More than 170 paintings and sculptures selected by an esteemed panel of artists and art scholars will be showcased during the California Art Club's 112th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition. The anticipated summer show brings together the artwork of 166 artists who utilize the traditional artistic techniques of the founders of the historic collective of artists, which inspired the style of California Impressionism. A variety of subject matter in both two- and three-dimensional art will be represented during the event, from landscapes to figurative works to urban scenes and more.
Derek Harrison, Noir, oil on linen, 17 x 13"
Carolyn Hesse-Low’s painting in the exhibition, Village by the Sea, was inspired by the record winter rains this year in California. “These unprecedented torrents had an unexpected benefit for artists: dramatic skies! The storms created some of the most beautiful cloud formations I have seen,” says Hesse-Low. “Clouds can add depth and drama to a painting, and they are an important compositional element since they connect the sky with the earth. In my painting, you can see this connection with the distant rains on the horizon.”
Scott W. Prior, Nikes on Valencia, oil on panel, 48 x 42"
Dawn’s Rhythms, an oil painting by Deladier Almeida, is part of the artist’s ongoing series of California aerial rural landscapes. “My aim in these stylized compositions is to navigate between figuration and abstraction…These pictures are never portraits of a specific locale, but rather an arbitrary alignment of possible local features. They are a combination of the recurring elements of the California rural landscape as seen from about 1,000 feet high. The trees and their shadows, the levees, crop fields, roads and bodies of water are characters I position on the stage. They tell, in each painting, a small story of the larger scene,” says Almeida.
Dennis Doheny, Cloud Veil - Catalina Island, oil on linen, 24 x 30"
Kathleen Dunphy’s piece in the show features the ubiquitous Canada goose. “Our local Canada geese never seem to fly south with their less-hardy brethren, choosing instead to brave the cold and count on open water in the relatively temperate climate of the Northern California foothills…As the late January sun set on a patch of lakeside cattails, I came across this trio bathing and basking in the last light. The interplay of warm and cool colors combined with the textures of feathers against water and snow made for a scene I couldn’t wait to paint,” she says. Other exhibiting artists in this year’s show include Amery Bohling, Jim McVicker, Camille Przewodek, Paige Bradley and many more.
Collectors browse and explore artwork during last year’s Gold Medal Exhibition
During the Gold Medal Exhibition, the California Art Club will present a variety of educational programs that give art enthusiasts the opportunity to meet the participating artists and learn more about traditional art forms. Among these programs are an opening day lecture with art historian Jean Stern titled “The Art of Appreciating Art” as well as “Meet the Artists” spotlight talks every Saturday for the duration of the exhibition, and a paint/sculpt-out on closing day.
The 112th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition runs from July 9 to September 10. The Opening Reception – Exhibition Preview & Artists’ Gala takes place Saturday, July 8 at 5 p.m. —
112th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition
When: July 9-September 10, 2023 Where: Bowers Museum, 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706
Information: (714) 567-3628, www.bowers.org/gold, www.californiaartclub.org/goldmedal
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