Cottontail Unveiling: Los Angeles RAMS
Thursday, September 7
3:00pm-5:00pm
The Promenade in Westlake Village
BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO ENJOY THE UNVEILING OF OUR NEWEST CONEJO COTTONTAIL: "TOUCHDOWN" FOR THE LOS ANGELES RAMS. THE CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE WESTLAKE PROMENADE TOMORROW AFTERNOON FROM 3-5PM. COME ON BY AND ENJOY FOOD TRUCKS, FOOTBALL AND AN AMAZING WORK OF ART TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY. THIS COLORFUL-SPORTY COTTONTAIL WAS DESIGNED AND PAINTED BY ELIZA DAY GREEN, ARTIST AND TEXTILE DESIGNER FROM LOS ANGELES.
Cottontail Sneak Peek!
Artist Spotlight: Sheila Fein
Sheila Fein
Artist
"I am an illustrator and a fine artist. I vacillate between the two on a daily basis.
As a fine artist I create works on canvas, cardboard, and fine paper with acrylic paint, oil, oil pastels, pastels, colored pencil, ink markers, and the airbrush. My work is in private collections across the US and abroad. I love to have solo art shows as well as curate shows with other artists. Day-to-day I teach art to private students as well as run two figurative drawing workshops called People Sketchers (Hillcrest Center for the Arts) and Imaginings Sketch (Artist Studio). This is where I practice drawing the human figure and let my imagination fly. From fantasy portraits, to fantasy pop art, I combine the literal with my imagined world to create my imagery.
The techniques I have learned as a fine artist make my job as an illustrator and a digital artist, very exciting. There is nothing I love more than bringing a story or an object to life. Painting the Bunny was an amazing experience and I loved adding people, places, local color and animals to the Bunny creating a roadmap of Conejo Park life.
As an original New Yorker transplanted to the Santa Monica Mountains of LA, I feel I have a unique perspective. I have raised four amazing daughters with my husband and now I am Gami to two active grandsons. There is never a dull moment or a time I am without inspiration.
Whether, I am creating a painting for the joy of creating or using my craft to illustrate a book, I seek to work without the critic on my shoulder. Following the voice inside has led me to this wonderful and fulfilling dual career. " - Sheila Fein
Cottontail in Progress: Andrée B. Carter
Andrée B. Carter
Artist
"My painting is equally about color, mark making, and improvisation. The work is not so much about process as about finding out what results from process.
Color has the irresistible drawing power of chocolate or opiates. It is so seductive that I can begin a composition with colors I don’t particularly like. Gradually I move into greater control of my elements. After laying down an allover ground I use an irregular grid to make hundreds, sometimes thousands of little marks on each canvas until the surface is completely covered. The grid derives from the black-and-white tile floor in the kitchen and dining room of my Italian grandparents’ sugar cane plantation in Louisiana. There is no narrative attached to this association, but it does drive my painting.
Once I lay out the grid I lose myself in the process. I apply layers and layers of gesso, acrylic, and oil over collaged elements. By weaving the pigments and textures together I integrate the surface. Layers thus appear indistinguishable from one another. The process can be compared to one or more musicians combining notes and instruments in an improvised performance.
Subtraction plays as big a role in my process as addition does. If I am not satisfied with the integration of colors and textures at a certain point, I will destroy the layers by tearing off parts of the surface, giving up the grid marks, sanding off or painting over certain areas. It doesn’t matter how much I destroy or add; I am only satisfied until I feel the work resonating the way I want it to."
–Andrée B. Carter
CLICK HERE to visit Andrée B. Carters' website!
New Conejo Cottontail at The Stonehaus in Westlake Village, CA
Congratulations to artist, Ann Krasner! Her Conejo Cottontail - Art of the Tango, is now placed at The Stonehaus in Westlake Village, CA. Stop by and enjoy a gourmet meal and sip on custom roasted coffee as you take in the gorgeous scenery.
Visit our artists page to learn more about the artist, Ann Krasner! Or simply visit annkrasner.com
Cottontail In Progress: Melissa Grossman
A new home for one of our Cottontails!
A big THANK YOU to Everyone who donated to bring a Conejo Cottontail to the Cancer Support Community in Thousand Oaks, CA.
We can't wait to place a beautifully decorated cottontail at it's new home!
Supporters
CREATE STUDIO
KH
CYVENIO BIOSYSTEMS, INC.
BOBBIE'S SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
THE KOUBA FAMILY
ARMSTRONG GARDEN CENTERS
RECREATION CONNECTION
PICKLES DELI
UNIFIED ASSOCIATION OF CONEJO TEACHERS
LA REINA HIGH SCHOOL & MIDDLE SCHOOL
CONEJO SIMI MOORPARK ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
GREAT HARVEST BREAD CO.
RP BARRICADE INC.
RUSTIC WOOD ACCENTS
PETER & GERRI WENDEL
THRIVE DANCE CENTER
CLINICAS DEL CAMINO REAL, INC.
