Migdra Sue Robinson – Oil

Untitled© Migdra Sue Robinson

Shadows and reflections are but a few of the components that intrigue and fascinate Migdra Sue Robinson, awakening in her the creative senses that drive her to brush on canvas, much as a writer, uses his pen and paper to express his soul.

Sue has painted in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, however, oil is her medium of preference.

Sue has taken art instruction from local and internationally acclaimed artists.

Migdra Sue is a member of Oil Painters of America and a signature member of the Alliance of California Artists.

Zach Smith - Underwater Photography

Untitled Underwater Photograph© Zach Smith

Zach Smith's love of the outdoors began during his childhood, growing up in San Luis Obispo, CA. He spent much of his time in the water, fishing and hiking. Zach received his first camera at a young age and began photographing places he visited, wildlife and landscapes.

As an adult, Zach took up other hobbies, scuba diving, spear fishing, and kayaking. It wasn't long before he yearned to take photos underwater. Zach began with underwater videography and gradually moved to underwater photography. Today, Zach works with digital photography. While underwater he usually shoots macro, in color and black & white. He still loves to photograph landscapes and wildlife.

Zach enjoys photographing the majority of his underwater photos in our local waters, although some are taken out of the area. Zach dives from his kayak into local offshore reefs, and shares our very unique, and almost untouched underwater environment with others.

http://zsmithphotography.webs.com/about.htm

Judith Devine - Mixed Media

His and Hers© Judith Devine

Judith Devine had been drawn to many different forms of art throughout her life. She began exploring with oils, watercolor, charcoal, pen and ink and pastel. Currently, Judy works with acrylic paint.

Although Judy feels she has gained valuable experience and knowledge from each medium, she finds mixed media paintings especially enjoyable to create.

Judy conveys that art challenges her, enriches her life and makes her happy and hopes that her creative endeavors bring enjoyment to others.

Judy’s artwork is lighthearted and fun.

Carol DiNolfo - Photography

Last Light© Carol DiNolfo

Carol DiNolfo is an award-winning photographer whose art has been on display in juried gallery exhibitions and published in books, magazines and calendars. Her fascination with photography began at a very young age when her grandfather built a pinhole camera. She quickly graduated to a Brownie Starmite, happily snapping pictures on every family vacation. A Canon 35mm single lens reflex, a gift from her father during her teenage years, allowed her to pursue her photographic passion in a more professional manner.

Today, Carol creates Digital Artography, an artistic fusion of creative vision and technical mastery. Nature is her color palette, the sweeping landscape her canvas. The results are beautiful, expressive prints -- prints that glow from within. This is where art meets photography.

www.flickr.com/photos/dinolfo/

Jade Herrera - Mixed Media

Whale Rock Reservoir near Cayucos© Jade Herrera

Jade Herrera, is a retired Nuclear Medicine Technologist from Northern California.

Jade's art journey began with a watercolor class in Stockton, California eight years ago. She is self taught and challenges herself to try new techniques and mediums. She has worked in oil, pastel and watercolor. Mixed media best describes her current work. Jade has utilized all of the skills she has learned throughout the last few years, in what has evolved into her latest technique. Jade uses paper in her paintings. She allows the paper to set the tone of where the creation will go.

Jade spent six years in New Mexico, where her art was displayed in numerous art galleries. She is now a resident of the Central Coast.

Her art is unusual and diverse with each piece representing a unique impulse. It is colorful and yet calming.

Patricia Kung - Chinese Brush and Silk Painting

Untitled© Patricia Kung

After attending four years at Whittier College, Patricia Kung subsequently earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Long Beach State University. Pat Studied four years with Master Chinese Artist, Ning Yeh.

Patricia Kung (aka Klenck) has been dedicated to Chinese Brush Painting for twenty five years.

Pat's philosophy is reflected in her bold approach denoting strength (yang) and delicate strokes (yin).

