The City of Walnut Creek, in conjunction with the Walnut Creek Downtown Library presents annual exhibitions in the Library Community Art Gallery. The gallery was created to present artwork for the encouragement and development of artistic expression, and to foster greater appreciation for art in our community. This program is part of the Arts, Recreation and Community Services Department, administered by Bedford Gallery under the direction of the Walnut Creek Arts Commission. For more information and how to apply please visit the Bedford Gallery website.
Community Art Gallery
2012-2013 Exhibition Schedule My Summer of La Dolce Vita: One Woman’s Journey through Italy Photography and drawings by Linda Cloonan September 26 – November 17, 2012 This is the story of a woman, working in Corporate America, who rallies up all of her vacation time and embarks on a summer holiday to Italy. Her adventure yields a renewed sense of balance and beauty in her life as she incorporates writing and painting into her life on a daily basis.
The exhibit is a reflective chronology through three regions: Venice in the north; Umbria in the central valley; and Positano in the south. The story is told using three mediums: photography, watercolor travel sketches and journaling vignettes.
Discovering Color Northgate High School Visual Arts Department November 20 – January 19, 2013
During the school year the students in Design, Drawing, Painting, Photography, and Animation courses will solve a number of design problems that focus on color theory ranging from realistic drawing to abstract digital painting. “Introduction to Design” students will create a visual scavenger hunt for the viewers to learn about how color works and why we love it so much. The examples curated into this exhibition will function as a teaching tool for library visitors. The center of this display is a giant color wheel made from photographs taken of places in Contra Costa County. The Color Wheel will serve as the first stop for visitors to review basic color theory. From there visitors will explore a number of works that ask them to apply what they have learned by finding the paintings that match the terms found on the color wheel.
Advanced Placement Show Northgate High School Visual Arts Department January 23 – March 16, 2013
Northgate has a rich Advanced Placement program in drawing and paint, 2D design, and 3D design. The Advanced Placement program is a rigorous 1 year program where students develop 24 pieces of gallery-ready artwork. The portfolio represents not only the students’ breadth of technical and conceptual investigations, but also contains 12 pieces from a complete body of work. For the Advanced Placement Show, we would ask students to select a piece highlighting their individual talents. With the guidance of the AP teachers, students will construct a cohesive exhibition, propose it to the faculty advisors, then frame and hang their work. The experience of putting on your their exhibition outside of school is a powerful learning opportunity.
Tomorrow’s Natural World Northgate High School Visual Arts Department March 20 – May 11, 2013
Northgate’s Concept Art and Animation program includes both 2D animation and 3D Modeling. The exhibit will focus on the 3D modeling student work. In preparation to this show the students will listen to the PBS Radio Lab episode title, (So-Called) Life, that highlights strange genetic variations found in nature, questions whether scientists should experiment with reviving creatures long extinct, and explores alternative notions of preserving our planet’s ecosystem. The students will be making fantasy creatures that represent how an ecosystem might evolve over the next million years. Students will explore how birds, fish, and mammals might adapt to the environment filled with man-made toxins and genetically modified food sources. While making these “creature combos”, we will ask ourselves questions like “What would their habitats be like?” and “How would these combinations of animals work on the anatomical level?” At first glance, this creative storytelling might result in humorous hybrid creatures. But upon further investigation the viewer will begin to build a narrative of how nature adapts to its environment. The images will be made using the 3D modeling programs, zBrush and Cinema 4D.
Abstract Paintings in Acrylic and Watercolor Trevor Pawlak May 15 – July 6, 2013
What does autism have to do with art? For 10-year-old Trevor Pawlak poetry and painting are his connections to the greater world. He is nonverbal but enjoys writing poetry to share his feelings as he addresses his struggles with autism. Trevor explains his nonverbal plight this way:
“I was diagnosed with autism when I was 4 years old. I remember knowing that other kids could talk and I couldn’t which frustrated me to no end. …I met my angel in purple Janna Woods. She helped me find my freedom through typing. Now I can show others how intelligent I am.” Trevor’s expressed that his main goal in his exhibition aims to educate the general public on individuals/children afflicted with autism are simply human beings like anyone else. He wants humanity to work on acceptance, tolerance and compassion…”
Excerpted from “Autism and Art: My name is Travor Pawlak” by Dolores Fox Ciardelli. San Ramon Express, March 7, 2010
Special and Favorite Places in Contra Costa County Photography by Jeff Brooks-Manas, Terin Christensen, Tim Taylor and Kristiina Teerikorpi July 10 – August 31, 2013
Curated by Ginny Mangrum, this exhibition shares the work of four Bay Area artists whose varied photographic methods explore themes around place, environment and presence.
Oil Paintings on Canvas Michael Yashar September 13 – October 19, 2013