FANTASY AND MEMORY
JANUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 12, 2011

ARTIST STATEMENT
“Most of these paintings reflect my love of old black and white snapshots. I am intrigued by the momentary element of them that catches people on the fly…when they might not think that they were revealing much about themselves.  Actually, because of the spontaneous nature of snapshots they unintentionally give themselves up to a careful viewer.

I imagine myself in conversation with the subjects that I paint.  These imaginary exchanges bring me into a sort of intimate contact with them.  I fancy that I can decipher how they feel about the other person(s) with them in the photograph by their body language, expression and general demeanor.  I, as the observer and painter, try to express what I have intuited as I create the painting, using color, sense of atmosphere etc.

I also love the small Dutch genre paintings and I have them in mind as I do my own paintings. I like the idea of painting ordinary people doing ordinary things and making them into something that might be beautiful…not because the individuals in the snapshot are beautiful (actually I prefer it when they are not) but because with the use of color and shape and atmosphere it is possible to create a beauty or vividness in the scene. It is most interesting when I find/purchase a photograph that has something just a little “off” about them, the persons in the shot are not quite what one would expect or the scene has something just a bit out of the ordinary about it.

I began this adventure in small paintings by painting many of my own family snapshots. I have published some of these in a picture book about my own family that you can view at the desk in the gallery.”

(Life partners for thirty years, Art Curtis and Shelley Adler have achieved the rare ability to mentor and critique each other as artists, while maintaining and continuing to develop their own personal styles despite working and living in the same space.)

BIO

b. Minot, North Dakota

Education:
California State University, Long Beach, MFA, Illustration
The University of California Los Angeles, MLS, Library Science
The University of California Los Angeles, BA, English Literature
The Art Students League, New York City, 2 years (scholarship)            .
The University of Wisconsin, 2 years, Art Major

Commissions:
Carol Miller: Commissioned by Jerry Mendlesohn for Carol Miller
The Haugen Wedding: Betty and Harold Haugen collection
The Haugen Children: Carol Ann McCallister collection
Frances: Frances Ring collection
Sari Eshman: Rob Eshman collection
Elvia, John and Elias: Elvia Adler collection
Jerry: Joyce Albers collection
Judy and Barbara: Judy Irola collection
Martin Albers: Joyce Albers collection
Martin Albers and Daughter: Joyce Albers collection
The Lightfoot Red Chevy: Kathy Lightfoot collection
Wedding: Niccola Salter collection

Exhibitions:
TAG Gallery, Three Artist’s group show, Bergamont Sta. S.M., CA Dec. 2010
TAG Gallery, TAG group show, Bergamont  Sta. S.M. CA, Jan. 2010
TAG Gallery, Three Artist’s group show, Santa Monica, CA. Feb. 2009
TAG Gallery, TAG Artist’s group show, Santa Monica, CA. Feb. 2009
TAG Gallery, Calif.Open group juried show, Santa Monica, CA. Aug. 2008
Third Place Award (“SJ Willy’s “ Juror: D.J. Hall)
South Shore Art Center, juried group show, Cohasset, MA. Sept. 2007
The Pen and Brush, juried small works group show, NYC. Oct. 2007
Morro Bay Art Association, Central Coast Fine Art juried competition, Morro Bay, CA. Aug. 2007
Women’s Studio Center Virtual Reality juried online exhibit, Aug. 2007
Axis Gallery , Sacramento, CA. Annual juried  group exhibit Aug. 2007
San Diego Art Institute International juried group exhibit, May 2007
ArtHouse Gallery at TVA. Santa Monica, CA, juried group show, May 2007
ArtCore Brewery Annex, Los Angeles, CA, juried group show, Feb. 2006
WPW Sandra Goldman Memorial Award (2^nd place, “The Bathers”)
The Rose, Santa Monica, CA, group show, Oct. 2005
Viva Gallery, North Hollywood, CA, juried group show, July 2005
The Finegood Gallery, West Hills, CA, juried group show, June 2005
WPW Alice Leonard Award (3^rd place, “The Feldman Siblings”)
A Shenere Velt Gallery, LA, CA, one person exhibit: May-June 2005
Attleboro Fine Art Museum, Attleboro, MA, juried group show,  May 2005
Arena I, Santa Monica, CA, juried group show,: October 9-November 6, 2004

Organizations:
Women Painters West, 2005
TAG The Artists Gallery, 2009