James A.Crawford - Photography

Sailboats in the Fog#7 © James A. Crawford

Crawford's interest in art began in high school and further developed at Orange Coast College where he majored in Architecture and minored in History and Art.

In 1966 while in Viet Nam, he purchased his first 35mm camera and with limited time, he was able to begin his craft. Upon his return to the States, Crawford lived and worked in Laguna Beach, Ca. pursuing an Architectural career while continuing to photograph and interacting with area artists. In 1976, James moved to San Luis Obispo to further his education at Cal Poly where he majored in Architecture and minored in Photography. James continues to further his photographic education through yearly workshops with varied Master Photographers. James Crawford's work is a part of many private art collections.

www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/c/crawf/

Christine Cortese - Alla Prima Painter, Oil on Canvas

Farm in Arroyo Grande© Christine Cortese

Christine Cortese earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Santa Barbara. In addition, she studied with many International Painters such a Ovanes Berberian and other well known Alla Prima artists.

Christine paints in the Alla Prima style, capturing the moment in one sitting. Her work is about concentrating on the light source and array of colors present in the lights and shadows. She gets into her 'Painting Zone' and uses artist license and natural intuition to create colorful expressions of nature.

Kathy Howard - Soft Sculpture

Autunm Garden© Kathy Howard

Kathy was born and raised in Southern California where she attended the Pasadena City schools, graduating with an honor award in Home Economics for tailoring and sewing. She then attended Occidental College where she studied art and education. After graduating in 1957 she married her childhood sweetheart and raised her four children until in 1993 the family and family business moved to the Central Coast of California.

Her first experience at showing her wearable art was at the Bazaar Del Mundo Wearable Art Show in San Diego where she was honored to show several of her garments. In 2006, the dream of designing a garment for the Bernina Fashion Show in Houston, Texas, became a reality for her when she was selected to participate in the 2007 Diamond Odyssey and the 2008 Rendezvous fashion shows.

Kathy’s work has been published in several national fashion magazines, Belle Armoire, Art To Wear and Through The Needle.

Douglas Howard - Photography

Once a Home© Doug Howard

In 1969, While traveling on business, he became aware that his eye was drawn especially to line and shadow rather than color. He soon acquired his first camera, a Canon F1, and began taking black and white photos of various scenes during his travels. This soon led to the building of a darkroom.

In 1993, he moved to the Central Coast, where he resides with his wife, Kathy. He soon founded and still heads what is now called the North County Image Makers photography club. Doug is a member of the San Luis Obispo Photo Society and f11.

Doug, an award winning photographer, continues to hold on to the values of traditional photography, utilizing the "darkroom" process with the digital tools of a computer to make archival prints, finishing with museum quality matting and framing.

http://www.b-wgallery.com/

Abe Perlstein - Photography, Two Dimentional and Three Dimentional

Riding Giants, Freemont Theater © Abe Perlstein

Abe Perlstein began shooting at age 3 when his father, Julian gave him his first camera, a waist-level-finder Kodak Brownie.

In 1977, Perlstein embarked upon what would become a 31-year career, by purchasing a vintage 1967 Nikkormat 35mm SLR FTN and one Nikkor 50mm lens. College courses helped shape his early work which included fine art landscape, portraiture, and rock band publicity. Subsequently, Perlstein lived and worked in Hollywood as a motion picture, television, and music industry stills photographer. Credits include over 120 feature films, as many television series and sitcoms, countless commercials, music videos, and music magazine assignments.

Published work has appeared in Time, Rolling Stone, Premiere, the Los Angeles Times, and hundreds of publications worldwide.

www.abes3dworld.blogspot.com

Cheryl Rodgers - Oil

Untitled© Cheryle Rodgers

The essence of Cheryl Rodger's work is to capture a moment in time. An impression that expresses a feeling about a particular experience.

Cheryl attended the Portland Arts and Crafts School, Portland State University and San Diego State University. She received a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree from SDSU with an emphasis in Interior Design.

