La Jolla: Bellows, R.B Stevenson, Quint Athenaeum

I can't be everywhere and see every show in San Diego county but at least once or twice a year, I like to do a walk about in La Jolla. This month I went to see  Astrid Preston at R.B. Stevenson Gallery (7661 Girard Avenue, Suite 201, 92037), Thomas Glassford at Quint Gallery (7547 Girard Ave. 92037) and Amanda Farber and Michelle Montjoy at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library   (1008 Wall St. La Jolla, 92037).  

Here is also a shout out to Joseph Bellows Photography next the R.B Stevenson with their show of photographs in black and white of homes. It was fun to see how each artist has a very subtle but different view of this exact same subject. The show is called Living Arrangements and is on until March 7. Reenie Barrow, Bevan Davies, Scott B. Davis, Douglas R. Gilbert, Charles Johnstone, Gene Kennedy, Michael Mulno, and Phel Steinmetz are featured with multiple works and I was drawn to Phel Steinmetz. These are multi-panel works that are of Southern California and very typical of homes in the 70's and 80's. I loved that black outline which was used selectively.

 





Astrid Preston: Coming to the Edge at R.B. Stevenson Gallery (7661 Girard Avenue, Suite 201, 92037) Showing until Feb 28

Don't be fooled by the first image below that was also the one used on their pr announcement. This artist has a very unique view of landscape in these perfectly painted oil on wood creations. 

This a more close up view of just one of the 15 or so bird surrounding the larger image.

Thomas Glassford Solar Plexus at Quint Gallery (7547 Girard Ave. 92037) Showing until March 7. The first of these images is from early work by Glassford. The hand bent plexiglas leaves are lit to shine on their edges and the shadow on the wall below was very dramatic. The rest of the works of the show take their shapes from similar botanical references. They are all 3-dimensional works and the mirror plexiglas is reflecting the viewer and a range of colors in the room. They also cast interesting shadows on the floor of the gallery. 

Amanda Farber: Here and Michelle Montjoy: The pit bull licked the baby's head and scented it with ham.  ( at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library   (1008 Wall St. La Jolla, 92037) Showing until Feb 14.   

Both Michelle Montjoy and Amanda Farber are local artists. Amanda teaches at the Design Institute and got her MFA from UCSD. My favorite work in Farber's show is the door which is purposely distorted and lures you in to look closer to see what is real and what is painted. This are ordinary objects but through the lens of Ms. Farber they become noticed and noticeable.

Michelle Montjoy has taken strips of 500 t-shirts and knitted them into shapes that could look like extremely long sleeves. This references her tiny delicate drawing that are also in the show and one amazing sculpture with a tiny sweater and a long sleeve dragged down by 1500 straight pins.  

 

 A few bonus shots - first this wonderful display of heart shaped cookies in preparation for Valentines day.

... and finally a little gathering of the clan on a bookshelf in the Athenaeum.