SPRING 2010

a r t i f a c t sP a l o S v e R d e S a R t c e N t e R

Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) (detail)Original: The Starry Night, Saint-Remy, June 1889Oil on canvas, 28¾" x 36¼"Museum of Modern Art, New York, New YorkaBoUt vaN GoGH

When you think about the field

of education your thoughts scroll through the Palos Verdes

school system and the number of fine private institutions that

are located here in the South Bay. Then your thoughts move

on to adult education and the many colleges and universities

in the area and in some order one might think about your own

educational background. In my case it was a small school

system in a small Kansas town where art education consisted

of admiring the Saturday Evening Post covers that arrived

once a week. Not many among us would focus on the Palos

Verdes Art Center as an educational institution, but in fact, it

is the South Bay’s premier art education center.

The Art Center’s educational outreach starts with Art at

Your Fingertips, which for over 30 years has introduced art

to the Peninsula’s children in both our public and private

elementary schools. AAYF touched more than 7,000 students

this year, with projects ranging with projects based on the

work of Alexander Calder, David Hockney, Joan Miro, Piet

Mondrian and Camille Pissarro (see pages 6 and 7). AAYF also

introduced art to many of the current docents, who teach the

program in the classroom, when they were in second or third

grade.

Through our partnership with the Palos Verdes Peninsula

Unified School District, we have a new pre-school program

at Miraleste Early Learning Academy (see page 11). Finally,

through Partners in Art the Art Center continues to bring

sixth graders to see our exhibitions and to make a related art

project in a classroom session with an artist. This year’s final

project, based on the just-ended Art on a String exhibition, is

being taught by Robin Kiss (see pages 6 and 7).

The AAYF and Partners in Art programs culminate in an

exhibition here at the Art Center. The opening reception is

2–4 p.m. Sunday, April 18. Please come! You will be amazed

at what these students have accomplished.

Speaking of exhibitions, our outstanding line-up of inter-

esting shows continues. We look forward to About van Gogh,

which opens Friday, May 7. Bob Yassin, the Art Center’s exec-

utive director and CEO, is the curator of this long-promised

and highly anticipated show.

Recently Kathy Shinkle, our public relations director,

retired the end of March. Kathy has been with the Art Center

since 1997. The wonderful and colorful Artifacts, including

this one, is just one example of the great work she has done

for us. We will miss her, but wish her well in retirement as she

pursues new directions and adventures.

Chief Executive Officer’s Column

News Update-By Bob Yassin

President’s Column

Education at PVAC-By Allen Lay

Van Gogh is the subject of a unique

exhibition and lecture series I have been working on for the

past two years. It will take a different approach on the artist’s

work than the usual one. The essay About van Gogh, which fol-

lows on the next three pages, details the genesis of the exhi-

bition and what it will include. The basic idea, however, is to

provide an opportunity to learn a great deal of new information

about the work of this great artist and to do so in an entertain-

ing way. The opening for the exhibition on May 7 is hosted by

The Associates, and they have some wonderful plans. This is

one you do not want to miss!

As you all probably know by now, Kathy Shinkle, our

long-time director of public relations and marketing, retired

at the end of March after 13 years at the Art Center. We all

owe Kathy a debt of gratitude for the marvelous job she did

in getting the word out about our activities, in working with

all of our support groups, in supporting other staff with their

needs and in so many other ways. Kathy will certainly be

missed. I know I speak for all of us in extending our many

thanks to Kathy and our very best wishes to her. I know, too,

Kathy will still be a very busy and productive person in her

retirement. As the keeper of all information, especially about

the Art Center’s history, I am sure we will be calling on Kathy

for help from time to time in the future.

Several other upcoming events should be mentioned.

April 16 and 17 are the dates for this year’s Homes Tour

Extraordinaire, the 20th version The Circle has organized.

April 18 is the opening of this year’s Student Art Exhibition

featuring work by students in Art at Your Fingertips and

Partners in Art. June 25 is the date of the Annual Meeting of

the members. This is just a taste of what’s happening at the

Art Center; this Artifacts and its calendar will give you more

information.

Having the renderings of the redeveloped facility means

we are moving forward with the project. It is my hope that in

the next Artifacts I will be able to share a building schedule

with you.

exhibit ions

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M A Y 7 – J U LY 1 8

continued on page 4

exhibit ions

There is probably no artist whose work is more recognizable or more

loved than Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890). There are also few artists

about whose life so much is known and has been written. His late

beginnings as an artist, his support by a devoted brother, his fervid out-

pourings so clear in his canvases and his passionate letters, his mental

instability, the episode of his ear, his poverty and lack of appreciation

during his lifetime and his tragic death by his own hand at age 37 are

common knowledge.

