ALL ANGLES: New Works by the Skyline College Art Faculty plus two additional new exhibitions at Sanchez Art Center

 Opening reception is on Friday, July 12th, 2024 through Aug 11th, 2024.

School may be out for summer, however a new exhibition — “All Angles”— will be opening in the Sanchez Art Center Main Gallery, showcasing the diverse talents and intellectual depth of eleven distinguished faculty members from the Skyline College Art Department.  Opening concurrently are two additional group shows: Food for Thought, by Bay Area Artists of Color, a collaborative project of Write Now! SF Bay, and Treasure(s), a themed show interpreted by members of the Art Guild of Pacifica.  The opening reception is on Friday, July 12, from 7-9 pm, with live music.

All Angles, is a dynamic display featuring a wide range of media and genres, including innovative and creative works in painting, ceramics, sculptures, works on paper and photography.  Free from a singular thematic premise, the exhibition celebrates the vision and skill of each artist, offering a rich tapestry of visual experiences that engage and inspire.

The Art Faculty members exhibiting in the show include:

• Aya Artola
• Ash Asaro
• Paul Bridenbaugh
• Teresa Cunniff
• Eileen David
• Amir Esfahani
• Bismillah Iqbal
• Dianne Jones
• Michael Ryan
• Tiffany Schmierer
• Arthur Takayama

A group show in the Main Gallery is a rare exception to the art center’s tradition of featuring either a solo or duo show of living artists in this space.

Sanchez Art Center Artistic Director Jerry Ross Barrish notes about the invitation that, “The art faculty at Skyline College has been a great asset to Sanchez Art Center and our community over the years, serving as guest curators, promoting the art center and encouraging students to share their work by participating in the Art Guild of Pacifica exhibitions; this exhibition is a way of expressing our appreciation to these talented and generous artist educators.”

About his work, Arthur Takayama shares, “The overt aesthetic premise of my work is in the Pictorialism tradition.  Yet, the works present incomplete narratives; the lack of time, place and context attempt to bring the viewer to a perspective of intellectual and emotional open-endedness.  The lack of conclusion is intentional in hopes of generating personal dialogues within the viewer about the process of determining: What do you understand about what you are viewing?”

Consumer culture serves as the point of department for most of the ideas and endeavors of Michael J. Ryan.  In their piece, “Ruins and Spoils”, the artist shares that they did not set out to have any design towards the aftermath of war or protest.  But they did set out to establish a landscape of material and molds, spaces within spaces holding only light or shadow.  Ryan comments on the piece, “The importance of what once occupied these forms and material now echoed through their absence.”

Exploring past works, Dianne Jones sought to offer new ways of interpreting and perceiving her photographic work.  Applying different cropping techniques reveal a renewed perspective, hidden narratives and highlighting that the past is not a fixed story but rather a dynamic and evolving mystery.  “Through this re-examination, I let my intuition find meaning within the photographs that have influenced my artistic journey,” states Jones.

Tiffany Schmierer’s hand built pieces are intuitively assembled with a density of pattern, imagery and detail.  Utilizing printmaking, marking and relief techniques to create richly detailed colorful structures out of mid-range fired ceramics, the theme that weaves through the series is the interconnections we have with each other and with our complex environment.  Schmierer states, “Taking a moment to appreciate these inner and outer ties promotes much-needed empathy and caring for the complex invisible web that we link to and which shapes us.”

Providing the community with the opportunity to hear from the artists about their work and processes, All Angles will conclude with an artists’ talk on Sunday, Aug 11, beginning at 3:00 pm.

The East Gallery is presenting Food for Thought, by Bay Area Artists of Color, a collaborative project of Write Now! SF Bay, honors the earth, sun and water as the source of life; the unsung who grow, prepare and distribute our food; and the overlooked who hunger in this land of plenty.

The exhibition is conceived and coordinated by Shizue Seigel, a Japanese American whose family lost their 140-acre Pismo Beach produce ranch during World War II.  Exhibiting artists include:

• Susana Aragon, a Peruvian American sharing paintings and mixed media works;
• Adrian Arias, Peruvian American painter and poet, offering watercolor and ink pieces on paper;
• Lorraine Bonner, African American sculptor and poet, displaying her “Extinction Series” installation work;
• Juan R. Fuentes, Chicano print and poster maker exhibiting detailed linocut, wood cut and screen print works;
• Pancho Pescador, Chilean American street muralist whose acrylic and watercolor works on paper are paired with the written work of Peruvian American poet Jose Antonio Galloso;
• Karen Seneferu, African American artist sharing vibrant acrylic on paper pieces from her “God Cypher” series;
• Shizue Seigel, exhibiting installation and photocollage  works; and,
• Kim Shuck, Cherokee/Polish American poet and beadwork artist.

Each artist brings their rich cultural context to their visual works.  Additionally copies of several anthologies that include the written works of artists in the show will be available for purchase.

The public is invited to a very special two-part event on Sunday, July 21.

Beginning at 2:30 pm (doors open at 2:15 pm) in the Mildred Owen Concert Hall (immediately adjacent to the Sanchez Art Center East Gallery)  will be a screening of the short documentary, Strawberry Picker, that include a talk by printmaker Juan R. Fuentes and Inspira Studios. Following the talk, artists in the Food for Thought exhibition will gather in the East Gallery (by 4:00 pm) for a gallery walk and talk about their works.

Treasure(s) is the theme of a group show by members of the Art Guild of Pacifica in the West Gallery.

Time, nature, pirate’s booty, love and toilet paper provide an eclectic and at times humorous view into what objects and experiences we value.  Mixed media, paintings in acrylic, oil and watercolor, jewelry, pen and ink, assemblage and more are included in the exhibition.  The Art Guild will also offer small artworks and art cards for purchase (cash/check).

Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica, about a mile east of Highway 1. Following opening night, the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm, and by appointment, through Aug 11.  For more information call 650.355.1894 or visit SanchezArtCenter.org.