Sarah Whitecotton has been an artist for more than 40 years. She received her B.F.A at the University of Oklahoma where she won several commendations in painting. One of her award winning work is owned by the University Museum.

In the late 1950’s she spent a summer session in Oaxaca and Mexico City where she became strongly influenced by the Mexican muralists and Rufino Tamayo. Her later paintings show this influence with her use of rich earth colors and muted pinks and greens reminiscent of Tamayo’s work.

After she switched to painting with her left hand in the 1970’s because of an old injury to her right hand that never healed properly, her works became more detailed and patterned with many layers of paint. She also experimented with collage using found objects, various papers and torn pieces of discarded art work.

Whitecotton has been described as a narrative painter. She has a unique style and is influenced by the surroundings and environment in which she lives. The California figurative artists, the Impressionists, the Fauve school of art and the German Abstract Expressionism have also had significant influence in her development as a professional artist

Her book, Sarah Whitecotton- Acrylics, Watercolors, Mixed Media, 1996-2010, is available for viewing and purchase: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1386120?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget

sarahsart@bigplanet.com

www.sarahwhitecotton.com

Sarah Whitecotton exhibits at Giorgi Gallery from November 1st, 2011 to January 31st, 2012.

Fabienne Bismuth, a French-American artist puts femininity into three dimensions, capturing the power, glamor, beauty and vulnerability of the female form in bold yet sensuous bronze and cast stone sculptures. A biochemist by training, an artist by heart, influenced by great Bay Area instructors, Fabienne’s love for the human body evolved from a molecular level to an emotional one when she decided to pursue her passion as a sculptor full-time in 2001.

Women are strong, sensuous, graceful.

Elisabeth studied art and history in Paris and when she moved to the United States she started designing jewelry. When she travels around the world, she finds beautiful, antique, vintage or ethnic brooches and pendants that will become the focal pieces of her unique necklaces. She sometimes keeps those incredible finds for years before finding the right stones to compliment them. She works with fancy semi-precious stones and precious metals.

For her, a necklace is like a painting, colors and textures have to flow and blend together. And like paintings, she signs all her necklaces and bracelets with her unique tag.

She has been participating in artist’s open studios and art shows since 2003.

www.em-meyrueix.com

elisabeth@em-meyrueix.com

Bed Time Stories

Bella Rossa

Eight

Joe Boissy is an abstract painter who has developed his artistic expressions with a visual accent on calligraphic and lettering arts. In his work, the letters and character marks are an integral part of the composition and texture, giving the painting a unique characteristic. Navigating the letter shapes in his work is not only pleasing to the eye but conveys a combination of seduction, liveliness, and reverie.

Boissy paints with alphabet marks, letters, and a slew of calligraphic strokes. Most of his paintings reveal western writings, with a hint of other cultures. He studied Asian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Ancient calligraphic arts allowing him to go beyond the boundaries of traditional western alphabets.

When asked if the writings in his paintings are meant to be read, his answer is “Yes… but not in a conventional sense. I do not seek legibility. The letters certainly mean something, but the shapes and forms of the letters are a much stronger expression in my mind than the meaning of the words composed by the letters”. When looking at his work, the human curiosity invites the viewer to read or decipher the writings, but gradually the letter forms, strokes and shapes take over and the mind shifts to a deeper dimension.

Starting with a quote, a story, or an ancient scripture, Boissy dives into the color world, responding to what the letters are asking for. The rest is a conversation with the canvas to strike the balance between calligraphic strokes,  visual intrigue, and a story telling.

Boissy works primarily with Acrylics. He seldom uses traditional brushes. Most of the painting is done with handmade tools : ruling pens, steel and felt nibs, bamboo, reeds, quills, and a variety of writing instruments. Over the years, he has developed many techniques in lettering, tagging, and stroke making using an ever expanding arsenal of tools and methods. Using many translucent and iridescent colors, he creates elaborate textures with multiple layers of scriptures and marks, creating depth in color and value.

“ We (humans) created the alphabets to communicate with each other, but the letters we created can speak to us – if we let them” says Boissy. “ I invite people to indulge themselves by diving into this beautiful  world and surf the elegant and expressive shapes and colors”.

Joe Boissy lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and can be reached at joe@rightfocus.com

http://rightfocus.com/

Tango Dancers

Dante sculptures combines ancient and modern rituals, extracting archetypes and stylized motifs. She pays homage to the many facets of the human spirit, characterized by warmth, humor and sometimes political commentary.” Much of her sculpture explores the dynamics between round organic forms and hard rigid angles.  By exaggerating this interplay, her work creates a sense of tension which is both lively and sensual.

Dante has exhibited in numerous shows in the United States and Italy. She has been showcased exhibits such as “Art on the Rock at Alcatraz”, and “The Day of the Dead” Exhibition at The Museum of Mexican Art.  In 1990, she received the prestigious Art of Peace Award from the Artist Embassy International for her sculpture “Woman’s Liberation”, which was chosen by the Oakland Art Commission as a gift to Nelson Mandela and the people of South Africa.

elizabethdante.com

Paul Graf has a degree from CCAC, and is currently a member of the Sculpture Faculty at the Academy of Art University in SF, as well as a yearly guest instructor at the Mendocino Art Center.

These “sculptural drawings” reflect his approach to the interface between 2 & 3 dimensional art, & the raised textures that are the graphic results. In different lightings and viewed from different angles, many aspects of the image come forward or recede as you move about. Rhythmic forms with subtle shifting are used to create atmospheres, or small worlds in their own right.