Artistic Exploration

Evening View of the Blue Whole Gallery

  

 An Exploration in Art Skills

   With the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall, the Blue Whole Gallery will showcase two of its member artists Debbie Cain and Lynne Armstrong. Each of these artists explore their art differently by using materials and techniques to reveal what they appreciate most around them. Their work will be featured at the Blue Whole Gallery starting on First Friday September 5th, and throughout the month.  This will give the public a chance to view two versatile artists who's skills explore different techniques that they have found to help them reveal through their art what they feel and are interested in showing.

Debbie Cain

Debbie Cain in her studio with loyal companion "Mckinley"

   Debbie Cain enjoys exploring art and its possibilities on a three dimensional level, that is painting, carving, embellishing, embedding stones and other materials on natural gourds instead of paper or canvas.  This exploration of gourd art allows her to expand her imagination and use materials beyond the usual materials.  This style can be seen in "Falling Leaves Cut Out" a work where Debbie cuts a gourd to show the outline of maple leaves, that are then delicately painted with fall colors.

"Falling Leaves Cut Out"

"Twined Gourd"

  Beside carving and painting gourds she also incorporates twine and turquoise stones into gourds to give them texture other than the natural smoothness that each gourd has.  She works to integrate these materials so that the gourd takes on a special shape other than itself alone.   
  Tastefully, Debbie makes every effort to incorporate elements into the gourd so that it becomes a unified creation that does not take away but adds to the overall shape. 






   In addition to integrating natural elements on to the gourd, Debbie also paints and carves images on the surface.  Subject matter varies, but images such as wolves, tigers and Southwest portraits & motifs gives her a varied spectrum of creative challenges.  The following examples show the skills that are required to render such images realistically. 

"Tiger Portrait"

"Lone Wolf"

'Trio Lizard on Basket"

       

"Indian Maiden"

 

"Basket Weaver Bear"

   

 

"Chili Peppers"

                  All of these handmade and decorated pieces by Debbie Cain reflect her exploration into this art form which requires technical skills to arrive at a completed composition.  Such dedication begins with a simple gourd that may incorporate a carved image, a painting along with natural elements to achieve the final results.   
   Explore this art form and see Debbie's creations at the Blue Whole Gallery on September 5th and throughout the month.

Lynne Armstrong

   Educated in Art and Art History at Cornell and Stanford, she has been painting all her life.  That exploration is leading Lynne into two different series, one labeled "Dream" in which she is venturing into the abstract in order to convey a subject's purity of soul, its meaning and what she feels about it.  The results can be seen in the following three abstract acrylic paintings.

"The Dream"

 

"A Wondrous Thing"

"Super Moon"

 

"Spring in the Orchard"

"Blossom Tapestry"

     Lynne also explores the seasonal changes that are upon us at this time.  This new series titled "Fulfillment" show how flowering trees in Spring move into a Fall scene laden with ripening fruit and leaves of fall colors.  Such are the gifts that Nature shares with us throughout the year and yields a special element in Fall where the wide spectrum of colors are to be enjoyed as well. 
    

  
                                                        

 

                                                                       "Apple Trees"

  To reveal these changes Lynne Armstrong uses thick impasto strokes of acrylic paint to make a composition come alive and tell a story or share a feeling.  Her two series "Dream" & "Fulfillment" are artistic explorations that can be enjoyed and savored by visiting the Blue Whole Gallery.  





  Both Lynne Armstrong and Debbie Cain will be present along with their art work on the First Friday of September 5th at the Gallery from 5 to 8pm and their art will be featured throughout the month.  So enjoy the fruits and gifts of the Fall Season and join these fine artists and explore their art work by visiting the Blue Whole Gallery. 

Both Artists welcome your contact.

Debbie Cain: at dcain0516@gmail.com

Cell Phone Number: 951-205-5645

Lynne Armstrong:  at lynne@lynnearmstrong.com