The John Natsoulas Gallery, located at 521 First St., will be hosting its “End of the Year Party” and Exhibit Opening Reception on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. The special evening will mark the conclusion of a successful year of gallery exhibits at the Natsoulas Gallery, and will include showcasings of specific artists, known for their uniquely “California style.”
Free of charge, this unique opportunity to view these select artists will also be accompanied by an evening filled with holiday drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
“The opening reception will present four different artists who will be taking the floor to introduce their works,” Adriana Macias, the gallery’s designer, said. Formally, it will be very similar to our other opening receptions, but this one will be unique due to the nature of the specific artists chosen by gallery owner John Natsoulas himself.”
Renowned for their reputation to represent the best of California art, the John Natsoulas Gallery specifically selected the artists whose work will be presented at the exhibition. All the artists operate in completely different mediums to produce very different styles, so there will be something for everyone at this special group exhibition.
Hand selected by John Natsoulas, four trail-blazing artists, Kerry Rowland-Avrech, Michelle Gregor, Nathan Ring and Rodney Artiles, were chosen to conclude the year of exhibits at the Natsoulas. Because they all have very different styles, the diverse range creates an opportunity to observe the many ways California has been represented in art.
Sculptor Michelle Gregor’s work has been specifically seen as important to the gallery’s mission. With a bachelor of fine arts degree from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree from San Francisco State University, Gregor is also a professor, as well as a well-known figurative sculptor. Some of her best known works may be seen in locations such as The Spa at Pebble Beach and The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
“Michelle Gregor is one of the most significant female sculptors in the country, and definitely one of the best of Californi,” John Natsoulas, owner of the gallery, said. “I would have done anything to get her into this show. She is a not only an amazing painterly and abstract sculptor, but she is a mentor to many young women. She sculpts with such fervor and passion, which is really inspiring to many young artists.”
Her style is described as emblematic of the unique Californian style seen in art, as it is not too representational, but has a certain serenity and spiritual feeling about it. She comes from a generation that blazed the path of abstract expressionism in the Bay Area, specifically for female artists.
“She sculpts without a lot of planning, when looking at her art, you really feel that she sculpts from the gut, which is emblematic of the Beat Generation, something that my gallery really strives to represent,” Natsoulas said.
Artist Kerry Rowland-Avrech will be showing her second exhibit at the John Natsoulas Gallery. A Davis local, her first show that was exhibited in June of last year depicted all abstract works. However, this exhibit shows her work that moves towards a more figurative style.
“Last year, I was still relatively new to the area which resulted in my artwork being expressed in a pure abstract style,” Rowland- Avrech said. “However, since I’ve been absorbing more of the Central Valley, my style has evolved. I’ve moved from acrylic, back to oil. My art is still abstract, but a bit more representational, figurative and realistic. More Californian.”
Her style has been very frequently described as very similar to that of German Expressionists, such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner or Edvard Munch. This can be seen represented in her mural downtown on the back of ACE Hardware as well as in this exhibition, in works such as “The Blue Dress,” which represents an abstract woman walking away for the viewer.
“In most of my works, I like to use a lot of light and color that give off a kind of spirituality, without an explicit spiritual content,” Rowland-Avrech said. “Many people say that they perceive a haunting or slightly scary impression of my works. In essence, that is what I am trying to achieve. Not to scare the viewer, but to provoke a reaction. For them to have a reaction like that means that they have stopped for a moment, and really looked at my work.”
Nathan Ring, a potter, also represents the quintessential California artist as selected by Natsoulas. He presents art as functional and affordable and chooses to work in a medium that is seen as a dying artform. He produces works that would typically be seen in a California home, and makes it a Christmas present to buy during the holiday season.
Pop artist, Rodney Artiles’ work will also be exhibited. Choosing to operate in a completely different style than the other two artists, his art is emblematic of contemporary street art that one could usually find on the streets of San Francisco.
“All artists that will be exhibited at the show have their own style, which all kind of represent the differences we see in California,” Macias said.
The show will be exhibited through December. To see the artists themselves, audiences can attend the opening reception on Dec. 7.
