we gathered with the Sunol! CHAT

Continued from page 2 and gardens. Themes vary from “An artist never local scenes to images from her knows when European travels. their creativity

Simone standing in front of the cen- will resonate ter section of the “Wine Country Wall”. Located on J Street in down- with others.” town Livermore, her mural was completed in 2006 and stands 11 feet tall and 45 feet wide. Promoting Hand-Made Arts and Crafts in and around Sunol

In the summer of 2012, artists of Sunol and Niles formed the Niles Canyon Artisans, an association of artists from the greater Niles Canyon area. The goals of the Niles Canyon Artisans are to promote and develop local arts and crafts, to encourage greater communi- cation and collaboration among local artisans, and to provide opportunities for the com- munity to enjoy local arts and crafts through shows and studio tours.

The membership of Niles Canyon Artisans includes artists from Sunol and Niles and sur- rounding communities. All of the arts and crafts are produced by hand by the member NILES CANYON artist. ARTISANS Calendar of Events

October

Oct 25 Halloween Party

We’re on the Web! December nilescanyonartisans. blogspot.com Dec 7-8 Holiday in the Vinyards Mayan Calendar

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