Well known too is his enormous posthumous success. Van Gogh

paintings have sold for incredible prices, further underscoring the sad-

ness that he didn’t live to see his own recognition. In the 120 years

since his death, not only has his art become appreciated worldwide,

but he himself has become the object of deep affection and admiration

as a very special individual. Novels and songs have been written about

him; he has been the subject of movies and television specials. In most

of these, his art has been treated as a given, as a supplement to a nar-

rative focusing on his heart-wrenching life. Unfortunately, and without

his permission or to his profit, his name has been attached, sometimes

in particularly bad taste, to products as diverse as artists’ paints, vodka

and toothpaste. He has become, in contemporary terms, a brand and,

indeed, a very successful one.

So much is known about van Gogh because of the extraordinary

good fortune that hundreds of his letters have been preserved, espe-

cially those to his brother Theo. These very personal commu-

nications provide a deep insight into their author, his outlook

on the world, his interests in art and his hopes for his own art.

They are beautifully written and can be appreciated for them-

selves. It might easily be argued that van Gogh would have

become famous through his letters even if his paintings had

totally disappeared. We appreciate his passions, his concern

for people and the romantic nature of the undiscovered and

unrecognized genius we derive from writings. It seems clear

in looking at the work of van Gogh—especially in light of his

difficult life—the truth of his vision and what he has to say are

instantly communicated.

BECkstrand, walkEr & nOrris GallEriEs

about van Gogh-By Robert A. Yassin

Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)Original: Portrait of Trabu, An Attendant at Saint-Paul Hospital, Saint-Remy, September 1889Oil on canvas, 24" x 18¼"Kunstmuseum Solothurn, Solothurn, Switzerland

FAR LEFT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)Original: The Church at Auvers, Auvers-sur-Oise, June 1890Oil on canvas, 37" x 29¼"Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

NEAR LEFT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)Original: On the Outskirts of Paris, spring 1887Oil on canvas, 15" X 18"Private Collection, Scarsdale, New York

THIS ExHIBITION IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN

BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR.

exhibit ionsexhibit ions

about Van Gogh continued from page 3

Unfortunately, knowing so much about van Gogh makes

it difficult, if not impossible, to separate the person from

the work he created and to critically view his art with an

unprejudiced eye. Indeed, how can the knowledge of the pas-

sion that leads to self-mutilation and suicide not be applied

to his paintings, not be considered in trying to assess his

achievement? Octave Mirbeau, writing just months after his

death, was already unable to do this, unable to provide a

dispassionate view of van Gogh’s art. He observed: “ . . . what

was great and unexpected, as well as too violent and exces-

sive in the harsh yet delightful talent of Vincent van Gogh, is

intimately bound up with the fatal mental illness that predes-

tined him, still young, to death.” Interestingly, Theo’s widow,

Jo, who with single-minded dedication was responsible for

establishing her dead brother-in-law’s fame, recognized the

impact the letters would have on the fair appreciation of van

Gogh’s art. She did not release the artist’s letters for almost

25 years after his death. But it was already too late.

By 1934, when Irving Stone published his famous

biographical novel Lust for Life, van Gogh had become the

romantic paradigm of the starving artistic genius, and 23

years later, when the movie based on the book was released,

van Gogh as a person became even more fixed in the mind of

the public. For anyone who has seen this film, it is very dif-

ficult to separate Kirk Douglas, the actor who so sensitively

portrayed van Gogh, from the real person.

While it may well be that we know too much about van

Gogh to appreciate his art independent from its creator, and

while it may be because of this fusion, it is certain that his

art has had enormous influence world-wide. It is loved and

appreciated for the unique and very personal vision of its cre-

ator, for its brilliant color, for its passion, for its humanity and

for the sense of what artists like to call “artistic truth”—that

is, its ability to communicate fully van Gogh’s powerful and

heartfelt emotions. The work seems to talk directly to us, and

we respond accordingly—just advertise an exhibition of van

Gogh’s work and you have an instant “blockbuster.”

So what is the little Palos Verdes Art Center trying to do with an

exhibition titled About van Gogh? Well, why shouldn’t the Art Center

have a van Gogh exhibition, why shouldn’t it provide the public with

an opportunity to learn about him and his work? To understand what

the exhibition is and what it hopes to accomplish requires a discussion

of its genesis.

In a review of Van Gogh’s van Goghs, an exhibition that circulated

in the United States including a stop in Los Angeles, the critic made

the observation that many exhibition visitors spent more time in its

extensive sales shop than in the galleries with the real pictures. This

led to a search for items related to van Gogh that one might find in a

museum shop. A quick look resulted in a staggering array of van Gogh-

brand items. A visit to eBay at anytime generally results in more than

4,000 offerings (to be sure many are duplicates). This suggested that

an exhibition of van Gogh items—van Goghalia, if you will—might make

an interesting exhibition in itself, a conceptual exploration of the intel-

lectual degeneration of a great artist’s work through its exploitation

in surrogate form, running the gamut from very nice to very unique to

questionable to totally politically incorrect.

