Mill Valley artist Spence Snyder explores his sensibilities in his latest series of work, “Sticks & Stones,” on display at the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (85 Throckmorton Ave.) throughout March and for the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s First Tuesday Artwalk on March 7, with a wine reception set for 6-8pm (GO HERE for a full list of artists and venues).
“This series has environmental concerns at its heart and is generally an exploration of how we humans relate to, perceive and manipulate nature,” says Snyder. “Living here in Marin so close to a densely populated city and yet so near expansive natural open-space has increased my perception and sensitivity to both environments.”
“Sticks and Stones” includes oil and casein paintings, drawings and sculpture. It “explores our curious relationship with the natural world,” adds Snyder, who grew up in Novato and received a degree in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and a degree in fine art from the University of San Francisco.
A commercial illustrator and designer working with clients such as Yahoo!, Intuit and EA Games for more than a decade, Snyder credits his more recent studies at College of Marin to help him develop a “deeper understanding of the human figure, experimenting with new materials and gaining a better understanding of painting in a narrative tradition working from both observation and from my imagination.”
The 411: Mill Valley artist Spence Snyder shows “Sticks & Stones” artwork at the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (85 Throckmorton Ave.) throughout March and for the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s First Tuesday Artwalk on March 7, with a wine reception set for 6-8pm (GO HERE for a full list of artists and venues).