In addition, she attended many plein air workshops with prominent painters and continues to expand her education through various classes and seminars.

Jeanne Bauer - Oil Pastel, Acrylic & Oil

Untitled ©Jeanne Bauer

Jeanne Bauer has been a working artist for 35 years maintaining two studios. One studio designing and fabricating leaded glass and the other studio for textile design.

Although, Jeanne considers herself, self taught, she has attended classes at several colleges throughout her career. Jeanne attended FIT in New York, Art Students League, Pratt, Cooper Union, Penn State, RISD and traded instruction for live modeling or runway work for the fashion design schools.

Jeanne has recently closed her studios on the east coast and moved to the west coast. Therefore, a new coast, a new studio, new subject matter. Her most recent work is a reflection of the sights she observes during daily walks.

Gregory Siragusa - Digital Photography

Photo Untitled© Gregory Siragusa

Gregory Siragusa is a digital photographer, who's photographs capture, a variety of subject matter, representing nature, performance and architecture.

Greg presents his photographs to the viewer and marvels how the context of each image is interpreted.

Having relocated to the Central Coast approximately 15 years ago, Greg is traveling constantly, perpetually refining his focus on nature, architecture, music and mood.

Greg's photos, focus on subjects that are subtle or commonplace to grand in nature.

Alice Cahill – Photography

A Sense of Place ©Alice Cahill

Alice Cahill is an award winning nature photographer. Her inspiration is the Earth – she is fascinated by it, and she believes in nature as a healing force and a refuge from the chaos of daily life.

Alice's photographs have been published in many nature and photo magazines, including Outdoor California, Photographers Forum, Outdoor and Nature, and Oprah’s O Magazine.

Alice is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

www.alicecahill.com

Anne Carpenter Fitzpatrick - Photography and Jewelry

A Break in the Clouds ©Anne Carpenter Fitzpatrick

Anne grew up in Southern California, and moved to the Central Coast in 1980. She now resides in Templeton, and is astounded by the visual beauty of the Central Coast. One of Anne’s most beloved inspirations was her grandfather, Gerald Carpenter – a true Renaissance man.

Anne graduated with an art degree from UC Riverside, and later received a Master’s Degree in Computer Science.

For Anne, creating art is her passion. She combines her digital camera and Photoshop skills, and with the click of the shutter, she captures that which may never be seen the same way again.

Anne also creates spectacular one of a kind jewelry sets, by utilizing semi precious gemstones such as Charoite and Bronzite, Swarovski Crystal (Australian), Czeck glass beads, Palm wood, bone, Chrysanthemum stone, Copper, white lampwork and much more.

www.carpenter-photography.com

Ardella Swanberg – Oil, Acrylic and Watercolor

Point Buchon ©Ardella Swanberg

Ardella was raised in Garden Grove, California, lived in many locations, and relocated to the Central Coast 10 years ago. Ardella’s inspirations have been the subjects found in the many places she has lived – she now lives on a cattle ranch north of Cayucos.

Ardella received a BS in Art Education, from the University of Minnesota. She is the current president of the Central Coast Watercolor Society. In addition, she teaches art classes for the Cuesta College Emeritus program in Cambria, paints with the Wednesday Irregulars in Cambria, and does figure drawing every Friday in Morro Bay.

Carolyn Henderson - Pastel

Cambria Gold Coast © Carolyn Henderson

Carolyn Henderson is a Pastelist. She has a BA in Art from California State University, Northridge and a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She primarily paints local landscapes inspired by the beauty of the Central Coast.

www.carolynhendersonfineart.com

Charles Pruitt – Photography

Untitled ©Charles Pruitt

Chuck began taking photographs over 40 years ago, when he was given an old 35mm camera by a family friend. Chuck received a degree in Photography, and has trained with Boone Morrison and Bret Weston.

Chuck worked in large and medium film formats, and in 2008, he took up digital photography, but he still uses his 50+ year-old Hassleblad.

