July 2024 Featured Artists Statements

The Scenic Route: California Impressions

As an artist and lifelong Californian, my paintings are heavily influenced by my surroundings. In this series of landscapes my goal was to take quintessential California scenery and portray it in a slightly more abstracted form while still retaining the traits that make each painting recognizably "Californian."  This collection, along with all my other work, attempts to do this with an economy of stroke that speaks of both the paint and what to me is the visceral beauty of whatever I'm trying to portray. I want to capture something, tweak it a little bit visually, and put it back out there for people to enjoy. – Robert Anke

Scenic landscapes throughout California create endless inspiration for my work. My goal is to capture the essence of something beautiful on the canvas. Viewers describe my paintings as calm, serene, and restful. I am continuing to explore color and a painterly, slightly abstract feel in my work. I met Robert only a year ago and am excited to share an exhibition with him. I was immediately taken with his “economy of stroke” and have endeavored to incorporate a bit of that style in my work. Let me know what you see. – Jean Purnell

June 2024 Featured Artist's Statements

“I went to hear a favorite author talk about his books. He told us that his stories are based on his dreams, which made me realize that my own dream world was a great place to help me expand my artistic vision. Embracing the dream world opens the doors to creating art that touches us on unexpected levels.” 
—Stephen Schumm

“Life’s undulating patterns, rough and soft peaks I see as —texture; daydreaming of canvases and weird ideas develops —imagination; what my minds sees vs what is finished before me gives —satisfaction,; seeing any and everything as a starting point for art piques my —curiosity”
—Cherry Moore