This also suggested exploration of another idea suggested in the

review: How could an established museum talk about the genius of

the artist in the galleries and then inundate the public with so many

items that really have nothing to do with his

art in the sales shop, taking advantage of the

artist’s fame and worse, even making fun of

him? What do these items, such as the disap-

pearing ear coffee mug, the pin-the-ear on

van Gogh party game, the plastic action figure

with interchangeable heads (one of the artist

with beard, the other with bandaged ear) and

so on, have to do with the artist’s creations?

Is this an internal conflict between the educa-

tional responsibilities of the art museum and

the need to generate income? When questioned about marketing prac-

tices, shop managers generally respond that: 1) it is necessary to help

FAR RIGHT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)

Original: Still Life with Beer Mug and Fruit, The Hague, Etten, December 1881

Oil on canvas, 17½" x 22¾"Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal,

Germany

NEAR RIGHT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)

Original: Harvest at La Crau with Montmajour in the Background, Arles,

June 1888Oil on canvas, 28½" x 36¼"

van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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5artifacts

exhibit ions

with the museum’s bottom line, and 2) the public wants these items.

Or does the public buy them because they are available? The question

remains as to whether museums should be promoting what would be

called “rip-offs” if the artist were alive.

As work progressed in this way and a significant body of van Gogh

stuff accumulated, the idea of doing a more complete show on van

Gogh, not only exploring the notion of the van Gogh brand but also the

work of the artist himself, took form.

Clearly, it is impossible for the Palos Verdes Art Center to mount a

show of van Gogh originals—the facility is not large nor secure enough

and the costs would be astronomical. Instead, the show will consist of

38 excellent painted copies after van Gogh, plus a number of drawings

reproduced digitally. In these, the work will be explored in depth with

a goal to try to see and to understand van Gogh’s art for itself and, as

much as possible, separate from his persona. At the same time, these

reproductions will provide a context for the van Gogh brand materials

that will form an adjunct within the context of the exhibition, not apart

from it.

Using copies might seem like a questionable way to examine

an artist’s work, but art history has been and continues to be taught

from surrogates. Indeed, there are major precedents for using them

as a means to appreciate art, especially in lieu of the availability of

originals. For example, much of what we know about ancient Greek art

is based on Roman copies of what became lost Greek originals. These

copies were further copied in later centuries, especially during the

Renaissance. Even Michelangelo has been cited as making a “fake”

classical work. Regardless, without these copies, our understanding of

Greek sculpture would be less than it is.

As art museums and art schools developed in the 18th and 19th

centuries, they were filled with plaster casts made of originals such

as the Parthenon frieze or the Venus de Milo. Students—including

van Gogh—used these to learn how to draw. Beginning as early as the

15th century, people learned about great works of art through prints

made after them, an activity that continued to grow through the 19th

century, when the practice was accelerated by the development of pho-

tographic reproduction, first in monochrome, sometimes hand-colored,

and eventually by colored reproduction. Much of van Gogh’s

knowledge of the artists whose work he admired was secured

from prints, many of which he collected himself. The basic

way art history has been and still is taught is through slides

and photographs, enormously expanded today by digital

images and images on computer screens. Coffee table and

related illustrated books with colored reproductions remain

popular. These are all surrogates, but fully effective ways

to learn about the history of art and its appreciation. In fact,

until the great expansion in art museums in the 20th century

and the advent of easy air travel, very few people had the

opportunity to see real works of historic art.

All these means have limitations, though undoubtedly

digital imaging and re-creation will ultimately resolve them-

selves into ever-more exact reproductions. Virtual reality for

art may, indeed, become reality. For this exhibition, the use

of well-painted, appropriately framed reproductions of van

Gogh’s work to detail his artistic development and contribu-

tion as well as the textures and colors of the originals will pro-

vide at least the sense of real paintings. This exhibition might

be considered like a slide lecture, but with real paintings. A

digital reproduction of the original painting will accompany

each work for comparison, along with labeling focusing on it

as a work of art and putting into it context. Thus, About, the

exhibition’s title, defines what it is.

To extend the educational content of the exhibition, a

number of interactive opportunities will be included. Viewers

will be invited to participate in a several hands-on projects to

stimulate thinking about the artist and how he worked. There

also will be video and computer components. The ultimate

goal is to provide an experience leading to a greater under-

standing and knowledge of van Gogh’s work and an apprecia-

tion of its place in the history of art, even though there will be

no original van Goghs in the exhibition.

By the way, did I mention, everything in the exhibition

is for sale?

NEAR LEFT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)Original: Portrait of Postman Joseph Roulin, Arles, early August 1888Oil on canvas, 32" x 25½"Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts

FAR LEFT: Unknown Artist, after Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)Original: Vincent’s Bedroom in Arles, Arles, October 1888Oil on canvas, 28½" x 35½"van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

exhibit ions

Art at Your Fingertips invited Palos Verdes

Peninsula elementary school students to

Express Yourself!, and they did! Now more

than 1,000 examples of their work from this

Art Center 34-year-old visual arts outreach pro-

gram are testimony to what they learned about

art techniques, art history and aesthetics.