In 2008 Chuck began printing Giclee’s on canvas. After the ink sets, the canvas is stretched over a wooden frame and tacked in place. The process is completed by protecting the image with a UV protective finish.

Deb Festa – Watercolor and Acrylic

Irises in Tranquility ©Deb Festa

Deb finds immense joy in capturing natures light, color and ever-changing moods in her refreshing watercolor and acrylic paintings. She is known for her vibrant color combinations.

Painting exclusively in watercolor since 1991, she added acrylic in 2007, and has become well known throughout the central coast, with local and international art lovers collecting her work.

In addition, Deb makes beautiful Rosary Beads.

Deb’s purpose is to capture and share the serenity and joy of nature – a serene refuge from the modern world. Deb lives in Los Osos, California with her husband Ray. They have two grown children, Stephanie and Isaiah.

www.DebFesta.net

Deborah Hobbs – Photo Montage with Oil Pastel

Untitled ©Deborah Hobbs

Deborah Hobbs has a background in Psychology and Art. She worked as an art therapist with both adults and children in institutional settings during and after university. After the birth of her son, she shifted her focus to creating personal art.

She has been represented by Roy Sanders at the "Grand Oak Gallery" in Oakland and by Bob Braun at the “Artisans Gallery” in Hanford, California. She was an art teacher at Crestmont School a private art grammar school in Richmond Hills, CA. Deborah has participated in several out door art fairs both in the bay area and the central coast, and now feels privileged to be a part of the Gallery at Marina Square.

Deborah Kyle Hintergardt – Acrylic

Barn ©Deborah Kyle Hintergardt

Deborah painted simple, vibrant, richly colored country landscapes, for 3 years, while living in Los Angeles. In November of 2004 she moved to the landscape of her dreams, the central coast.

A self-taught artist with a distinctive style, her artistic goal is to impart a sense of peace and satisfaction with the moment, as well as an expectation for the future.

Ms. Hintergardt is Co-President of the Atascadero Art Association and a member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters.

www.artbyDKH.com

Dianne Hoffman – Watercolor

Untitled ©Dianne Hoffman

Diane was born in Iowa, to an artistic family. With no formal training, Dianne began painting in 1992 – first with acrylic on canvas, then on walls, where she specialized in large scale murals, faux finishes, and whimsical characters for children’s bedrooms.

A chance meeting with watercolor artist, Deb Festa sparked an immediate interest in watercolor. Dianne studied with Deb and instantly developed a love of the freedom and brilliancy of watercolor.

Dianne finds inspiration in everyday objects -- foods, her young daughters, and the beauty of California. Dianne lives on the Central Coast of California with her husband and their two daughters.

www.dianehoffman.blogspot.com

Galen Griswold – Oil and Acrylic

Cayucos 2 ©Galen Griswold

The Dean of Galen’s graduate school suggested that along with a professional career one must find a connection with culture. For Galen, painting became that connection.

Galen studied with Ted Goerschner and Ted Christensen, and has also studied at Alameda College and San Francisco Art Institute.

His art has emerged through experimentation and a deep appreciation for the work of others.

Selling over a thousand art pieces, Galen’s collectors express appreciation for his use of color, vibrancy, and energy.

Gay McNeal -- Fabric Art

Sevens ©Gay McNeal

Gay’s love of textiles and the fiber arts started when her mother taught her to sew when she was ten years old.

Gay received a BA in Art with an emphasis in Interior and Textile Design from C.S.U. Long Beach. She continues to take classes in order to explore and experiment with all aspects of the fiber arts.

Gay possesses an appreciation of the multifaceted role that fiber has played in the art and material cultures of many ethnic societies, and her creative high comes from the actual process of trying out the multitude of techniques, both old and new available to textile artists today.

