| Art for the Holidays | | Print | |
| Written by Amber Jordan-Baloy | |
| Monday, 20 November 2006 | |
 When you step through the doors of the Peninsula Fine Arts Center (Pfac) for their newest exhibit, "Artful Holidays," the first thing that you will notice is the abundance of color. The artwork’s vibrant hues almost seem to leap out from the walls and forcefully draw your eyes about the facility.
It’s a challenge to decide where to visit first: Nancy Thomas’ "Feet Off the Ground" collection or the Piecemakers food-inspired "Potluck Quilts" compilation. For the braver, more open-minded visitor, the "Alternative Wreaths" may prove an interesting stop. And don’t forget Leigh Lambert’s "Weavings and Needlepoint" selections tucked away quietly in the far room of the facility. The humorous interpretations of potluck food by the Piecemakers had to be my favorite part of the "Artful Holidays" collection. Initially I wasn’t overly excited about the idea of a display of quilts. My great-grandmother used to make quilts all the time and while they were beautiful in their own way, I wouldn’t necessarily go to a gallery to look at them. But the quilts made by the Piecemakers are an inspiring mix of my grandmother’s traditional techniques with the hottest new trends in quilting. They are colorful, funny, beautiful, and reminiscent of every potluck gathering anyone has ever attended. Truthfully, it’s hard to pick out just one piece to comment on. They all had a certain charm and appeal to not only my eyes, but to my stomach!
The "Feet Off the Ground" offering by Nancy Thomas is a study in whimsy. How could she possibly know that a girl, a rabbit, and lettuce would come together to make such a fantastic painting? I guess that’s why so many of her works have appeared in films, magazines, books, and even on Broadway. (Nancy was even commissioned to create the official painting for Julia Child’s 90th birthday!) The "Alternative Wreaths" exhibit is not for the faint of heart. Alternative is definitely the key word in this exhibit. The only thing about these wreaths that bears any resemblance to our idea of the traditional wreath is their round shapes - and some of the wreaths are even on the cusp of flaunting that guideline. These wreaths range from an image of a Tic Tac Toe game to a circlet of strange looking Barbie dolls that would give anyone nightmares. While I don't think I would want any of these "wreaths" on my door this holiday season, it's really fun to see the artists' interpretations of the well-known and loved holiday wreath. I would definitely take a few minutes to check out this disturbing - yet oddly interesting - array of holiday fun.
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Amber, I was excited to read your review until I got to the part about my art. Fortunately, your response is highly unusual and the piece you picture (A-Z)has been widely admired by young and old, including a piece that is now hanging in the Amercian Embassy in Cambodia. |