The five projects, taught by AAYF’s 300+

volunteer docents, are:

• swimming with Hockney (created by

Robin Kiss): Swimming pool paintings in water-

color and colored pencil.

• Perspective on Pissarro (created by

Julia Tedesco): Impressionistic landscapes uti-

lizing one-point perspective in pencil and tem-

pera paints.

• Miro’s Constellations (created by

Gloria Feldman): Surrealistic drawings with hid-

den pictures, whimsical lines and balanced

design in markers, chalk and oil pastels.

• Calder’s kinetics (created by Erika

Snow Robinson): Playful standing wire mobiles

with colorful shapes in mixed media.

• abstraction in Bloom (created by Anjale

Perrault): Abstract floral still lifes in tissue

paper and glue on black-painted canvas.

BECkstrand & walkEr GallEriEs

student art Exhibition: art at Your Fingertips

Calder’s Kinetics by Jenna, Grade 5, Soleado

Miro’s Constellations by Skyler, Grade 3, Silver Spur

Swimming with Hockney by Savannah, Grade 2, Pt. Vicente

Abstraction in Bloom by Nicholas, Grade 4, Chadwick

Perspective on Pissarro by Juliane, Grade 3, Silver Spur

exhibit ions A P R I L 9 – 2 4

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7artifacts

Shaping Space by Barrett, Ridgecrest

Sixth-graders at Miraleste, Palos Verdes and

Ridgecrest Intermediate Schools annually tour

an Art Center exhibition and then create art

with a visiting artist. There were three projects

this year.

In Story in a Box, students built small

assemblages in boxes in the style of Joseph

Cornell. The project, taught by Robin Bott, pro-

jected from the wall in a play on the title of the

Art Center’s Off the Wall exhibition.

Shaping Space was designed by Karla

Commins to correlate with winter’s Surf and Turf

exhibition. Students used cut paper shapes to

create their own landscape “paintings.”

For Art on a String, Robin Kiss showed

students how shading and varying color values

create the illusion of depth. The project, Art

in Flight, incorporated traditional designs by

Asian kite masters.

nOrris GallErY

student art Exhibition: Partners in art

Story in a Box by Alec, Miraleste

Shaping Space by Aaron, Ridgecrest

Art in Flight (samples by instructor Robin Kiss)

Honor the Young artists and Celebrate with their Familiesat the Exhibition reception, 2 – 4 pm sunday, april 18

Story in a Box by Brooke, Miraleste

A p r i l 1 6 & 1 7

2010 Homes Tour Extraordinaire

Mid-Century ModernHome of rosina and Bruno Baur

Designed by renowned modernist architect

Richard Neutra, this small (2,100 sq. ft.)

Rolling Hills home features expansive views

of Catalina Island through the forked main branches of a tree specifically placed by

Neutra to frame the seascape and the home’s hillside gardens, which feature native

California, Australian and South African plants. Floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor and

outdoor redwood trim and red flagstone floors throughout the two-bedroom home

and onto the patios seamlessly blend interior and exterior.

The current owners, who purchased the home in 2004 from the original owners,

have lovingly restored the home to its original condition, replacing all of the beech

cabinetry and remodeling the master bathroom (Ogawa Depardon Architects). The

original tile remains in the hall bath.

On display throughout are art and artifacts from their travels to India, Southeast

Asia and South America as well as the wife’s weavings and antiques from their Swiss

childhood homes. A sleek, efficient and colorful Snidero kitchen includes Bosch

appliances and a GE Monogram Heat Induction cooktop.

Three magnificent peninsula homes with

inspired architecture, compelling design

and unsurpassed vistas are featured on

this year’s Homes Tour Extraordinaire.

These comfortable, livable homes,

each enhanced with customized floral

arrangements, will be open to you from

10 a.m.–4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April

16 and 17 on a tour benefiting the palos

Verdes Art Center’s visual arts educa-

tion, exhibition and community outreach

programs.

The tour, sponsored by The Circle and

led by co-chairs Ann Buxton and Nancy

Guenther, includes two homes in rolling

Hills, for which there will be a shuttle bus

from St. John Fisher Church, and one in

rancho palos Verdes, to which partici-

pants drive themselves. At the Art Center,

there also will be a selection of unique

boutiques, including a booth of Classy

Collectibles donated by Circle members.

Tickets are $40 in advance ($45 on

tour days). The ticket price includes an

al fresco luncheon served from 11 a.m.–

3 p.m. at the Art Center. At the luncheon,

tickets can be purchased for raffle prizes

ranging from a trip to Washington, DC, to

an 18-K gold bracelet. raffle tickets are

$10 each or three for $25 or six for $35.

Homes Tour Extraordinaire tickets may

be ordered online at www.pvartcenter.org

or by calling the Art Center, 310-541-2479.