George William Asdel – Ink, Pencil, Watermedia

Artist Meets Bear ©George W Asdel

George was raised in Monterey Park, California, obtained an art education at East Los Angeles College, and C.S.U. Los Angeles and Fullerton, and now resides in Atascadero.

George has taught art at the Hibbs’ Cove Art Centre in Newfoundland, Canada, and at the Charles Paddock Zoo. He has owned art galleries, and his scenes of fishing villages have sold to collectors from around the world.

George is a member of the Central Coast Printmakers and OPAG. He enters art shows, helps in the schools, illustrates books and greeting cards, and involved in many other projects.

Gregory Stephen McIntosh - Gouache & Pastel

Opus 22 © Gregory Stephen McIntosh

The imagery of Gregory Stephen McIntosh arrives intuitively, neither intended nor preconceived. The artist works with the means in a sense of exploration and discovery, allowing suggestion, and respecting the mysterious. As in music, painting places him in the indeterminate, evoking fascinations of the unknown, and revealing atmospheric expressions of inner reality.

Hope Myers – Watercolor & Jewelry

Chub ©Hope Myers

Hope Myers is an award-winning artist who paints watercolors and makes one-of-a-kind jewelry in her "An Artist's Garden" studio in Los Osos, California. She began to work with art forms as a child and continued her interests through a B.A. degree in Wisconsin with a minor in Art History.

In California, Hope has extended her fine arts studies through academic classes at Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, and professional workshops with Robert Reynolds, Helmuth Wegner, Kolan Peterson, Tom Lynch, and others.

Her primary medium is transparent watercolor. Using vibrant colors in sometimes unusual combinations; in clean and at times simple settings, she emphasizes her love for the beauty
of living things and outdoor scenes that can brighten our lives.

Jack McNeal - Photography

Reflections ©Jack McNeal

Jack has had a camera in his hand since he was about 10 years old. Jack’s photography history is rich and he has experience with cameras in home-made cases, 6x6 single lens reflex camera, large format cameras, 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras, and more recently, digital cameras.

Jack was a gold medalist at the Underwater Film Festival in Los Angeles in 1959 and 1960, and at the L.A. County Fair.

Today Jack straddles the line between the conventional and digital world. Prints are done with digital prints of scanned negatives and digital originals.

Karen Peterson – Photography

Gas Station in Bodie ©Karen Peterson

Karen’s interest in photography began when she received her first camera on her 9th birthday. After earning a B.S. in Recreation Administration her interest in photography was rekindled by her father’s gift of his old Ziess Contaflex 35mm SLR.

Karen began creating images using the Polaroid Image & Emulsion Transfer processes in the early 1990’s. She has also explored other photographic techniques including hand coloring traditional darkroom b&w and infrared prints, Polaroid SX-70 Manipulations and digital “hand coloring”.

Karen’s images have won numerous awards including the Central Coast Photographic Society’s juried fine art photography shows, the Mid-State Fair, San Mateo County Fair, KINSA, New Times & Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contests.

Lee Messenger – Ceramics

Untitled ©Lee Messenger

Lee messenger a ceramic and jewelry artist attended Sacramento State University. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and obtained a teaching credential in Art and Physical Education. In addition, Lee is a Certified Gem Grader of Pearls, receiving her accreditation from the Gemologist Institute of America.

Lee continues to experiment with traditional and alternative pottery techniques and of functional and crystalline types of pottery. Alternative techniques include horse hair and Raku. Her freshwater pearls are unique and at times she blends the different colors, soft iridescent (orient) of the pearl with other semi precious gemstones to give them a truly one of a kind appeal.

Linda Bench – Colored Pencil

California Poppies ©Linda Bench

Linda Bench learned to appreciate art growing up. Her father supplied plenty of art materials and she was exposed to varied art forms, as a child. Therefore, it comes as no surprise, with this kind of influence, that Linda would become an artist.

Linda, a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, earned her BS degree in Landscape Architecture Design.

