COAL Award by Chuck McPherson
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JOAN P. YAP
As a child, I was drawing or painting my favorite celebrities (Elvis, James Dean, etc.) without any training. In my teens, my interest turned to photography, where I practiced the dynamics of lighting by adjusting aperture, speed, ISO etc on my Pentax camera. My parents were encouraging and had a darkroom built, so I learned to develop film and print (b&w) at an early age. In undergraduate and graduate schools, my art instructors' teaching skills were negligible, so I have to assume that in a former life, I must have been an artist. In my '20s I developed a passion for crosshatching (pen & ink drawing; self-taught) and spent countless hours at it, winning a few awards in the midwest. Photography was always present, albeit in the background. |
MIXED MEDIA ARTIST
Turning to art after she retired from the corporate world, Phaya strives for freedom of expression and persistently experiments with collage materials, textual elements, and multiple ways to apply paints and other mediums to the artistic experience. Color, line, shape, pattern, and texture are the foremost sources of inspiration. “Typically, I do not begin a painting with a fixed idea; the methods and techniques used in the process of experimentation determine the final result. The surface of the painting is as important as is the image. This approach to painting seeks connection between recognition and suggestion. I leave my paintings open to the viewer’s interpretation”. Phaya’s body of work is known for its distinctive textures, bold color combinations and strong compositions. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibits and in corporate, public, and private collections throughout California, and she has received numerous awards. Phaya has devoted herself to encouraging fellow artists to flourish and share their works with the community. This is evidenced by her leadership of a local group, Art Group of North County (AGNC), which is dedicated to developing connections and opportunities between local artists and the surrounding North County cultural organizations for exhibits and special events. |
Christine was born in Chicago, IL as Christine Ishikawa, to parents of Japanese descent. In High School she had a wonderful teacher/mentor who inspired her, encouraging her to enter a student group art tour. She was chosen, and exhibited in a worldwide tour through the Art Institute of Chicago. She then let her art rest, and went on to obtain a B.S. in Biology, an M.B.A., and pursued a career in research, sales and marketing. Many years later, she returned to her art, and now resides in Oceanside, CA and Rome, Italy.
Christine is a Mixed Media Abstract Artist. Her work is a process-oriented journey; a journey that focuses on line, color, and shape, and their relationships to each other. Her overall goal in a painting is compositional balance. She has exhibited in numerous galleries/museums, both in California and in Italy. [Chris's website link is [www.yessy.com/christinelames] |
I was born and raised in South Africa, where I graduated with a degree in Mining Engineering from the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. After several years underground, I switched to oil exploration, and spent eleven years managing on-land and off-shore drilling projects.
In 1977, my family and I moved to La Jolla, where I was employed by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. For seven glorious years, I managed the Glomar Challenger research drill ship, conducting scientific exploration world-wide as part of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. When the Scripps project ended, I moved on to geotechnical and environmental project management — mainly on US Navy bases in the Pacific, operating out of Hawaii. (No art yet) In 2004, I retired and moved back to Del Mar. I signed up for Acrylic Painting classes instructed by Sally Pierce at Mira Costa College. I attended these classes for about eight years before “going it alone.” My paintings are generally inspired by South African art, and by my travels in Mexico. I also make wood carvings, sculptures, and garden art. I have been a member of AGNC for about seven years, and am a member of Art Alliance at the Oceanside Museum of Art. I have shown my work at Jazzercise, and at AGNC shows in Oceanside, Vista, and San Marcos. |
DON WEBB
I have painted on and off most of my working career with little guidance. After retirement, I took some art courses at Mira Costa. There I met Diane Adams, and stayed in her watercolor class for probably four years. Later took watercolor classes from Tom Tiedeman, and lastly, Jim Millard. I paint mostly in watercolor, but also work in oils. I enjoy showing my work, and currently display at two local coffee shops in Oceanside and try to enter shows and local galleries. My pleasure and challenge comes from painting a scene with my story or interpretation. Then, of course, if someone selects one of my pieces for their home, it is the real reward. |
JAIME DREYFUS
The lure of the beautiful forms of everyday life was the driving force that brought me to draw and capture on paper the images that I observed at an early age. Achieving higher education in Art gave me a deeper horizon of trends and styles to follow. Unfortunately the passion and love for Art did not put bread on my table. I had to find a job. Art, however, never left my heart. During my working years, I always found ways to express myself in one form or another whether in sculpture, ceramics or painting in different media. Doodling when my right hand is not busy with work helped me develop head to hand coordination. |
In the year 2000, I retired from work and was able to come back to my Art. I reviewed the Impressionist works. I bought books to learn more about their techniques, color schemes, vices and more. The sense of fulfillment and accomplishment I feel when I finish a painting is so great that I always want to share that art with friends and loved ones. When someone comes and shows a deep liking and admiration for one of my works, it makes me feel that God is smiling, because I am exercising the talent given to me. Many times, I had given away paintings because of that.
My Motto: “Inspiration is the soul of an artist.” [[email protected]; http://jdreyfus.com; (760) 445-7267] |
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EILEEN SPRAGUE Eileen Sprague grew up in New York City and has been practicing art for 50 years. She is a graduate of New York University, and studied postgraduate art at Hunter College. She majored in Social Work, receiving a Masters in Humanistic Education. She also was co-owner of a commercial Hot Air Balloon business in Sedona, Arizona until moving to San Diego. Eileen has been a member of the Woodstock Artist Association, Sedona Art Center, and most recently, the Oceanside Museum and adjunct Oceanside Alliance. She has exhibited in the Long Beach, NY Museum of Art, Del Mar Art Gallery, and the Del Mar Fair as well as numerous public libraries in North County. Her contemporary sculptures are created in Marble, Onyx, Bronze and many other mediums; paintings are both in oil, acrylics and water. Her website link is here. Eileen's exhibition of art at the Oceanside Civic Center Library January 2 through January 31 had an opening reception on Saturday, January 5 at 4:00 p.m. |