California Mediterranean ranChHome of Julie and russell Coser

Designed by architect George M. Sweeney, this

10,000 sq. ft. Rolling Hills ranch, situated on

bluff-top ConteMporaryHome of Andrea and Jamie Lewis

Designed by architect Richard

Landry in 1993, this sophisticated

Rancho Palos Verdes oceanfront

contemporary home, with five bed-

rooms and five-and-a-half baths in

6,500 square feet, invites a luxuri-

ous indoor-outdoor lifestyle with

its high volume ceilings, sky-lit

marble entry, over-sized fireplaces

and expanses of glass and mir-

rors. A curved informal dining area

projects from the kitchen over the

outdoor pool area, while the mas-

ter suite has an “infinity” mirrored

bath including a his-and-her whirl-

pool tub. The architect’s innovation

and attention to detail are evident

throughout from the keyhole arch-

es to the colorful accents of neon

lighting.

Complementing the archi-

tecture is a sophisticated interi-

--Photos by Catherine Balcom

or design scheme with minimalist-style furniture,

electronically-operated window shades, custom-

designed area rugs and wall sconces, recessed

lighting and a green, grey, brown and rust palette. A

state-of-the-art media system is available through-

out the property.

approximately two acres overlook-

ing Los Angeles harbor and Long

Beach, features an open floor plan,

beamed ceilings, wine cellar and its

own banquet hall, used frequently

by the homeowners to host chari-

table events. Everything was cus-

tom-designed from the doors and

railings to the ceilings, floors and

cabinets.

The kitchen is the heart of this

home with an expansive design

that lends itself to entertaining on

an intimate or a grand scale. Note

the inset tanyaki grill, fireplace sur-

rounded by Idaho fieldstone and

limestone floor laid in a Versailles

pattern.

The charming courtyard

includes a barbeque, large cooking

fireplace, bar and ornamental “wall

of fire.” Beyond are fruit trees, rose

garden and vegetable garden.

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9artifacts

Bob Yassin, the Art Center’s

chief executive officer and cura-

tor of the About van Gogh exhi-

bition, will present a series of

four informal talks on Vincent

van Gogh. These are intended

to provide a deeper understand-

ing of van Gogh as a person, as

an artist and as a powerful fig-

ure in the history of modern art.

This series will be held on four consecutive Thursdays,

beginning May 20, on the Art Center patio. Each evening

will begin at 5:30 p.m. with wine and cheese. The talks will

begin promptly at 6 p.m. and last no more than one hour,

although Yassin will stay longer to answer questions.

This is a free program, but a donation in any amount

is requested. The suggested amount is $5. Reservations

are required and may be made by calling the Art Center,

310-541-2479, at least two days prior to each lecture.

tHE sCHEdulE is:

May 20: The Family van Gogh—The Nurturing of a Great Artist?

May 27: The Luckiest Artist in the World—How and Why Did van Gogh Become So Famous?

June 3: Is van Gogh a Great Artist, and How Do We Know?

June 10: Fair Use and van Gogh’s Work—The Problem of Artistic Fame in the Absence of Copyright

at h

ome

with

VIN

CEN

T

E-Mail Addresses, Please!Postal and printing prices aren’t going down,

and most people now have computers and

email accounts. Therefore, we are trying to

build a complete data base of members’ e-mail

addresses. When we ask you for your e-mail

address (for example, when you renew your

membership or register for a class), please

share it with us.

With e-mail we can swiftly update you

on Art Center activities and news (especially

important when we finally start construction!)

and, perhaps, save some money on routine

mailings. We promise we won’t share your

address with any other person or group—just

like we keep your snail mail addresses and

phone numbers private.

springtime wearable artSignatures, The Artists’ Studio’s wearable art fashion show,

is set for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1, on the patio.

The $35 tickets must be purchased in advance. Send

orders with check payment to The Artists’ Studio, Palos

Verdes Art Center, 5504 W. Crestridge Rd., Rancho Palos

Verdes, CA 90275, or call The Artists’ Studio at 310-541-

2479.

Unique clothing and jewelry created by 21 TAS members

will be featured on the runway. Participating artists are Lyn-

Rae Ashley, Lori Bailey, Olivia Batchelder, Suzi Click, Nancy

Comaford, Joy Gonzalez, Marilyn Harrison, Paul Hartstein, Jill

Kollmann, Carrie Lieb, Justine Limpus Parish, Karen Pester,

Dawn Quinones, Pam Reid, Joe Rooks, Anne Sheikh, Vicki

Szamborski, June Treherne, Frances Wang, Julie Watrous and

Vicky Williams.

annual MeetingFriday, June 25

Celebrate Chefs Vi(sponsored by The Associates)

Saturdays, July 17, 24 and 31

Palos Verdes Concours d’EleganceSunday, September 19

saVE ThE daTEMark your calendar and

plan to attend.

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1

1artifactsGiacometti, Kandinsky,

Matisse and Nevelson . . .

