Visiting Artists – Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden

February 9, 2018

Darren Brown

Darren is a long-term camera nerd who enjoys connecting with nature, and capturing those moments in images. He originally hails from the seaside town of Plymouth, England, conveniently located near to Dartmoor, where herds of semi-wild ponies roam free… and sometimes pose for the patient photographer.

In 2014, Darren left England behind and moved to Paso Robles to marry Jamie, a local girl. The two of them have now combined their artistic talents in a business partnership that invloves Amazon Handmade and Etsy stores, as well as photographic prints sold at Sculpterra Winery’s tasting room, where Darren has worked since 2015. JD Creative Works combines Darren’s photography with Jamie’s bespoke and custom sewing.

To learn more about Darren or JD Creative Works, visit their website at: https://jdcreativeworks.com

December 21, 2017

Dennis Curry

The art of Dennis Curry is based in his love of the natural world and its wildlife. Through this connection, Dennis has significantly contributed to conservation work around the world.

First traveling to East Africa in 1982, Dennis then co-founded Duma Safaris with friend and publisher, Christopher Law. This gave him the pleasure of introducing clients to the great game areas of Africa and sharing his appreciation of the wonderful diversity of this amazing part of our planet.

During his service with the United States army in 1966, Dennis was affiliated with the 25th infantry divisions combat artists program. This was a program to document the combat experience from an artist’s perspective and taught his the power of the rendered image, as well as a deep desire to protect, rather than destroy, the environment.

Returning to civilian life in 1967, Dennis enrolled in Art studies and Santa Monica College and became caught up in the renaissance of original printmaking, becoming known for his works in the traditional intaglio mediums of etching and engraving.

In 1980 he was introduced to the contemporary printmaking medium of Mylar Lithography at Sid Frances’ studio and in 1984 founded Blue Berry Press in Cambria, California for the creation of his own work as well as with other artists interested in creating with this exciting new medium. Dennis’ graphics are widely collected nationally and internationally.

Dennis has been working in the more traditional medium of oil painting since 1998 adding another dimension to his creative expression.

February 8, 2017

Linda Denman

Linda Denmas was raised in Ohio and moved to California in her 20s. She graduated from Cuesta College with an AA in fine arts. It was her dream to continue in the fine arts, but she decided to raise her family first. Now she spends her time with her husband, Joe, and riding her horse while pursuing her love of painting.

Her work is a balance of realism and abstraction. She finds great inspiration in the complex duality of horses – peaceful but full of energy and power. The western way of life has also contributed greatly to the look of her work; depictions of ranchers, rodeos, and cattle also define her work. The style she paints in is a balance of realism and stylism, bordering more heavily on the realistic aspect.

October 25, 2016

David Kreitzer

Artist David Kreitzer was born in Ord, Nebraska in 1942, The number four child in a family of ve. His father, The Reverend Mr. David Kreitzer, a Lutheran minister, and his mother, Norma, moved rather frequently during the years the children were growing up. The livelihood of a young country minister made moving a part of survival. From 1936 to 1950 pastor Kreitzer, an avid amateur photographer, recorded every aspect of his life on black and white lm.. The paintings listed here under the title Nebraska, have been shown under the title My Fathers Memories. These paintings are based upon the photo records kept by his father. Son David Kreitzer deciding to record the information stored in this vast array of black and white photographs has created a body of colorful paintings depicting his memories of growing up in the Nebraska countryside. They are a view back in time to the depression and WWII years in the heart of this country. Although the paintings are totally portrayed in his own style and sense of design, he has captured the lure of the countryside in the breadbasket of America much in the way his predecessors Grant Wood and Edward Hopper expressed their feeling about our land and our people. The paintings are a portrait of the richness of rural life that still exists today.

September 22, 2016

Kim Doherty

Kim Doherty grew up in New Hampshire hiking and skiing in the White Mountains and swimming in the lakes and rivers. She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of New Hampshire. She currently lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and three children. She feels California is the most incredible state and is fortunate to have lived here the past twelve years. Her passion is painting scenes of beauty. Nature is the inspiration for many of her works. She has spent a great deal of time painting in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Paso Robles, Big Sur, San Francisco, and Lake Tahoe.

My inspiration is nature. I am drawn to all types of landscapes: oceans, vineyards, mountains and flowers. Each painting holds special meaning to me. The places I paint are locations that bring me joy and peace. My hope is that this feeling will transfer to you and that you will find your own connection to the art. Many collectors of my work have commented that their paintings make them happy and that they are able to enjoy a feeling of being in that location every day from their own home or business. I am passionate about painting and love the continuous journey and challenge of creating new pieces. Art is about emotion and if emotion is reflected to the viewer in my work then I have succeeded.

