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Monday, October 31, 2016

Farewell to a Wonderful Artist and Friend

I am so sad to share these news. Our friend and the co-founder of this group, Karen Zullo Sherr, passed away this morning at her home in Berkeley from a long-term illness. Her funeral, I have learned through Facebook, will be this Thursday, November 3rd at noon, the Mountainview Cemetery at the end of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, in the Jewish section which is located to the West side as you enter the gate.
Photo of Karen Zullo Sherr two years before she passed.
Photo by Patricia Zambryski
For those of you who joined this group recently and did not have the chance to meet her in person, Karen was a tireless leader in our East Bay artist communities. I only know of the artistic achievements she completed after she retired from her profession as a social worker, so I will just name a few.

Not only did she co-found the East Bay Landscape Painters and the East Bay Figure painters groups, she remained their leader over the next nine years. Even after her husband David became ill, she continued to be actively involved in the two groups. She mentored many of us, made sure everybody got along and sought jobs, commissions and exhibition opportunities for the artists she met in these groups. Under her guidance, a support group for women artists who returned to art after another career saw its beginnings.

Karen also collaborated with Tom Franco to transform the Firehouse from a multi-use studio space to the great gallery it is today. She co-curated several fabulous shows with Sue Steel of Mythos Gallery, most notably the Beauty as Fierce as Stars, an exhibition about abstract women painters of the 1950s. The openings to those shows were always packed.

In keeping with the community-oriented artist that she is, I invite the plein air and figure drawing artist community to save their pictures, anecdotes and stories about Karen. I will consult with the other artists who are close to her and will find out what can be done to honor her memory.





Monday, August 8, 2016

Prudence looking very girly

Sharon Hind-Smith, Prudence, watercolor, 12"x 8"(?) end of June.

Rebeca's painting from the morning session



Rebeca Garcia-Gonzalez, Untitled, 12"x 9" acrylic on masonite.
I am thinking it must be Amber from last week.


 http://garcia-gonzalez.com/

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Emily B and Sig

We will get back to our monthly two-model session when we can. But this one was fun. Two Favorite Blondes, 15" x 22" gouache on paper, Betsy Kendall.

Inky and Joan

It was fun to paint Inky, who is herself a work of art! So much ink on her, so little time.
Collage and gouache, approx 22" x 15"
Betsy Kendall

Sunday, May 8, 2016

We need to get Justin back!


Justin's strong personality complemented Lisa Esherick's urban landscape paintings in the gallery. Betsy Kendall,  gouache on paper, 22" x 18."

Monday, April 4, 2016

Joan Gallagher's from March

 Emily B
Mary and Bob

 They were done with chalk pastels and watercolor. These models were so loose and inspirational!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Ellen Pechman's two

 This drawing of Clinay captures her sweet personality.

An adventure in dynamic drawing, new EB drawing participant, Ellen, framed a touch between our two models in one of our monthly two-model drawing session. [Medium is conte, vine charcoal, and pastel)

Jaeme Bereal's painting

From 2/15 evening session. Challenge? Color was a challenge b/c he was a monotone and very subtle.