. . . Foreign names to most pre-schoolers, but nearly 100 three

and four-year-olds attending the Miraleste Early Learning

Academy have created art in the style of these masters,

thanks to the latest program to come under the Palos Verdes

Art Center’s Partners in Art umbrella.

“These children are being introduced to the great mas-

ters and to the elements of art (line, shape, form, color,

texture, space and value) to make them Art at Your Fingertips

ready,” said Gail Phinney, the Art Center’s education director.

Phinney supervises the pre-school program, which pro-

vides monthly sessions at one of the two pre-schools admin-

istered by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

Robin Bott, a popular Art Center Art Camp and children’s

class instructor, works with Phinney to design and teach the

lessons.

So far this school year, the children have learned about

shape, color and pattern by making tissue paper collages on

a glass plate in Matisse under Glass.

Kandinsky on Silk introduced them to expressive lines

and color as they painted abstract designs with bold lines on

a silk hoop.

Air-dry clay and wire armatures helped the children make

credible models of Giacometti’s walking men. The project

Walking with Giacometti emphasized form and texture.

Assembling Art with Louise used pre-painted wooden

objects and lots of glue as the children created three-dimen-

sional assemblages in the style of Nevelson. The lesson

focused on shape, balance and unity.

There’s one artist (as yet unchosen), project and lesson

yet to come. The complete program will then be available for

sale to other pre-schools throughout the area.

Other packaged programs available through the Art

Center’s Partners in Art are a third-grade residency focusing

on botanical illustration to teach the art of observation and a

fourth-grade residency on California Impressionism. The final

Partners in Art program is the long-running sixth-grade exhi-

bition tours combined with related artist-taught classroom

projects.

Palos Verdes art Center

Through April 7:

Suzanne Kuuskmae (watercolors),

Marilyn Harrison (jewelry),

Group 3-D.

April 8–May 5:

Annie Clavel (abstract paintings),

Paul Hartstein (jewelry),

Mother’s Day 3-D.

May 6–June 2:

Victoria Sekits (pastels),

Jan Napolitan (ceramics),

Frances Wang (jewelry).

June3–July 7: Ginny Bacon

(watercolors), Vicki Szamborski

(jewelry), 3-D Wedding Gifts.

Village Center300C Deep Valley, Dr., Rolling Hills Estates 310-265-2592

Through March 29: The Mind’s

Eye, Lois Olsen & Jody Wiggins

(paintings), Paul Conrad (sculp-

ture & political cartoons), Philip

Earl (photography). Receptions:

1–5 p.m. Sunday, April 11 &

1:30–4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 9.

May 10–June 20: Kaleidoscope,

Don Crocker & Kynard Spencer

(paintings), M.C. Armstrong

(ceramics). Receptions: 3–6 p.m.

Sunday, May 16 & 1:30–4:30

p.m. Sunday, June 20.

June 21–August 1: Sunshine, Joy

Gonzalez & Min Li (paintings),

Adrian Sandstrom (ceramics).

Pot-Throwing Demonstration &

Reception: noon–5 p.m. Sunday,

June 27.

in the artists’ studio:

Janet BaszileEdward Carson BeallDenise GuzmanMaude LandonRichard LohrerMarilyn Long

Georgene McKimJulia PartonDebbie RichardsonLaura SalvayJane ShuttMohini Syal

BOard OF trustEEs

Donald Crocker, Chairman of the BoardAllen Lay, PresidentLoren DeRoy, President-ElectBetty Wing, First Vice PresidentNancy Cumming, Second Vice PresidentGrant Niman, TreasurerLiz Fitzgerald, SecretaryRobert A. Yassin, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

BOard OF adVisOrs

Advisory CommitteeBetty Wing, ChairPamela AndersonNancy BlackVirginia ButlerNancy ComafordLisa GentryJohn KaytorJudy KrehbielMarcia LamkinsJan NapolitanDebbie RichardsonLinda RobertsJane ShuttLynne VarianoVickie Walker

Advisory CouncilJames Cheney, ChairSusan BeallWalter R. (Rod) Burkley, Jr.Myron A. (Mike) FriedmanJacqueline S. MarksJan NapolitanRod PevelerPeter PhinneySharon RyanRobert B. ShehTseng-Yao Sun

HOnOrarY BOard

Dr. O. Allen Alpay Martha Norman Dorothy Chacksfield Edinger Harlyne J. Norris

staFF

Robert A. Yassin, Chief Executive Officer

Oscar Aguilar, FacilitiesScott Canty, Exhibitions DirectorBecky DesRosiers, Membership Coordinator Angela Hoffman, Education CoordinatorBruce Milbury, FacilitiesGail Phinney, Education DirectorBarbara Ruiz, Weekend ReceptionistKathy Shinkle, Public Relations Director Jeanne Starr, Administrative AssistantJeff Stellges, Raffle Manager/Facilities CoordinatorJaffar Syed, BookkeeperAnn Willens, Administrative Director

Kathy Shinkle, ARTifacts EditorChristine Barnicki, ARTifacts Designer

The Palos Verdes Art Center inspires individuals to celebrate, appreciate and create art.