July 1, 2016

Josh Talbott

As with anything worth while the hurdles and dead ends have been numerous. This is the inherent challenge of being self taught. The beginning of the story of Josh as an artist should focus on the raw materials; a sense of wonder, playfulness, and an inquisitive nature. A boy completely immersed in drawing. With its meditative and insightful qualities creating art was a severe addiction that continues today in his dedication in refining his skills as a painter. The focus of his upbringing was integrity, hard work, and individuality. Creating murals and scenic art for film and theme parks led him to New Orleans where Josh sold paintings on Royal Street to people from all over the world. Stormy weather inspired an empty pocket trip cross country and was instrumental in his exposure to the beauty of the southwest and California. In addition to painting, he loves his garden and can often be found afloat on the ocean.

“I started doing these paintings years ago and have recently revisited them, due to peer pressure. And I am so glad! I have many more on the way, from cerebral literary references to potty humor and just goofing off. If you have an idea that you would like to see painted in LEGO I am open to commissions. You can also order a limited edition giclee print. They are in editions of 1000 and are of the highest quality and ready to hang on the wall for as little as $150.” -Josh Talbott

December 11, 2015

Dana Kimberly Hixon

Visiting Artist September 2013

I make art for the pure joy of it. My subject matter varies according to what fascinates me at the moment. It could be as simple as the intensity of a particular color and how it makes me feel, or the challenge of creating something that sparks a sense of mystery or interest for someone else. Whatever it is, I can tell you that each painting is my exploration of light, color and shape. Finding a harmony within the three that takes on its own life is my reward.
My technique is one passed down from the masters. A series of thin glazes of color with a medium added to the pigment to create a translucency or “patina” as the layers are applied. What thrills and captivates me about this process is the depth and subtlety you can achieve with the colors. It’s a process that requires patience and is well suited to my temperament. A professor and fellow painter once said to me after a day of painting “keep it up there’s only a million more strokes before you call it finished”. I’d like to say he was kidding but that’s what it takes and why I love it so much. It’s a process, and the challenge of which is to enjoy and learn from the first stroke of the brush to the very last…
Enjoy!
Dana Kimberly Hixson
www.danakimberlyhixson.com

September 8, 2015

W.B. Eckert

I am fascinated by the grace and elegance of day to day elements of the world, and the power that they have to signal and elicit deep emotions or feelings of connectedness within us. The unfettered and simple flight of birds is one of my favorite and often visited subjects.

Birds are obviously physical, but in flight attain a sort of ethereal existence…freed from the bonds of gravity and by way of inference every other bond to the physical world. Their shapes are elegant and graceful as they soar and dart about seemingly oblivious to everything that seems to hold us firmly to the earth.

My birds are idealized shapes that reflect these ideas, invite curiosity, and suggest the mysterious. In my mind they point to the spiritual part of ourselves and offer a context to meditate on the mysterious connection that we feel with that freedom. I enjoy the challenge of using composition, balance, and color to enhance these concepts in my work in the medium of acrylic paint and brush.

March 31, 2015

Stephen E. Price

Templeton artist Stephen Price has been a professional artist for thirty-six years. His plein- air paintings, acrylic landscapes, watercolors, airbrush art, trompe l’oeil and fine art murals are in galleries and private collections on many continents. Recently he completed a 6,300 sq
ft Italian vineyard walk-in mural environment on a private estate in California with many trompe l’oeil, or ‘fool-the-eye’ architectural elements.

Price was born in Akron, Ohio and attended the University of Akron and the Akron Art Institute before moving to Laguna Beach, California in 1971. He found work as an airbrush artist, then excelled in the competitive field of photo- retouching.

“I always challenge myself to make things appear as real as I possibly can, whether it’s the patterns of froth on the face of a wave or a tiny section of deteriorated wood. I enjoy going very deeply into the details of the visual surface. When the viewer is compelled to reach out and touch the painting to verify his perceptions, that’s my reward.” – Stephen E. Price

See more work by Stephen at his website.

March 30, 2015

Duane Dammeyer

My work is shaped by a combination of education, life events and artistic influences. I received an engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati and studied art at Ventura College. Stone sculptor and teacher Ellis Jump has been a major inspiration. Engineering influences the geometric forms such as triangles, cubes and spheres that are seen in many of my pieces. Construction and stone masonry experience contribute to design and composition as shown through the integration of different stones into a single piece. Nature inspires the organic and fluid forms often seen in my work.

I take two approaches to my work. At times the stone
dictates the final form. In these cases, I let the natural
beauty and color of the stone dominate the piece, using
subtle shape and negative space in attempting to enhance
what is hidden within. Other times, a shape or shapes
may be imposed upon the stone — form and construction
dominating. I shape each stone using power tools or hand chisels, further shaping with diamond burrs or rasps, and polishing with ever-finer grit sanding materials. My hands caress the stone many times during the creation of each sculpture, making each piece a very personal, one-of-a-kind sculpture.

With each sculpture I create, I attempt to generate, in the viewer, an emotional connection with the work. People often are influenced differently viewing the same piece of my art and learning these connections continues my creative process. The finished piece is a give and take between the artist and the stone as interpreted through the eyes and emotions of the viewer.

-Duane Dammeyer