Mustard Field
25" x 19", acrylic, oil stick, pencil on paper
By Bonnie Boren

Shown above are two ballpoint pen drawings from David Mayhew, a highly original artist located in Sacremento, California. David’s works veer from sophisticated abstractions to cartoon lunacy to poetic visionary to elaborate displays of supreme draughtsmanship, always revealing a unique vision and the sensibility of a true outsider.

David Mayhew started creating art when he was very young. “I started recognizing the “narrative” of what was around me when I was a kid, meaning how clichés, images, music and architecture actually conveyed feeling and history. As a child I liked to copy photographs, but didn’t really think about anything being “art” until my late teens. My first painting class was at Sacramento City College with Larry Weldon. People in class were telling me my paintings were unique. I guess that’s when my first “art awareness” happened.”

For Mayhew, the creative process starts with thinking out the narrative for the piece, deciding what the piece is about and how that is going to take physical shape. “I often like to paint on a surface that already has something on it, which can trigger a direction for the painting and balances the planned part of the painting with spontaneity.” Says Mayhew.

David Mayhew’s work has placed into the California State Fair juried show three times, and has been included in two Crocker-Kingsley juried exhibits at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. Mayhew currently is working on a large commissioned piece and on a biblical allegory painting, based on the Job story.

For more information and further inquiries of David Mayhew, please contact HaveMuse.

HaveMuse’s featured watercolor artist, Bill Shelley will be exhibiting his most recent works at the Herold Mahoney Library on Santa Rosa Junior College's Petaluma Campus. Bill is unveiling his latest series of contemporary landscape paintings, capturing the natural beauty of Sonoma County's breathtaking scenery.

Date: April 9 – May 15, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 9, 5 PM to 7 PM

Herold Mahoney Library
SRJC Petaluma Campus
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway
Petaluma, CA 94954

For more information, call 707.778.3974

Visit Bill Shelley’s web site at www.bshelley.com to see more of his works.

We've always admired Bill Shelley's wet way with the watercolor medium. In this latest piece, "Bay Hill Road", Bill presents an intriguing, extreme perspective and pushes the landscape close to abstraction by flattening the essential shapes.

Sonoma County – Bay Hill Road
30" x 22", watercolor

As winter passes by, we would like to share with you one more winter-inspired series as a wrap up of the season. “Vanilla Dream” from Jennifer Squires is a perfect fit. A lovely reminder of the beauty of black and white photography. Jennifer took this photo during a February thaw this year; capturing a low lying blanket of fog that perfectly sets off the stark beauty of the bare tree.

Another of Jennifer's winter scenes, "Latent Beauty" was shot on a recent trip to one of Canada's wine regions, Niagara-On-The-Lake.

These images are available for sale via Squire’s online store and more of her work can be viewed at www.jennifersquires.ca.

Mirang Wonne has a number of pieces in the Diverse Impressions: Bay Area Abstraction show at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, California. Even in her abstract work, Mirang retains an intrinsic connection to the rhythms of nature. Included in the show is one of our favorites, "Early Spring," a triptych in acrylic, charcoal, pastel and mixed media on panels. The line work on this piece is truly mesmerizing.

Diverse Impressions: Bay Area Abstraction presents the work of seven contemporary Bay Area artists include: Tracey Adams, Lou Bermingham, Heather Gordon, Liz Maxwell, Maxine Solomon, Lola Walker, and Mirang Wonne.

Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA
Date: March 7 – May 17, 2009
Reception: Friday, March 6, 7 – 9 PM

Mirang Wonne shared with us these images from her current installation at the I. Wolk Gallery in St. Helena, California. The piece is entitled “Installation: Nature’s Song”. Each panel’s dimensions are 24" x 24".

The exhibition “Flora” runs through March 14th.

We continue to follow the work of naturalist photographer, Barbra Ziemer. Presented here is a grouping of her night skies and a selection of winter water scenes. These photographs remind us of the calm and original beauty that exits around us, every day.

Mirang Wonne’s upcoming exhibition in St. Helena, I. Wolk Gallery
“Flora” – starting February 14 to March 14, 2009

Have a peek at two of Mirang Wonne’s recent creations that will be showcased at the I. Wolk Gallery. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, we highly recommend that you take the beautiful drive through the wine country to St. Helena to see one of our favorite artist’s work.

Series “Remembrance: Last summer”
Oil, acrylic, charcoal on paper, mounted on panel; 48” x 48’

Series “Remembrance: Sun Flowers”
Oil, wax, acrylic, charcoal on paper, mounted on panel; 60” x 48”