EndOwMEnt trustEEs

richard lohrer, Chair Myron A. (Mike) FriedmanPaul Nibarger

George L. RomineGeoff Wainwright

M–F, the weeks of July 19 & 23 and August 2, 9 & 16

Morning (9 am–noon), afternoon (1–4 pm) and all-day (9 am–4 pm; bring your lunch) programs

Half-day programs: $200 (members $170) / Full-day programs: $270 (members $240)

See the complete camp schedule on www.pvartcenter.org or call Angela Hoffman, education coordinator, 310-541-2479.

Please note, there is NO Early Bird Discount on camps.

PAint DrAw SculPt collAge crAFtS

SuMMer Art cAMP Ages 5 – 12

If the ticket thresholds are reached, our

Grand Prize winner can shop for the

house of his or her personal dreams

and we will buy it as the 2010 Palos

Verdes Dream House!

Or, if your dream is a trip around the

world, take the alternative $1,000,000

cash prize and make that happen!

This is the eighth year for the Art

Center’s Win Your Dream House Raffle.

In the first seven, over $9,900,000 in

cash and prizes were given away to

holders of more than 1,500 winning

tickets.

If 24,000 tickets are sold (at

$150.00 each), the Grand Prize winner

can shop for a $1,500,000 house for

Art Center to buy. Or, if 22,000 tick-

ets are sold, the winner can choose a

$1,200,000 Dream House. (The house

must appraise for at least the prize

value—no cash refund if a house of

lesser value is chosen.) In either case,

the winner also has the option of the

$1,000,000 cash prize.

The $1,000,000 alternative cash

prize (with no Dream House option)

is available at 20,000 tickets. If fewer

tickets are sold, the winner will receive

50% of the net proceeds, up to a maxi-

mum of $1,000,000.

This year’s Grand Prize drawing

will be held at the Art Center at 5:30

p.m. Tuesday, April 27, 2010. The ticket

purchase deadline is 4 p.m. Saturday,

April 24. Purchasers of two or more

tickets will also be entered in a special

$25,000 multiple ticket drawing. To be

eligible, tickets must be purchased at

the same time in the same name(s).

Tickets won as prizes in the four Early

Bird drawings are not eligible.

Order forms, complete rules and further information about the Choose Your Dream House raffle can be found at the Art Center’s website: www.pvartcenter.org or call 310-541-2035 to have the rules mailed to you.

Tickets can be purchased with check, money order or credit card (MasterCard or Visa) at the Art Center from 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturdays or 1–4 p.m. Sundays, or with credit card by calling 310-541-2035 during those hours. Orders can be faxed to 310-541-0248 or 310-541-4370 or mailed to the Art Center, 5504 W. Crestridge Rd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275.

imagine! Choose Your Own dream House in the Palos Verdes Peninsula, torrance, san Pedro or Beach Cities! swimming pool, or ocean view? Five bedrooms, or just two luxurious ones? Mediterranean, or modern? Old-fashioned charm, or all the latest conveniences? whatever.

MALAGA COVE LAWN SHOWS SET

Meet the artists at this year’s Malaga Cove Lawn Art Shows while

searching for the perfect painting, photograph, ceramic vase or

necklace.

The Palos Verdes Art Center’s eight artists groups sponsor

these weekend shows at Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes Dr.

West, between Via Corta and Via Chico, Palos Verdes Estates.

Each show is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The 2010 dates are:

April 17 & 18

May 15 & 16

June 26 & 27

July 24 & 25

August 21 & 22

September 25 & 26

It’s Not Too Late!

Pick Your Own Dream House

12

1

3artifacts

1

M a Ya P r i l

1 Signatures Fashion Show, 12:30 p.m. (see page 10)

4 Docent Council, 9:30 a.m.

7 About van Gogh Opening Reception, 5–8 p.m. Exhibition runs through July 18 (see pages 3–5)

11 paletteers, 10 a.m.

12 Art at Your Fingertips Brunch, 9:30 a.m.

13 peninsula Artists, 9 a.m.

15–16 Malaga Cove lawn Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (see page 13)

20 Vincent van Gogh lecture i, 5:30 p.m. (see page 10)

24 Artists Open Group, 7 p.m.

26 The Circle, 9:30 a.m.

26 pADA, 6:30 p.m.

27 Vincent van Gogh lecture ii, 5:30 p.m. (see page 10)

27 The Associates, 6:30 p.m.

31 MEMORIAL DAY

calendar

on the road with PVAC artistsPat woolley has two paintings in a juried show of work created

in Venice, Italy. The show at Broome Street Gallery, New York

City, runs through April 5.

karen wickham has two paintings in the 2009 Paint America

Competition, a traveling show which is next at the Waterford

Hotel, Oklahoma City, April 23 and 24. The paintings can also

be viewed at www.PaintAmerica.org. Ocean Shoreline placed in

the Top 100 entries.

lawrence Yun was the pastel judge for the 2009 Prismacolor

For Art’s Sake National Art Competition. He also has a solo exhi-

bition Palm at Sarah Lee Artworks & Projects, Bergamot Station,

2525 Michigan Ave., T1, Santa Monica, from April 17 – May 22.

Reception: 6 – 8 p.m. Saturday, April 17.