Linda fell in love with, professional quality, soft, thick leaded, Prismacolor pencils. She appreciates quiet tranquil moments, whereby she can put the outside world on hold and focus completely on her art work. Linda begins her drawing with a light coat of pigment, then builds and blends 8 to 10 layers of color over her subject through completion. While working with pencils her hands gently warm the lead, making the color spread in thick, even coats.

Nancy Hill - Sculpture

Mermaid ©Nancy Hill

Nancy Hill has been making soft sculpture since 2002. As a professional seamstress, it was a natural outlet for her skill and creative urgings. Nancy's Soft Sculptures include Court Jesters, Mermaids and ladies of the night. Her work evokes humor, suggestiveness and fun.

Nancy enjoys the process of creating her figures and finding the perfect fabrics, beads and other materials for their bodies, costumes and accouterments.

Nancy has been creating her Rock Cottages since 1999. Each special granite rock found, depending on shape will become one of her whimsical rock cottages or bungalows. Then the process begins with acrylic paint. She paints doorways, window boxes, birdbaths, cats and laundry hanging from cloths lines. Finally, a waterproof varnish and her cute little cottages are ready to withstand weather and retain their colors.

Nona Jane Siragusa – Oil Painting and Mixed Media

Grigori Angel ©Nona Jane Siragusa

Plein-air artist, Nona Jane Siragusa’s landscape and seascape paintings in oil capture the clear and intense light of the Central Coast. Among California’s Impressionist-inspired painters, Nona Jane is trained to paint “en plein-air” or out-of-doors.



Nona Jane also paints various types of Angels using different kinds of paper, cloth, paint, inks, varnish – a collage and photomontage of other mediums.

When asked why she paints angels, Jane has said, “I believe that Angels move among us and encourage us along in life by their will and intellect. I can feel them invisibly directing my actions.”

www.nonajanestudio.com

Patricia Newton – Oil

Autumn Mist ©Patricia Newton

Patricia is an award-winning artist, residing on the Central Coast for over 23 years.

Patricia enjoys portraits entrusted to her, and has found a deep love of the sea and the Central Coast. Her oil painting style is reflected by a glazing technique utilizing several thin layers of paint establishing a translucent effect within her artistic compositions. Patricia enjoys painting Seascapes and Morro Rock, a local landmark, located in Morro Bay, CA

Pat’s work is collected throughout the USA and Internationally. She is a current member of the Portrait Society of America and Associate Member of Oil Painters of America.

www.artbypatricia.com

Randee J. Ward – Photography and Mixed Media

Pelicans in Thought ©Randee J Ward

Randee Ward’s creativity begins with her original photograph – it is the core of each expression. As she captures her photograph she becomes engulfed with the excitement of creating and expressing how the emotions of the moment impressed her.

Most often she creates her expressions by merging hand art, with her photograph. Dissolving the photographic boundaries, she takes mixed media far from its traditional perception. Other times, her work is strictly photographic, manipulating one or more images, and developing her expression to a new level.

Richard G Kish - Pen and Ink

Be Mine ©Richard E Kish

Richard attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architectural Design.

For the past 40 years, Richard has been a practicing designer and educator of Interior Design and facility planning. Now retired, Richard devotes his time to sculpture and painting.

We hope you enjoy the sensitivity of his work, and occasional touch of humor.

Rod Baker - Glass

Untitled ©Rod Baker

Rod Baker is a native Californian. Growing up on the California coast as a surfer and sailor he is influenced by the tide pools and rich marine environment we have here.The colors and themes of his glass reflect the natural marine environments of the California coast. His skills involve glass blowing , glass fusing , and torch worked marbles. Each piece is individually hand crafted

Sandy Christey – Silk Painting & Jewelry

Dare to Bloom ©Sandy Christey

Sandy believes in the healing properties of art and nature. Sandy conducts healing art workshops and gets her inspiration from the beauty she sees around her. Sandy incorporates that beauty into her silk paintings and also uses natural elements to create her healing art jewelry.

