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First Friday in Fortuna!

I am especially looking forward to this First Friday in Fortuna. Similar to Arts Alive in Eureka, Fortuna’s businesses open their doors with displays of original art and live music that waifs from store to store. Among the open businesses are: Horizons, Kozy Korner Gifts, L’s Kitchen, Main Street Art Gallery, Marian’s Beauty Salon, Moore’s Sleep Center, PrecisionContinue reading “First Friday in Fortuna!”

Artistic Beauty in Worship Spaces

Art is a common language that can be shared all over the world. Twice I had the incredible opportunity to travel outside the United States and observe the art culture in two diverse locations: Italy and Israel. Both locales were in stark difference to the U.S. by the virtue of time. Compared to us these cultures are bothContinue reading “Artistic Beauty in Worship Spaces”

Colored Pencil Drawing Class

A Colored Pencil Drawing Class taught by Artist Penny Fregeau is scheduled to start at the Fortuna Fabric & Crafts store on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM starting April 16th. The class will run for six weeks ending on May 28th. All skill levels are welcome. The cost of the class is $100 plus materials, whichContinue reading “Colored Pencil Drawing Class”

An Education in the Arts Impacts the Culture

With the economic pressures we have experienced nationally the past few years and the constant rhetoric regarding budget cuts we often hear about art programs being cut in our educational systems. Art and music are not seen as important as the math and sciences, for example. I believe this mindset is short-sighted for some substantial reasons. Continue reading “An Education in the Arts Impacts the Culture”

Painting to Celebrate The Most Joyous Occasion on Planet Earth!

Painting as a form of worship during the Easter service has become a tradition for which I am grateful to participate. There are many Biblical expressions of worship and I love the account in Exodus where God instructs the children of Israel to create beautiful things for the tabernacle and for the priestly garments. I appreciateContinue reading “Painting to Celebrate The Most Joyous Occasion on Planet Earth!”

Have You Ever Been Moved to Tears by Something Beautiful?

Art is one of those communication links that transcends language, culture, gender, economic status or age, among other things. We can be moved deeply by the sensitive portrayal of the arts in a variety of expressions. Deep and significant concepts can be conveyed by the arts that either reinforce what someone is trying to sayContinue reading “Have You Ever Been Moved to Tears by Something Beautiful?”

Happy Resurrection Day to Come

Easter is close at hand! Our culture tends to highlight Christmas as the biggest day of the year both spiritually and as a time of family gathering. But if we consider the significance of Easter, really, the whole world was changed by not only the birth, but also the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Continue reading “Happy Resurrection Day to Come”

Comp-osition and Where It Leads Us

A painting’s composition determines where one’s eye travels over the painting to create interest and bring the eye back to the element(s) the artist wants to emphasize. In addition to the value of visual beauty the painting points to objects and communicates “look at this!” In the piece above the lines jetting outward would leadContinue reading “Comp-osition and Where It Leads Us”

Estelle’s Irises

According to Texas A& M University, the iris means faith, hope and wisdom. Since there are over two-hundred varieties of irises there is a lot of symbolism and meaning attached to this flower. The subject matter for this painting came from the yard of a dear godly woman I know named Estelle. Estelle is aContinue reading “Estelle’s Irises”

Drawing with Patience

Drawing is a foundational skill to all kinds of art. If we are musically inclined, taking piano lessons certainly helps us develop a broad base of musical understanding which helps when we pick up other instruments to play. Similarly, developing the skill and discipline of drawing helps in a wide variety of artistic endeavor. IContinue reading “Drawing with Patience”