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Community Corner

World-Class Art Takes Center Stage at the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, Sept. 7-8

Extraordinary original art ranging from Japanese embroidery, stunning photographs, acrylic and watercolor paintings, exquisite lithographs, dollhouse mailboxes, handpainted recycled furniture and gorgeous jewelry to boutique-quality fashions, shimmering glass vessels, hand-blown ceramic pieces, recycled metal work, whimsical sculptures and hand-carved woodwork –– you’ll find all of this and more at the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, September 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Castro Street. Stroll and browse well-stocked booths and meet 600 of America’s finest artists and craftmakers –– creators of the beautiful art on display at this ationally renown festival.

Fine Art

Stephen Hayes is a classical, French Impressionist artist known for his mysterious portraits, still-lifes, landscapes and figurative oil paintings. He practices a method that has been handed down from teacher to student for hundreds of years. Helen Kostoff has merged her love of diving with her passion for art. Her astonishing underwater photographs capture the rarest creatures on the planet. Kostoff’s personal favorite is the rosy-lipped batfish. The four elements – earth, wind, water and fire – inspire Pat Craynor’s abstract watercolor paintings. His Expressionist work illustrates the rural desert and sandy shores of California. Using a multi-step process, layers of paint are repeated until each piece is finished. Ora Tamir’s oil paintings have a futuristic quality and haunting beauty. Tamir paints symbolic stories, and she hopes that people will find their own stories in her art. She will sign copies of her latest art book, The Surreal World of Ora Tamir, at the fair.

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Sculpture and Mixed Media

If you’re looking for an unusual gift, stop by Mary Beier’s booth for vibrant paintings etched on metal. Her designs are etched by hand to create depth and movement. The artist finishes each piece with colorful paint and a protective sealant. Anthony Verity uses acrylic paint, Japanese papers and modeling clay in his Surrealist collages and paintings. His vivid landscapes and seascapes are textured to create a 3-D effect. A gorgeous glass sculpture by Joi and Dan LaChaussee will make a dramatic statement in your favorite room. Swirls of vibrant colors collide, as light streams through each dazzling vessel. The LaChaussees also make gleaming pendant lights, wall art, vases and platters. David Hoobler sells dynamic watercolor paintings of the Sonoran Desert. He has quite a following for his intense art and splashy children’s books. Hoobler’s latest book, Zonk and the Gray Whale Birthday Party, will be released in time for the festival.

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Wearable Art

While strolling on the magnificent beaches of Monterey, Jenna Garzaniti scours the sand to find white, brown, seafoam green and cobalt blue sea glass. These ocean treasures are transformed into one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Michelle Cameron designs hand-dyed, whimsical women’s clothing. She uses silk, linen and rayon to create comfortable styles that are washable and travel well. Mesmerized by the wonders of the natural world, Dianne Hoft has spent her life mastering the art of Batik hand-painted silk. She prefers a rich color palette of colors found in striking sunsets, the sparkling sea and the warm desert. Hoft captures the natural beauty of Palm Springs and the California Wine Country in her feminine scarves and shawls. It is Sasha Samuels’ love of Italy that inspires her gorgeous jewelry. Drawing and painting fuel her passion for jewelry design. Her goal is to create pieces that empower women to manifest their dreams. The artist works with gold, silver, platinum, pearls, gemstones and diamonds.

Functional Art

Tick tock…if you find that sound really annoying, check out Clever Clocks by Eva Letts. Not only are her clocks modern works of art, she has found a way to eliminate the traditional ticking sound by running clocks on “sweep” motors. Contemporary artist Douglas Chalk designs the ultra-mod clock faces. Are you hosting an upcoming barbecue? Steven Andersen builds quality outdoor furniture from Western red cedar wood. Sturdy tables, Adirondack chairs, benches and planters will be perfect on your patio. Sheila Collins sews dimensional, framed fabric art.  Her cheerful illustrations of surfboards, fish, tropical drinks, and Hawaiian flowers are reminiscent of Collins’ island days in Oahu. The artist has a fashion design background, and she adorns her work with covered buttons and Swarovski crystals. Anne Lewis makes wheel-thrown, functional ceramics. She sells an array of serving platters, teapots, covered jars, casseroles and coffee mugs. Lewis prefers darker glazes in colors of the earth, water and forests – her collections are perfect for autumnal gatherings.

 “The Mountain View Art & Wine Festival is widely regarded to be among the top art shows in the country,” said Terry Allie of California Artists, the company in charge of managing the arts and crafts exhibitors. “It’s the perfect opportunity to meet and buy from artists actually doing the work. Everything you see is handcrafted from beginning to end by each artist … we call it ‘art with soul’ and what’s special is festivalgoers get to take a piece of that home and make it part of their life.”

The festival will be held on September 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View, California. Admission is free. For festival information, call 650-968-8378 or visit www.miramarevents.com
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