“Going Under The Knife” by Johanna Spinks an exploration of palette knife portraiture will be at the Museum of Ventura County Tool Room Gallery at the Bell Arts Factory (432 N. Ventura Ave.)

Opening night, First Friday April 1st, 6-9pm

And viewing by  appointment by calling 310.384. 7029.

Just over two years ago, award-winning portrait artist Johanna Spinks decided to take a risk with her familiar paint brush: putting it down. In its place, she picked up a palette knife and began using the metal artist’s tool for her private, non-commissioned work in order to paint the people around her. Her upcoming curated show at the Museum of Ventura County’s Tool Room Gallery, entitled “Going Under the Knife,” is sampling of this palette knife work. Johanna’s mentor and seven-time presidential portrait painter Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A. describes her palette knife portrait work as “a refreshing departure and journey into creative portraiture”.

Included in the show will be a large portrait of Ventura scientist and philanthropist 102 years’-young Howard Boroughs which was recently accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura County. Johanna painted Howard in five life sittings an experience she holds most dear.

Johanna’s portraits have been featured many times in the Ventura Breeze. www.johannaspinks.com

“Reflections, Flowers and Forests relate to some of my favorite subjects,” Mark Hafeman said about the title of his solo exhibition at the Buenaventura Gallery in downtown Ventura. Showing until April 2.

Hafeman lives in Oxnard and is active in the Buenaventura Art Association. He has one of the studios at Harbor Village Gallery and serves on the association board of directors as its treasurer.

Reflections, Flowers and Forests range from 12 by 16 inches up to 16 by 20.

Buenaventura Gallery, at 700 E. Santa Clara St., is open 11 a.m- 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more about BAA programs and events, visit the nonprofit cooperative’s website, www.buenaventuragallery.org, or call 648-1235 during gallery hours.

The Morris Graves Museum of Art and the Humboldt Arts Council will be presenting a solo show of paintings and works on paper by Ventura artist Erik ReeL from March 12  to  April 1. ReeL was heavily influenced by Morris Graves and his compatriots, Mark Tobey and Kenneth Callahan from an early age; these artists were major factors in his choice to pursue painting and art.

ReeL states, “For me, this exhibition and showing in this particular museum is like coming full circle. It is a great privilege to be exhibiting with the organization that takes care of a collection and estate that contains work by artists that had such an impact on my development, including two Tobeys as well as many fine works by Morris Graves. Erik ReeL is a contemporary American artist living in Ventura. His work addressing post-conceptual issues related to mark making and signification. For more of his art go to erikreel.com

Exhibit at 636 F Street, Eureka, California.

Focus on the Masters popular Artist Spotlight Series will introduce two members of the Ventura County Handweavers & Spinners Guild, Rich Deppe and Carl Friedlander at their next Artist Spotlight interview on Sunday, March 6 at 4:00 p.m. at Brooks Institute (5301 N. Ventura Ave.)  Each of these fabric artists comes to his work on different paths.  Each has a story to tell.

Rich Deppe’s involvement in fiber arts dates to his early childhood, when his grandmother introduced him to knitting, at which he proved very adept.  His fascination with knitting disappeared by his teen years but re-surfaced some years ago.  He knits and weaves but for Rich the most interesting aspect of fiber art is spinning the fibers themselves.  Carl Friedlander, a retired computer scientist, is well-known for creating prayer shawls worn at Jewish religious services. His fiber art gene seems to have come from his maternal grandfather, a superb tailor.  Although Carl does weave beautiful yet utilitarian items such as table mats, runners, and material for clothing, it is his work as a man of faith that is perhaps most impressive.

Please join Focus on the Masters as Mary Galbraith, moderator, chats with these two artists.

Free to FOTM Members – $10 General public, $5 students and seniors.

AfterGLOW Fundraising Event:  Join for a celebratory supper hosted by Jo Ellen Lee and prepared by Old Broads Catering Company immediately following the interview at the FOTM Archive & Library, 505 Poli Street, Suite 405.  Maps will be given to paid guests at the interview.

The AfterGLOW is $25 for FOTM members, $35 for non-members.  Paid reservations are essential & required prior to March 6 for the AfterGLOW.  For RSVP & tickets visit:  FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 805.653.2501.

Tickets available online at:  www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 653.2501

Beverly Cunningham always has an ongoing exhibit at the Womens’ Center (Poinsettia Pavilion). A portion of each sale is donated to the Pave the Way campaign to restore the Pavilion. She loves to paint in a loose impressionistic style with vibrant colors. She enjoys flowers and the possibilities they provide for abstraction.

You can see more of her wonderful art at BeverlyCunningham.com

“Artist Mika Harmony’s “Love in Full Bloom”, solo exhibit will be featured at Capriccio Restaurant at 298 E. Main St. now through March 20th.

Being raised on Maui by two artistic parents influenced her love of all things creative. Mika’s mother is a photographer/printmaker and her father is a songwriter, which is where the Harmony comes in.

Now calling Ventura home, Mika was inspired to create this series “Love in Full Bloom” while thinking of Spring and the feeling of music in her heart.

This mixed media series combines: antique sheet music, original painting, things with wings, Iconography elements, poetic phrases and hearts, on 12×12 canvas.

Mika has participated in juried national exhibitions at Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, Frameworks, Santa Barbara, Buenaventura Art Gallery in Ventura and San Louis Obispo Museum in San Louis Obispo as well as exhibited in galleries in California and Maui.”