Exhibition on view at Santa Barbara Tennis Club
Stan Everson’s “Olive Bomber”
Santa Barbara Visual Artists are featured in the current 2nd Fridays Art exhibition at the Santa Barbara Tennis Club, 2375 Foothill Road.
On view through Nov. 30 is the art work of Peter Andrews, Jan Baker, Stan Evenson, Karen Frishman, Helena Hill, Dee Faia Parkins, Judy Villa and Felice Willat.
The Santa Barbra Visual Artists are a nonprofit organization of active area artists who meet together socially to produce and celebrate art and to exhibit their original works in diverse media at local venues at least three times per year, according to Susan Tibbles, gallery director and curator of exhibitions.
Mr. Andrews has shown numerous times throughout Southern California, including juried and solo shows. Many of his works can be found in private collections throughout the U.S. and overseas. Over the years, he has worked in several different artistic mediums, including poetry, assemblage, drawing and painting.
He is a member of the SBVA and the Westlake Village Artist Guild.
Ms. Baker, the current president of SBVA, has attended master conferences with Daniel Greene and David Leffel’s workshops.
Her natural style is realistic paintings of portraits, still lifes, cityscapes, and landscapes in oils and pastels.
“An artist sees the world through the beauty of color, light and contrast. Painting is an experience … to see it all in color, the beauty of people and nature. It is the artist’s view of the world,” she said.
Mr. Evenson has designed more than 150 album covers and countless music industry promotions and campaigns for legendary artists such as Peter Frampton, Tom Petty, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Steve Miller, Tina Turner, Joni Mitchell, Dave Mason and Carly Simon, to name a few.
He also served as president of AIGA/LA (The Professional Association for Design) and co-chaired the AIGA (Re)designAwards.
In addition to being an internationally known designer winning numerous awards and being published in countless books and periodicals, he has been honored to have three design pieces selected for the Permanent Collection of the Library of Congress.
“Since 2014, Mr. Evenson has been transitioning from designer to fine artist, experimenting with paint and collage, combining his passion for vintage iconography, humor and the outrageous with an innate sense and love of design into fine art,” said Ms. Tibbles.
As a marketing specialist and graphic designer, Ms. Frishman has always focused on using design to serve the needs of business. Now she channels her creative abilities to create art for art’s sake.
Using acrylics, washes, vintage paper, stencils, handmade stamps and more, Ms. Frishman combines various elements to create abstract collage art that offers an element of surprise. She uses bold and unexpected color combinations on canvas, wood and watercolor paper.
She is a member of the Santa Barbara Abstract Art Collective and co-chair of SBVA.
Ms. Hill, a watercolor artist and freelance writer who focuses on landscapes of Santa Barbara and her travels, has led women’s writing and watercolor retreats to Peru and Italy.
She is a board member of the Santa Barbara Art Association and is affiliated with South Coast Artists Painting for the Environment (SCAPE), Los Padres Watercolor Society and the California Watercolor Association.
Primarily a self-taught realism painter working in oils, Ms. Parkins now paints abstracts using acrylics as her medium. After taking a long break from painting and relocating to Santa Barbara, she decided to begin again.
Ms. Villa spent the last seven years focusing on abstract art, but it was not until she discovered the techniques of fluid arts that her passion for painting came alive.
“The painting techniques she uses achieve cellular-like separations with the use of acrylic paints and other chemical agents. The painting techniques of fluid arts are dynamic, vibrant and magical. Her paintings are on display in local galleries,” said Ms. Tibbles.
Ms. Willat is an award-winning fine art photographer and publisher, whose images from around the world capture the beauty of the human landscape across cultures. Her photographs have been juried into the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art, Los Angeles Center for Photography, Photo LA, Photo Independent, TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, the Brand Library in Glendale and numerous other venues across the United States and in London, UK and Italy.
“The camera is my medium to capture the fleeting beauty I see and feel in nature, the unguarded expressions and hidden gestures of life and in the optical illusions that appear in reflections and the layering of images,” said Ms. Willat. “Engaging with my camera takes me out of ordinary reality and into the world of possibility where I thrive. When something captures my imagination, I want to share it with others by taking a photograph.
“Being an artist is to live in the world of possibility, less of certainty. I could capture a moment, something sacred or commonplace, an unconscious gesture, a tattered clothesline, a red plastic pitcher or a worn prayer book. I like to leave the familiar, travel to far-away places, and find the gift of really being present.”
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
FYI
The Santa Barbara Visual Artists exhibit is on view through Nov. 30 at Santa Barbara Tennis Club, 2375 Foothill Road. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, contact Susan @ info@susantibbles.com or visit