CATE & EDDY HARTENSTEIN
AMERICAN HERITAGE LANDSCAPE
SILVIA BERG
DANIEL & PEGEEN STEWART
KYLER & JEZEBELLE SMITH
CBC FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
PELOSO PHOTOGRAPHY
TINCHER, DDS
SHELTER HOPE PET SHOP
SIDE STREET CAFE
COHEN BEGUN & DECK, LLP
REID'S GIFT, INC.
ALDERMAN BUSHE' INTERIORS
Q SUSHI
STORM-LARSEN & COMPANY, INC.
OLD TOWN TEMECULA WALKING TOURS
PACIFIC FESTIVAL BALLET
S. LUNDBERG
RONALD & ELKE BLOCK
PILATES PLUS WV
PAT & WALT JOHNSON
GALERIE 888
Conejo Public Art Luncheon was a success!
Thank you to everyone who made it to our Conejo Public Art Luncheon this past Wednesday! We are glad you all could make it and learn more about our exciting public art project.
Artist Spotlight: Sharon Riley
Meet Sharon!
"Art has always been important to me. As a young child I remember my teachers giving me Prang Watercolors and I would paint outside during recess and take the set home to paint. My artistic desire was the impetus to take art classes in college, explore different mediums at CSUN and CLU and earn a Masters in Education and minor in Art. I’ve enjoyed years of teaching and sharing my enthusiasm for art mediums with children in public school, the Santa Barbara Art Museum, education department, and the Fowler Museum. Presently I work in my studio mosaicking sculptural pieces and imprinting textural plates onto clay.
Being selected as one of the artists for the Public Art Conejo Cottontails Project gave me another opportunity to express myself artistically and emphasize the oaks in our beautiful landscape. Ancient Oak Lore symbolizes the tree as having attributes of “Courage, Strength and Protection”. It seemed natural to me to visualize the Conejo Cottontail encircled within the oaks making it’s home under the spreading branches of the majestic oak. The word “Enchantment” inscribed on the rabbit has a history in literature for children and adults reading fairytales, myths and folklore. Enchantment inspired my imagination to choose mixed media for mosaicking the rabbit using hand cut stained glass, gold smalti, handmade ceramic leaves and several colors of paint airbrushed for an ethereal expression. I believe this Public Art Cottontail and the other Cottontails will be viewed with pride in our community." - Sharon Riley
Check out more of Sharon's work on her website!
You're Invited!
Cottontail in Progress: Melissa Grossman
Still a ways to go. But...you get the idea!
Can't wait to see the finished Cottontail.
Cottontail in Progress: Sharon Riley
Artist Sharon Riley has worked countless hours to create a whimsical enchanted forest atop her Cottontail sculpture. We can't wait to see it completed!
The Cottontails hopped into Southern California Life Magazine
Congratulations to Wendy Jann & Jennifer Sutman!
Everyone at Conejo Public Art, Art Trek and Arts Council of the Conejo Valley would like to congratulate Wendy Jann and Jennifer Sutman on their Conejo Cottontail sculpture being placed at The Shoppes in Westlake Village this past Friday.
The sculpture is entitled Conglio al Tramonto "Rabbit at Sunset", a fresco style collaboration between Jann and Sutman. Intertwining their artistic skills to create a stunning piece of public art for the community.
This Friday! August 5th
Artist Spotlight: Wendy Jann & Jennifer Sutman
Wendy Jann - left, Jennifer Sutman - right
After long time friends and tennis partners, Wendy Jann and Jennifer Sutman learned of the Conejo Cottontails project, they quickly decided to work together. They pooled their talents with Jen's keen eye for color and Wendy's skill in plaster. The two determined to decorate their cottontail in lime plaster in the Fresco style of the Old Masters while capturing the colors and beauty found in the sunsets and terrain of the Conejo Valley.
The next time you see a cottontail nibbling at your flowers with the glow of the sunset on his back, they hope you think of their sculpture, "Coniglio al Tramonto" (Rabbit in the Sunset).
Extracurricular Art Exhibition
Art Trek Pays It Forward
Meanwhile at Art Trek...
Our gracious board member, John McKee, nominated Art Trek to receive a Pay It Forward Award from Premier America Credit Union. We look forward to putting the gift towards current and future programs at Art Trek! We would like to thank Premier America representatives and John McKee for this generous gift to our organization.
If you know anyone who deserves to be recognized for their charitable efforts in the community, visit Premier America to nominate today!
Cottontail Assembly at Ladera Elementary!
Art Trek Director, Nan Young, brought the Conejo Cottontails to youth at Ladera Elementary School! Students were given a presentation all about cottontails in the Conejo Valley and a great little clay project.
Conejo's on KCLU!
We had a special guest at the Art Trek studio last week! KCLU news director, Lance Orozco stopped by to interview our director, Nan Young about the Conejo Public Art Project - Conejo Cottontails! One of our featured artists and maker of the original cottontail maquette, Cate Hartenstein, was also at the studio working on her groovy Cottontail Sculpture!
Tune in tomorrow morning to listen to the interview on KCLU!
7:45am & 8:45am
88.3 FM Ventura County
102.3 FM Santa Barbara
Listen Online at KCLU.ORG
photos by Steve Teeple