All scheduled dates:
The Beasties of Maija Peeples-Bright, plus Skyline College & Art Guild of Pacifica
Sanchez Art Center is proud to offer three new art exhibitions opening Feb 22 with a reception from 7 to 9 pm. Maija Peeples-Bright brings to the Main Gallery a colorful and whimsical exhibition entitled Beasties Become Maija, curated by Cameron Brian of Transmission Gallery. East Gallery presents Skyline College Student Invitational, coordinated by Paul Bridenbaugh. In the West Gallery, Art Guild of Pacifica offers On the Road, a group exhibit from AGP artists. The opening night reception will be held on Friday, Feb 22, 7–9 pm, with music by Tonal Recall.
Maija Peeples-Bright hails from Latvia, whence her family fled from Russian invasion to refugee camps in Germany, and eventually to the U.S. She had planned to follow her father into the study of mathematics, but took an elective art class and fell in love with art instead. Switching majors in her third year, she studied with Wayne Thiebaud, Robert Arneson, and William T. Wiley at UC Davis. Obviously, she loves animals as well as art, and lives amidst her own works depicting her “beasties” and her large collection of work by other artists. To receive a written missive from this artist is to experience her fun-loving, funk-inspired soul. In her writing she takes every opportunity to recognize her animal spirits, such as talking about what one “otter” do to correctly write a caption; she hopes the articles she is sending will be found “ewesful”; and, of course, her note closes with “Beast wishes.” It’s serious fun!
Peeples-Bright works in oils, ceramics, and mixed media. Often her “beasties” loom out of canvases like ceranuc bas-relief. There are penguins and tigers and lions, oh my. And the colors! Her use of color seems to be based on sheer joy—a wonderful quality of happiness embues her work with light and charm. Maija Peeples-Bright’s work cannot really be categorized, though probably her closest companions-in-art come from the California Funk Art movement. Her work has been shown and collected nationally and internationally, and we are very happy to share this jewel of an exhibition with our gallery visitors.
Peeples-Bright and her curator for this show, Cameron Brian of Transmission Gallery, will talk about her work on Sunday, Mar 24, at 3:30 pm.
East Gallery will display a group show coordinated by Paul Bridenbaugh, Professor of Social Science and Art at Skyline College. The Skyline College Student Invitational features ceramics, digital media, drawings, mixed media works, paintings, photographs, prints, and sculpture, by Skyline College art students. Participating artists in the show were invited to exhibit their artwork by the five full-time art faculty at Skyline College. The Art Department offers a full range of art courses, and the works in this exhibition reflect both the concepts and techniques introduced in art courses at Skyline College, as well as the artists’ own interests, skills, and creativity.
On the Road is the theme that the Art Guild of Pacifica (AGP) has set for its artists to explore in their second 2019 group show in the West Gallery. This is a theme that seems central to our country’s spirit of westward expansion in its early history. (One thinks of Randy Newman’s wonderfully ironic and poignant song, Great Nations of Europe Coming Through.) The artworks may express such ideas as a long journey or series of journeys, traveling, touring, or a mode of transportation.
Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica, about a mile east of Highway 1. Following opening night, the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm, and by appointment, through Mar 24. For more information call 650.355.1894 or visit SanchezArtCenter.org.
