EAST COUNTY CHAMBER HOSTS JANUARY EVENTS AT SURJE COFFEE IN EAST COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION GALLERY 0
Total Views: 45 By Jonathan Goetz January 9, 2024 (El Cajon) — The San Diego Regional East County Chamber of Commerce is hosting two events at Surje Coffee Co., which is located inside the East County Art Association Gallery in January at 124 E. Main Street, El Cajon CA 92020. The first will be a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting for Surje Coffee Co. Friday, January 12th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with the ribbon cutting at twelve noon. Register here. The second is the first Coffee Connect for 2024 (formerly Cafecito & Networking) the following Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Register here. Both events are free to the public and pre-registration is encouraged. Printer-friendly version
0 viewsWIN A WIEGHORST! BID ONLNE NOW FOR SIGNED, LIMITED-EDITION PRINTS TO BENEFIT EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE AND EAST COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION 0
Total Views: 30 By Miriam Raftery June 18, 2022 (El Cajon) – Bidding is now open online for a special auction of two signed, limited edition, framed and matted prints by Olaf Wieghorst, an internationally recognized artist considered one of the top painters of Western art. Some of his works sold for over a million dollars during his lifetime. Proceeds will benefit both the East County Art Association and East County Magazine. Now you can own one of Wieghorst’s exceptional works, Spring Rain and Beef Herd. View video for a close-up look at these impressive artworks: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7V496dpqHSw. About the auction: The auction opens online (see below to bid), and will close on Saturday, June 25 at 3 p.m. during the ECAA’s upcoming event, “Ocean Love” at the Courtyard Marriott in El Cajon. View event flyer. If you wish to view the works in person, you can visit the ECAA gallery at 124 East Main St. in downtown El Cajon, Wed.-Sat. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 60 percent of proceeds will benefit the East County Arts Association and 40% will benefit East County Media, the nonprofit that supports East County Magazine. How to bid: Send your name, mailing address, phone number, and email along with your bid amount to editor@eastcountymagazine.org and the words “AUCTION BID” in the subject line, along with which art piece you wish to bid on, and the amount of your bid. You will receive a bid number and confirmation your bid was received. Bid numbers and amounts will be posted online at the bottom of this page and updated regularly. (No personal information will be posted.) The online auction bids will be accepted until June 25 at 11 a.m., after which the auction will continue at the event from1-3 p.m. About the artist: Born in 1918, Wieghorst worked in a circus in his native Denmark, where he became fascinating by a Wild West circus. He came to the U.S. as a young man, where he served in the U.S. cavalry, as a New York mounted police officer, and as s a wrangler on ranches in the American West, eventually settling in El Cajon. His lifelike oil painting depictions of cowboys, Indians, horses, and Western landscapes have been likened to the works of Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. His works were hung in the White House and owned by several U.S. presidents as well as by movie star John Wayne. He became the highest paid living artist before his death in 1988. About the works: Beef Herd depicts a cowboy herding cattle against the backdrop of a gathering storm, illustrating Wieghorst’s masterful use of lighting and oil painting in this realistic portrayal of life in the Old West. The framed and matted print measures 43 inches wide by 35 inches high and is signed at the bottom by Wieghorst. It is number 1422 out of 1500 limited edition signed prints. Estimated value: $2,100. Minimum opening bid: $425. (Increase bids in increments of $50 or more.) Love this work and want to be sure you’re the winning bidder? Buy it now for $2,800. Spring Rain captures the power of nature as a spring storm douses a lone cowboy and his horse against the backdrop of a craggy mountain. The framed and matted work measures 37.5 inches tall by 33 inches wide. This limited-edition print is signed by Wieghorst at the bottom. It is number 1100 of 1500. Estimated value: $2,100. Minimum opening bid: $425. (Increase bids in increments of $50 or more.) Love this work and want to be sure you’re the winning bidder? Buy it now for $2,800. Questions? Contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org or call (619)698-7617. Event info: The Ocean Love event on June 25 from 1-6 p.m.will have art by additional artists plus live music, refreshments, kids activities, and more. All proceeds from the event will benefit the East County Arts Association, except 40% of proceeds from the auction of these two Wieghorst limited edition prints will benefit East County Magazine. BIDS RECEIVED Spring Rain Bidder #1 $600 Beef Herd Bidder #1 $600 Printer-friendly version
0 viewsCULTURAL ART EXPO DRAWS TOP-NOTCH ARTISTS; MARRIOTT AIMS TO EXPAND EXPO AND CREATE AN ANNUAL EVENT 1
