LAKE COUNTY– Beautiful art and delicious wine were shared Saturday during Park Study Club”s annual Wine Tasting and Art Show held at El Grande Inn in Clearlake. The evening of social pleasure was enjoyed by more than 50 guests who indulged in premium selections contributed by local wineries while browsing through a masterful collection of work by Lake County artists.
While listening to the music of DJ Gunzie, guests also took pleasure in a silent auction vying for many wonderful and exquisite prizes contributed by club members, artists, local merchants and individual club supporters.
The banquet room at the hotel was transformed into a gallery of impressive artwork, showcasing talents in watercolor, pastel, oil and acrylic and sculpture art. Featured artists included Jack Cornell, Marybeth Alteneder, Ruth Altman, Merideth Gambrel, Gloria De La Cruz, Richard Seisser, Gerda Giusti and gourd art by Desiree Henningsen.
Cornell was exposed to the arts from an early age. Although music held a stronger presence in his youth, he says he found his passion for visual art after relocating from the East Coast to San Francisco where he started drawing. The work Cornell displayed at the show captured the beauty of Lake County in soft pastels.
Alteneder is well-known in the area for her masterful work capturing local wildlife and Lake County scenery in vivid, explosive color. She is a member of the Konocti Plein Air Painters and enjoys painting outdoors. She says one of her fondest memories is a kindergarten experience where her teacher took the students outside for an art lesson in the open air.
Altman says she remembers telling her grandmother when she was only three-years-old that she wanted to be an artist. Art has given her life many gratifying experiencing. She served as a board member for both Precita Eyes and the Mural Art Center. She was also involved with Art from the Heart, a group that supports artists with HIV/AIDS.
Gambrel got formal training at Sonoma State Mendocino Colleges. She spent several summers painting scenery in Europe and in Mexico, but she says her favor area to paint is Northern California.
The work of De La Cruz can be viewed locally at Java Express in Clearlake. She has had some formal training and worked for several years as the head illustrator for Jane Stone Greeting Cards. Recently, De La Cruz has been exploring mural art. She has done work for a few individuals and businesses in the area including Hot Rods in Clearlake Oaks and Michael Winery in Calistoga. She also painted the mascot in the gym at Oak Hill Middle School.
Seisser, who is the chairman of the Main Street Gallery in Lakeport, is an admirer of Master Pastel Artist Elizabeth Mowery. He has tried his hand at several techniques, beginning with pen and ink, graduating to watercolors and acrylics. Currently he enjoys working with pastels capturing the beauty of Lake County.
Also on display were works from Giusti”s “La La Creations” and Gourd Art by Desiree. Biographies on the artists were not available but Giusti”s art centered on animals and Gourd Art by Desiree was a magnificent display of gifted craftsmanship. Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