Through April 25, the gallery at The Norris Center for Performing

Arts is displaying work by sue Cutler. From April 26 – June 21,

Phil Brunner’s travel paintings will be featured.

Students in Dael Patton’s Abstract Acrylic Mixed Media class

will participate in an exhibition of their work at Nina’s Art

Gallery, 18187 Van Ness Ave., Torrance, from May 1 – June 30.

Included in Abstract Artists from the Palos Verdes Art Center are

rosemary Bandes, Mae Fuchino, Herlinda Giandalia, ruth Meyer, nina Ogura, debora Young and dael Patton.

6 paletteers, 10 a.m.

8 peninsula Artists, 9 a.m.

12 Spring classes begin. Term runs through June 19.

12 pVAC Artists, 9:30 a.m.

13 Docent Council, 9:30 a.m.

16–17 Homes Tour Extraordinaire, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (see pages 8 & 9)

17–18 Malaga Cove lawn Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. (see page 13)

18 Student Art Exhibition Reception, 2–4 p.m. Exhibitions opens April 9 and runs through April 24. (see pages 6 & 7)

21 peninsula Artists, 10 a.m.

22 The Associates, 6:30 p.m.

24 Win Your Dream House Raffle Final Deadline, 4 p.m. (see page 13)

27 Win Your Dream House Raffle Final Drawing, 5:30 p.m. (see page 13)

28 pADA, 6:30 p.m.

1

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5artifacts

J u l YJ u n E

4 INDEPENDENCE DAY

12 Summer classes begin. Term runs through August 28.

17 The Artists Studio, TBA

17 Celebrate Chefs VI, TBA.

19–23 Art-rageous Art Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (see page 12)

24 Celebrate Chefs VI, TBA

24–25 Malaga Cove lawn Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (see page 13)

26-30 Art-rageous Art Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (see page 12)

31 Celebrate Chefs VI, TBA

3 Vincent van Gogh lecture iii, 5:30 p.m. (see page 10)

10 Vincent van Gogh lecture iV, 5:30 p.m. (see page 10)

14 pVAC Artists, 9:30 a.m.

23 pADA, 6:30 p.m.

24 The Associates, 6:30 a.m.

25 Annual Meeting, TBA

26–27 Malaga Cove lawn Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (see page 13)

on the road with PVAC artistsGifts have been received in memory of:in memoriam Enid Coors by Betty Strauss

anne Mackenzie by Pat Cox dorothy riddick by Drexel Family Foundatiom.

Also, a gift has been received in honor of:

Palos Verdes art Center staff by Bob Yassin

artists: The next deadline is May 15. This will be for any

awards and for exhibitions between July and September 2010.

Please let us know of your success by calling 310-541-2479 or

emailing jparton@pvartcenter.org.

tHank YOu:• the Circle for its supplemental gift of an additional $18,500

from the proceeds of the 2009 Homes Tour Extraordinaire.

• ridgecrest intermediate school advanced Orchestra, led

by Mrs. lewis-wang, for the entertainment at the Art on

a String opening reception. Also, for helping with the kite

making project at the reception, the members of Girl scout

troop 6925—khallisa Budhwani, alison do, Christina Huang, sabrina inoue, austi kaji, Julia kawashima, randi linke, Megan Moilanen and alyssa Oda—and its leader, Mila linke.

• Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance for its $15,000 gift.

• art at Your Fingertips for hosting the Art on a String recep-

tion, especially coordinators lisa kaji and Mary Moore and

volunteers ani abudy, nicola Grimes, Jeff Henry, Yukari kouchi, Judy krehbiel, tracy lazarus, trisha Moilanen, amanda nahin, CeCe nahin, thea sanderson and danielle wyss.

tel: 310-541-2479 fax: 310-541-9520

www.pvartcenter.org E-Mail: info@pvartcenter.org

X

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U.S. Postage Paid

Permit #356

Palos Verdes Peninsula,

CA 90274

5504 W. Crestridge Road

Rancho Palos Verdes

CA 90275

GallErY HOurs

Beckstrand GalleryNorris GalleryWalker GalleryMonday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.Sunday: 1–4 p.m.

The Artists’ Studio Gallery Palos Verdes Art CenterMonday–Friday: 10 a.m.– 5 p.m

Saturday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.Sunday: 1–4 p.m. The VillageMonday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.Sunday: Noon– 6 p.m.

OFFiCE HOurs

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.Sunday: 1–4 p.m.

PaloS veRdeS aRt ceNteR