Total Views: 56 By Miriam Raftery November 17, 2019 (El Cajon) – Art aficionados found plenty to appreciate at the Cultural Art Expo held Nov. 9 at the Marriott in El Cajon. Proceeds benefited the East County Arts Association, which had members in a broad range of visual arts at the event, which also featured internationally acclaimed sculptor Enrique Avilez, local authors, live music, wine and beer tasting, art workshops and a fitness workout. “It was the perfect storm,” Avilez (photo, left), a former fisherman, says of the life-altering event that inspired him to take up artwork as a career. Aboard a fishing vessel off his native Mexico battered by stormy seas, Avilez made a promise to pursue his passions if he survived the ordeal. His works reflect the materials of Baja beaches and communities where he grew up – utilizing native clays, seashells, coral, wood and more. Bob Berry displayed his life-like painted wood carvings of game birds and fish, as well as bronze animal sculptures. Watch for an upcoming showing of his works in the Olaf Wieghorst Museum. Some artists created plein air paintings live at the event, including Grace Schlesier (photo, right) of “Grace Your Walls” Studio. Award-winning wildlife artist Gloria Chadwick (photo, left) of raffled off a framed print titled “Barely Awake” depicting Chester, a popular grizzly bear formerly at the San Diego Zoo. (This writer purchased raffle tickets and is delighted to have won this marvelous prize!) Many other artists displayed works in a variety of mediums, including Annette Cirillo (photo, right), whose works including many depictions of wine, martini glasses and other alcohol-inspired themes, since she comes from a family of bar owners. Photographer C. Fodoreanu brought images shot at an old waterpark in Greece, sepia tones evoking a vintage feeling in the series titled “Dancers” that captures both playful energy and what his website describes as “trustful play in dangerous waters” that “seemed driven by a mysterious music and force.” At East County Magazine’s booth, a half dozen authors displayed their works and signed books, including several authors from Sunbelt Publications and others. Some also gave talks during the event. Donald J. Harrison, author of several books on Jewish history in our region, shared entertaining tales about escapes from an early and poorly built San Diego jail. (Photo, left: Authors Donald H. Harrison and Philip R. Pryde, author of “San Diego: An Introduction to the Region” along with Donald’s wife, Nancy) Children’s authors Anat Tour and Linda Hawley delighted children with readings and discussions of their books. Tour’s colorful illustrations provided visual delights. Hawley, a former guide at Mission Trails Regional Park, brought along props to teach children about nature, including fur pelts and more. Other authors present included Richard Carrico, author of books on Native American history and local winemaking, guidebook author Phil Pryde, and Del Hood, former editor of the Daily Californian and author of two historical books. (Photos, left: authors Richard Carrico, Anat Tour and Linda Hawley) A talk by Carrico and appearance by author Amanda Matti were prevented by a rock band playing outdoors at nearby Creative Creatures Brewing, which drowned out the latter part of the expo and forced the expo to shut down two hours early. Jazilla, a band at the Marriott’s event, had to move indoors to be heard due to the noise from the brewery’s band. City Manager Graham Mitchell, asked by ECM about the noise problem, declined to provide a solution for the future. “As you know, both event happening at the same time were on private property. The City cannot determine which private party should be allowed to have events and be in the business of coordinating private event calendars,” he wrote in a e-mail to ECM. (The Marriott has indicated it obtained a permit for its event, thus it is unclear why the city could not simply deny a permit for a competing noisy event and enforce noise regulations to avoid such unfortunate disruption of an otherwise excellent event.) Fortunately, all who attended the Cultural Art Expo found an impressive array of arts, cultural and literary exhibits, displays, workshops and more. Guests also had an opportunity to join a workout led by Anytime Fitness, enjoy lunch plus wine tasting courtesy of Granite Lion Cellars and tastes of local craft beers. In addition to benefiting the nonprofit East County Arts Association, the event also honored the memory of local artist Nolan, who died at age 18, and supports the Don’t Give Up Movement, which strives to help struggling people find hope and prevent suicides. Linda Baltodano (photo, left), who organized the event for the Marriott, praised the “dedication and hard work” of all who participated, adding that the Marriott’s owners were impressed with the professionalism of the event. She hopes to expand it in future years to encompass the broader arts community in El Cajon, which now includes the revitalized Magnolia performing arts center as well as several galleries. In a letter to participants, she concludes, “I look forward to having you next year and making the Second Annual Art Expo another great success!” Find more information on the event at https://artexpoatthemarriott.com Printer-friendly version
