PACIFIC ART LEAGUE: SPECIALISTS IN VISUAL TALENT

By Angie Young, In the Studio e-magazine

Monday, April 26, 2004

The Pacific Art League will be opening its doors on the first weekend of May as part of Silicon Valley Open Studios tours. A gathering place for artists of all ages and abilities, the League exhibits art for the enjoyment of art lovers everywhere. Nestled in the heart of downtown Palo Alto is the headquarters and training ground for them. The members of amateur and professional artists not only produce high-quality art, but some teach their time-tested principals as well.

The Pacific Art League is located at 668 Ramona Street near University Avenue in the city of Palo Alto. The organization was founded in 1921 as the Palo Alto Art Club, and its members worked together, talking and critiquing each other’s art. Many well-known artists such as nationally famous Phimister Proctor and Elizabeth Norton were members, a reminder that great things can begin in our own backyard. The venue and name changed in 1984 and the organization now resides in the 7500 square-foot building in downtown Palo Alto on Ramona. This building houses studios, classrooms, office space, and galleries.

Claudia Morgan is the Executive Director of Pacific Art League, which – in addition to providing workspace and camaraderie for artists – offers classes, exhibition opportunities, events, and outreach to the community. One such outreach program is a traveling art therapy course offered under the auspices of Kara (a center devoted to supporting individuals in difficult situations). Through this program, an art therapist travels to children struggling with a death or major illness in the family and provides therapeutic art services. The Art League trains adults and gives support material to those in similar agencies to continue the lasting benefits of art to disadvantaged children.

Another event the League hosts is the Palo Alto Art Walk from 6-9 on the first Friday night of every month; this includes galleries and cafes around University Avenue within close proximity to one another. Lastly, a great event to attend this year is Off The Wall, on June 5, which is an annual fundraising event and silent auction of more than 80 original works donated by the members of the Pacific Art League. The zany-themed affair features music, food and wine.

One of the premier artists, Werner Glinka, joined Pacific Art League three years ago. He specializes in mixed media, combining sleek, wooden panels with natural fibers in his Visual Mantras series. The series might make viewers think of a collision between the industrial revolution and nature presented in an abstract collage. It is most delightful to study and view Werner’s pieces; no wonder his works have found homes in many galleries in the San Francisco Bay Area. Werner is looking forward to SVOS and is quite comfortable speaking with the public about his work and Pacific Art League. He has high regard for director Claudia Morgan and his fellow artists for making this art venue a place to be for established and up-and-coming artists.

Another enterprising artist at Pacific Art League is Steve Curl. He came on board twelve years ago. He started out as a cartoonist, and encountered his first art critic when he was a kid in elementary school. He drew someone and subsequently found himself stuffed into a locker by the disapproving student. Decades later, he draws editorial cartoons for the Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Daily and creates caricature sketches for corporations. That is how I met him in 2001 at a high-rise office building in San Jose. He drew a pretty good picture of me on the spot, and I have kept the illustration ever since. Not only does Steve draw cartoons--something he considers a cerebral art form--but he also does outdoor painting. He loves watercolors and camping, and – merging these two passions – he features the result of his romance with plein air paintings at the open studios event this May 1st and 2nd. Steve teaches three watercolor classes and an outdoor sketching on location class.

Other creative forces within the League who are participating at SVOS this year include Gary Coleman, oil painter; Helen Ju, Sculptor; Susan Prather, photographer; Roland Ralston, illustrator; and Pete Zivkov, photographer.

They, together with Claudia Morgan and rest of the League’s entire membership, work to uphold its mission to enrich the lives of their communities by promoting the enjoyment, understanding, and creation of art, and to make art a part of the fabric of society. In that light, it’s easy to see why they’ve been around for 83 years.

For Pacific Art League’s course descriptions and schedules, visit their website: www.pacificartleague.com.