Main Street Artists Gallery announces it will host a wine and appetizer reception Friday, Aug. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 436 Main St. in Quincy. August’s featured artists are Jane Y. Chang, James Johnson and Bruce Powell. Gallery members will also display their latest works, which organizers say completes this “fine exhibit of local art and perspectives.”
Jane Y. Chang
Jane Y. Chang presents “Dreams,” a collection of watercolor paintings leaning toward the landscape of dreams. Full of color, her preferred subjects are those not often seen in the real world. Dragons, fairies, fantasies and dreams take shape and venture into the realm of two dimensions.
Chang said she enjoys watercolor, drawing with pencil and charcoal, and drawing the human form. She conducts and moderates life drawing sessions at Main Street Artists Gallery as a means to share her appreciation for that art form. Presently she has been focused on portraits, attempting to replicate the actual likeness and, hopefully, the character of her subjects.
Chang’s show in August will also feature a few of her etched mushrooms. She collects local specimens of Ganoderma applanatum, commonly known as artist’s conk, and etches whimsical images on their under surface. The under surface of the conk reacts to scratches or rubbing by staining a rich brown. She has about three to five days to complete an etching, as the staining reaction ceases after that time. These pieces are mounted on finished wood bases made from wood from the Dixie Fire zone. Together, they tell a tale of the local area, said Chang.
As an illustrator at heart, Chang said her mind is full of stories that run through her and flow onto the paper, or mushroom, or eggshells. On eggshells, Chang uses pencil to draw detailed images of small animals in a fantasy world of flowers and filigree. The challenge of the curved and rough surfaces of eggshells requires some practice to achieve the desired effect, she said. She has been producing this form of artwork since the ’70s.
James Johnson
James Johnson paints landscapes with vast horizons and grand spaces, say gallery organizers. His work is detailed and evocative. Always popular, his works sell quickly. His technique is completely his own. Johnson works color into the frame in ways that break rules and traditional practices. In that scope, he achieves a result that is unique and very appealing.
Johnson has a background in fine arts that began at San Jose State University where he received his bachelor of arts in print making. He started painting about 15 to 20 years ago when his travels brought him to Plumas County.
It is here that his focus turned to landscape painting, particularly in the plein air style. Inspired by the gorgeous landscapes and tumbling waters of the area he has made waterscapes and river setups his forte. He said he enjoys plein air landscapes because painting them allows him to be outdoors and enjoy the beautiful world we live in.
Organizers say it comes as no surprise that water is the main theme for his current show. Johnson says, “I love places with lot of water. The fact that we are living in the headwaters of the Feather River makes it critical that we pay attention that we live in a special space.” Johnson said he paints with hopes that his art affects people’s emotions. What drives him to keep painting is the sanity that comes with it, and the mental and emotional release it offers him.
Johnson has shown his art in private galleries in California, Arizona and Colorado. His next show will be held at Patti’s Thunder Cafe sometime in September.
Bruce Powell
Bruce Powell is a popular woodworker at Main Street Artists Gallery, say organizers, who add that his offerings make gift giving a breeze with the consistent appreciation of all who give and receive these works of art. Powell’s August show will include an abundant selection of new pieces, including cutting boards, wine tables and treasure boxes.
Powell’s works combine form and function. Functional pieces such as his wine tables are thoughtfully designed. These small tables can be placed such that they are ever ready to accept a delicate wine glass. His cheese boards are also functional, just the right size to offer a delicious morsel along with the geometric beauty of abstract wood inlays.
Powell is not only a woodworker, say organizers; he is truly an artist. Like a painter, he uses a palette of colors to create his works of art. His palette is composed not of paint colors but of rare woods he has collected for their extraordinary hues and textural qualities. He applies these in thin puzzle-piece-like layers to create detailed images using an ancient technique called marquetry. Marquetry is an art form, say organizers: one that requires years of experience; one that holds its value over time.
Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Information provided by Main Street Artists Gallery