Sandy's subjects are most often flowers. In her profession as an RN Sandy primarily worked with women. In this capacity she has observed in her patients and her friends the miracle of women overcoming tremendous challenges to live fully. Flowers represent to the artist the beauty and uniqueness she has witnessed in her patients and friends as they "Dare to Bloom" each and every day.

Sandy has collectors around the country and is represented by Showcase Gallery in Costa Mesa, CA. and Gallery at Marina Square in Morro Bay, CA.

Susan Wood – Watercolor

Fence ©Susan Wood

Susan grew up in Italy and New York City, with artist parents, and graduated from the Boston University School of Fine Arts with classical training in drawing, painting, and sculpture.

Susan settled in Morro Bay six years ago, and although she majored in sculpture, she found new delight in watercolors, inspired by the beauty of the Central Coast. Susan’s watercolors are of local scenes and are done outside, on location. Her aim is to capture the energy and essence of the setting, rather than be exactingly realistic.

In 2007 she won an award at the Aquarius juried watercolor show at the SLO Art Center.

www.susanwoodart.com

Valery E. Goodman-Plater – Oil

Happy Bunny ©Valery E Goodman

Valery started painting when she was 12 years old – not out of love of art, but her mother’s belief that her recalcitrant behavior could be curbed by industrious work.

Valery’s early training was with Marie Smith, and later with Marion Stevens, Aleta Westenberg-curtis, Libby Tolley, and Anita Hampton.

She is interested in portraiture in general, miniatures in particular.

She is a member of the Morro Bay Art Association and paints there with Eric Peterson.

Welcome to the Gallery at Marina Square Blog

Since this is our first blog posting, we wanted to provide you with a bit of Gallery history.

In the beginning, well in the 1990’s anyway, a number of artists belonged to the San Luis Artists’ Gallery, a co-op located in the Creamery in San Luis Obispo, California. The artists were anxious to show their work, sell some art, and most importantly, have a place to display their art – a place where people could experience the heart, soul and passion that was poured into every work of art.

The foot traffic was light and not a lot of sales were made in those early days, but being a true co-op, the artists kept busy with committee and membership meetings. Every idea was put to vote and required a consensus of the co-op members to implement. This soon became a bit overwhelming and a small group of the artists decided to band together and go out on their own. They searched for months, for that perfect location, and several months later, finally found the current location at Marina Square.

This group, having experienced a true co-op, knew that they did not want to organize their new business as a co-op, so they identified an owner, Nona Jane Siragusa, and “hub” group, Hope Myers, Richard Kish, Karen Peterson, Pat Newton and Deb Festa, to bring the Gallery from dream to reality.

The group worked very hard to clean, paint, light and prepare the Gallery for its grand debut, and in July 2003, the Gallery at Marina Square opened. The original group worked very diligently to create new art, hang and display their artwork, market the gallery, and work the gallery. Their efforts paid off and soon most of the artists from the San Luis Artists’ Gallery joined them in their new endeavor.

The Gallery continues to grow and evolve, and there are now more than 30 award-winning professional artists represented. The Gallery represents painters in all media, sculptors in metal and ceramics, photographers, jewelers, glass blowers and fusers, woodcrafts, and fabric artists. In addition, the Gallery artists keep things fresh by updating their displays monthly. Also, new artists are welcome to be juried in to get on our waiting list, by contacting Jane Siragusa. The Gallery is open daily, from 10 AM, and a public reception is held the second Friday of every month and features the work of a member artist.

The Gallery at Marina Square is much more than just a gallery. It is a family of artists, who have a passion to express themselves artistically. We rely on one another for support and encouragement, and we love interacting with everyone who steps through our doors. We invite you to visit the Gallery during our regular business hours, or for an artists' reception. If for some reason you can’t visit us in person, we invite you to stay connected via our Gallery at Marina Square Blog – http://GalleryAtMarinaSquare.blogspot.com/

We hope to see you soon!