We were quickly reminded of the artistic talent that exists here in Marin.
Among the plethora of great designs we received was from Janet Rumsey, a graphic designer and nature lover born in Mill Valley. Our jury of artists loved Rumsey’s quirky, nature-loving, summer-centric design (above at left) of her peering out at the world. Rumsey says she often takes photos from that vantage point “because you see what’s behind you and where you are but it’s not just the whole selfie thing. I enjoy creating images of people with growing minds – lots of flowers coming out of their heads. Grow your mind and go into nature.”Rumsey’s designs will be on display
at the Mill Valley Chamber throughout August (85 Throckmorton Ave.), as will the work of a trio of painters whose work was among the finalists for the Cover Contest. Those artists – Eric Von Berg, Andrew Faulkner and Arlene Whiting – will be at the Chamber for a wine reception on August 7 (5:30-7:30pm) as part of the Mill Valley Arts Commission‘s First Tuesday Artwalk.Von Berg, who studied art at a number of institutions, including the Florence Academy of Art, says he “delights in capturing the essence of the places and people around me,” painting landscapes both in plein air as well as in his Sausalito Studio at the ICB, while oil painter Whiting, who attended Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles and graduated from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, says she’s “found that I best experienced ‘life’ with a pencil or brush in my hand.”
“As a child I celebrated coloring outside the lines,” says Faulkner, a painter who was born into a family of artists, designers, and architects and works with oil, acrylic, mixed media and digital painting. “Those loose imperfect marks define my gestural painting style to this day. If painting were religion I would be praying to the the saints: Matisse, Diebenkorn and Hockney.” Faulkner focuses on abstract landscapes and architectural interiors.
The celebration of local art throughout August includes a host of venues, including the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Seager Gray Gallery, Julie Zener Gallery, the Mill Valley Public Library, the Depot Bookstore & Café, City Hall, Famous4, the Mill Valley Community Center and the Throckmorton Theatre, among others. Receptions at each venue are Tuesday from 5:30-7:30pm. First Tuesday Artwalk Guide with venues and a map.