1 viewsART ENTRIES SOUGHT FOR “MASTERS OF THE MOMENT” JURIED SHOW 0
Total Views: 16 By Miriam Raftery May 7, 2018 (El Cajon) – East County Art Association in El Cajon seeks entries for its “Masters of the Moment” juried art show, which will run June 1-July 13 at the Olaf Wieghorst Gallery in El Cajon. Entries will be accepted in these media: oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, gouache, collage, ink, pencil, mixed media, and photography. “This is an exciting opportunity for artists to win some terrific prizes and exhibit their artwork,” a press release states. Monetary awards are $400 for the Marie Wordell award, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners receiving $300, $200 and $100 respectively. Four honorable mentions will receive ribbons and certificates. There will be a reception at the Gallery on Saturday June 9th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., where awards will be presented. Juror Jamie Wright has a degree in Art Education from Oregon State University. She teaches watercolor lessons at her home studio, as well as classes for the San Diego Watercolor Society. She also has published her first e book for Amazon titled How to Paint a Lighthouse in Watercolor. She has won many watercolor awards at local and regional art shows over the years. Presently, she is an active member of the San Diego Watercolor Society and volunteers for the Education Outreach Committee. See below for additional entry rules: Please Print and fill out TWO of the registration cards for each piece of artwork and bring them to take- in. Unaccepted entries must be picked up Saturday, June 1st. from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 pm. A 25% commission of all sales will be paid to the Olaf Wieghorst Museum. All artwork must be picked up on Friday July 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. All artwork must remain until the end of show. Art is left at your own risk: ECAA and The Olaf Wieghorst Museum accept no liability in case of damage, loss or theft. Insurance is the artist’s responsibility. This show is open to all artists in San Diego County. Artists must be 18 years of age or over. Entries must be the artist’s original work created within the past two years. Art work must be suitable for family viewing, two dimensional, dry and ready for hanging. Plexiglas must be used for any artwork on paper except for pastels. Gallery wrap canvas must have edges painted or framed and no staples showing on the sides. Proper gauge picture wire is to be used for hanging. No Saw tooth hangers. Any artwork considered unsafe for gallery display will not be accepted. No exceptions. There is a size limit of 3 ½ feet by 4 feet including frame. Each work must be labeled on the back with artist’s name, phone number, medium and price. All work is for sale. Please detach and fill out a form below for each entry. Each entry needs to be labeled on the back with artists name, contact information, and title of piece. You will also need to have an individual entry form below completed for each entry to hand in with fees. For more information, visit the ECAA website: http://www.eastcountyartassociation.org/ or e-mail: eastcountyart@gmail.com. Printer-friendly version
0 viewsSPRING VALLEY ARTIST TO DISPLAY WORKS IN SHOW AT SPANISH VILLAGE FEB. 16-29 1
Total Views: 34 “The Jacaranda Street painting is a street in Spring Valley that is so beautiful in the early summer that my husband came home from work and took me to see it. I took several photographs of the street in its full purple glory, and painted from the photos,” said Sharon Thomas, who painted the picturesque scene in watercolors. East County News Service January 18, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The Southwestern Artists Association will present a two-person show February 16-29 at historic Spanish Village (1770 Village Place, Studio 23) in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The gallery is open every day of the week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sharon Thomas, a long-time resident of Casa de Oro in Spring Valley, is a member of the Foothills Artists Association in La Mesa and former member of the East County Art Association in El Cajon. She is currently publicity chair for Southwestern Artists Association. Her show will feature “People and Places in Watercolor.” She paints what she likes, which makes for a very diverse portfolio including many scenes from the San Diego area. She has said that if one person likes what she does, that makes her happy. The show will also feature Pacific Beach artist Dot Renshaw’s “Plein Air of San Diego’s Treasures in Pastels and Oils.” Her works represent the juxtaposition of urban life against the delicacy of nature. The viewer senses the atmospheric conditions and mood that Renshaw captures by painting on location. She has been immersed in art for 50 years through both giving and taking workshops, teaching high school art, gallery representation, and judging shows. Printer-friendly version
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