ART BEAT

Pier Pair, Doug Ross.

Yes, I know, it's been more about words than pictures lately here at the ol' blog. But the 2014 edition of the venerable Open Studios Art Tour is in full swing

The main thing that's new about this year's event is the official Open Studios Art Tour Guide. This year, it's no longer in calendar format, and while that may be sad news for day planners, it's good news for artists and their fans.

With only four images per page, the featured work of every participating OS artist is bigger, brighter, and much easier to see.

Everything else about the Guide is the same as always, including the ridiculously reasonable $20 price tag, maps, and all the info you could ever possibly need to know about the artists.

The Queen, Peggy Snider.

I hope everyone got a chance to get out and visit some fine local artists in their natural habitat last weekend—despite the infernal heat (it melted the tape right off Art Boy's OS posters around the neighborhood!), and the Giants and 49ers games on TV.

We are grateful to all those intrepid souls who made it to our door last weekend, including those of you who bought original art, prints and cards. Thank you! We will also be open for Encore Weekend, October 18 and 19 (Aschbacher, #124 in your handy OS Guide), and let's hope for more salubrious weather by then!

In the meantime, here are some artists I'm looking forward to visiting this weekend!

Doug Ross: Clean, beautifully composed silkscreen prints in elegant colors. Marine life is his specialty, so if you love seals, sea lions, and otters as much as I do, don't miss him! (#157)

Peggy Snider: Her hand-built ceramic sculptures, large and small, are soulful, evocative, mystical, and rich with inner life. (#287)

Ronald Cook: Exquisitely hand-carved, one-of-a-kind musical instruments and pieces of furniture inspired by Early American and Early European designs.
(#269)

Beth Allison Gripenstraw: Beth doesn't just open her studio; she creates entire immersive environments featuring her playfully painted ceramic tableware, jewelry, watercolor paintings, and life-sized papier-mache animals. From an African safari to Paris in the 1920s, you never know where she's going to take you next. (#232)

(Although judging from this year's postcard, above, I suggest you bring your flippers!)

Anyway, have fun out there this weekend! And check back here tomorrow for an update...

TASTY

As we all know, life goes better with art. And everything goes better with chocolate!

This weekend, why not combine the two? get ready for the 7th Annual Art & Chocolate art studio tour in beautiful mid-town Live Oak.

At this popular Mother's Day Weekend event, a dozen artists in the Live Oak area throw open their doors to you, The Public, and invite you in to see what's new and exciting in their creative lives.

To sweeten the deal, free chocolate will be available at every stop on the self-guided tour!

Equally tasty artwork on display ranges from the watercolors of Amy Stark and the pastel landscapes of Lou Renner and Paul Rodrigues to the oil paintings of Maggie Renner Hellman, Aaron Johnson, and Janet Ferraro.

Germanic rote (Lyre) by Ron Cook

From abstract stone sculpture by Mike McClellan and whimsical clay work from Carol DePalma to black-and-white, infrared photography by Kevin Osborn.

Andy Orsini is showing hand-crafted fine wood furniture. And new to the event this year, Ron Cook is showing his hand-carved, medieval-inspired folk instruments and furniture.

In fact, we're lucky enough to be hosting Ron this year at our Live Oak studio, where Art Boy (aka James Aschbacher) will have some fun new mixed-media paintings on display

(That's his New Power Spot above.  What does the title mean? Ask any cat lover!)

Studios are open this weekend, May 10 and 11, from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free! For a map and a preview of the artists involved, drop by the Art & Chocolate website.

Then grab your mom, or the art lover of your choice, and enjoy!

Did I mention there'll be chocolate???

INTO THE WOOD

Hot on the heels of its excellent Big Creek Pottery retrospective exhibit last spring, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History continues its commitment to local art and artisans with its current show, Studio Made: Santa Cruz Woodworkers. The show is already into its second month, but I just caught up with it at First Friday last week, and what exciting work it is. If you just love woodwork, that most soulful medium, or if you're a fan of expert hand crafting in general, you need to run out and see this show, like, now.

10 members of the SC Woodworkers collective are featured in the exhibit. You may have noticed some of their pieces decorating the storefront windows of the cavernous Rittenhouse Building downtown, but there's nothing like seeing this work up close, brightly lit, and in detail, to appreciate all the nuances.

Work ranges from massive cabinetry and media centers in vibrant, contrasting wood grains by Om Anand, to an absolutely amazing collection of teeny tiny vessels of wood, palm nuts, and seed pods by Joshua Salesin. (Turned on antique lathes, Salesin's incredibly intricate and diverse pieces, ranging from fingernail-size to about and inch or two high, may be the most breathtaking objects in the show.)

In between, feast your eyes on the dashing, organic lines of Roger Heitzman's chairs, the glorious unfolding wood burl sculptures of Gary Stevens (above), and the lovely inlay work of Matthew Werner, on a variety of pieces.

I was especially knocked out by this three-legged corner jewelry cabinet by Michael Singer. It's a deceptively simple, even demure piece, until you open the doors and discover the layers upon layers of tiered, swing-out drawers and irresistible cubbyholes within. Functional and gorgeous; I loved it!

Singer's glass-topped Fandance Coffee Table is pretty impressive too, with its sweeping, fan-shaped bamboo base.

I'm also a huge fan of Ronald Cook, whose lovely, hand-crafted replications of antique instruments like dulcimers and rebecs (decorated with his signature tiny carved faces) have been thrilling Santa Cruzans for years. An assortment of these are on view at the MAH show, but so are some completely unexpected delights. Like this hand-carved chess set (look at the character in all those faces!), along with the chessboard, the formidable gaming table on which it sets, a pair of medieval-style trestle stools, and the wooden chandelier that hangs down over the entire ensemble!

And these are just a few highlights of a fascinating and inspiring exhibit. (While you're there, don't miss the companion exhibit, Furniture Design, up on the third floor. I liked the strong, rakishly asymmetrical Black Mamba chairs by Fred Hunnicut, and John Baer's ingenious Jet Cone cocktail table and wine bucket made of found metal objects.)

Also, big kudos to Nina Simon for continuing to open the MAH not only to local artists, but the community as well (especially kids). The interactive play stations she's set up throughout the museum are an interesting way to conquer visitors' fear of art and get them to engage with and enjoy the exhibits.

(The Santa Cruz Woodworkers show is up at the MAH through Novembr 13.)