Celebrating a Sacramento Treasure: Thiebaud at 100 - ART CLUB October 2020
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A R T C L U B
October 2020
Celebrating a Sacramento
Treasure: Thiebaud at 100
From the
Co-Presidents
H
2019-20 BOARD MEMBERS ere we are after six months of this dreadful virus tearing our hair out
and masking for every encounter. We have sent out newsletters, always
Co-Presidents:
believing that soon we could meet in person and then realizing that
Nancy Lawrence
only a vaccine will enable that. We have suspended dues this year as we
Pam Saltenberger
already had canceled programs last year and it seemed fair to everyone.
Secretary: AJ Watson We think it’s a reasonable way to keep all of you in this organization and
Treasurer: Barbara Ruona anticipating meeting in person. And so we are going virtual now as described
elsewhere.
Sheldon Carpenter
Kat Crow We have decided on a budget — much different from the usual but well
within our resources. We are continuing the Crocker-Kingsley
Cecilia Delury Competition 2021 at Blue Line. We will offer rewards
Sally Flory-O’Neil and probably add money to our Kingsley Art
Amy Garrett Club Foundation as a result of the fees. We
Nancy Griffith hope the show will be real (on the
walls) but a virtual showcase is
MJ Hamilton always a back up.
William Ishmael
We have given money
Sam Reep to the Crocker Art
John Skratt Museum ($5,000 now,
Linda Schroeder another $5,000 possible)
to support a program of
Ellen Torgerson
outreach to children who
Pam Trump are in virtual classrooms.
For committee assignments, They will get activity books
please visit our Web site at and supplies as our Elementary Docent program can’t go on when the schools
www.kingsleyartclub.org are closed.
We examined our programming in the midst of Black Lives Matter and realized
Send comments to that we had not ever supported a Black artist as a speaker as far back as we
kingsleyartclub@icloud.com could tell. Resources took us to a fund that supports local Black artists
or call 916-961-4654. and we have sent $5,000 to the leaders of that program who are
screening and encouraging experienced through beginning artists of color with
kingsleyartclub
varying amounts of rewards. Our favorite, perhaps, was a request from
a 10 year old for pencils and paper to continue his work. Grants and
support for this community have been hard to get; we saw this as filling a need.
ON THE COVER:
And we are still open to opportunities to invest in should you have
Detail of “Boston Cremes” ideas that fit within the Kingsley’s mission. We had offered $10,000
by Wayne Thiebaud, from his support for the Tiffany exhibit at the Crocker but everything is in flux for next
Crocker exhibition, ”Wayne year and the money has been redirected.
Thiebaud 100: Paintings,
Prints, and Drawings” Enjoy the newsletter and stay safe.
— Nancy and Pam
Betty Jean
Thiebaud and
Book, 1965-
1969
Wayne Thiebaud Celebrating 100
Years of a Sacramento
B Treasure
est known for his tantalizing paintings of cakes and
pies, Thiebaud has long been affiliated with Pop art,
though his body of work is far more expansive. This
exhibition represents the artist’s achievements in all media,
with pieces drawn from the Crocker’s holdings and from Wayne Thiebaud 100:
the collection of the Thiebaud family,many of which — until Paintings, Prints, and Drawings
now — have never been shown publicly.
Venue: Crocker Art Museum
For the Crocker, the show also continues a tradition of (Sacramento, CA)
hosting a Thiebaud exhibition each decade, beginning with
the artist’s first solo show in 1951, Influences on a Young Dates: October 11, 2020 -
Painter—Wayne Thiebaud. In 2020, we celebrate the life January 3, 2021
Continued next page
Continued from previous page
and career of an artist whose work
is beloved not only in California, but
internationally.
“Wayne Thiebaud is a national
treasure, Sacramento is his
hometown, and we are delighted
to celebrate his 100th birthday
with an exhibition that honors the
vitality, vibrancy, and wit of his art
and civic-engaged life,” says Lial
A. Jones, the Museum’s Mort and
Marcy Friedman Director & CEO.
“Wayne Thiebaud 100 continues a
Crocker tradition of organizing an
exhibition of the artist’s work in every
decade since 1951, when the Crocker Pies, Pies, Pies, 1961
accorded him his first solo museum of comforting foods, such as pies and cakes, ice cream
show. We will recognize his achievements through cones, lollipops, and other delectables painted with thick
an important publication alongside virtual exhibition impasto.
tours and programs, fresh and archival interviews
with the curator and the artist himself, plus fun and By the mid-1960s, Thiebaud turned to the figure and
engaging digital activities for all ages.” then landscape and, in the 1970s, gained new recognition
W
for his dramatic, vertiginous interpretations of the San
ayne Thiebaud was raised in California and Francisco cityscape. Many of these same qualities are
is today one of America’s greatest and most exemplified in the artist’s sweeping, bird’s-eye portrayals
admired living artists. Appreciated for creating
of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta scenes, a group of
“a world of longing — a serene abundance that is
paintings he started in the mid-1990s.
always a windowpane away,” as Adam Gopnik of
The New Yorker has stated. Wayne Thiebaud 100 includes triumphs of the artist’s oil
paintings drawn from the Crocker’s permanent collection,
He made his reputation in the early 1960s with still lives
which demonstrate his signature, fool-the-eye brushwork
that takes on the character of what it depicts. These
works include the whipped-to-perfection meringues and
creamy custards of Pies, Pies, Pies (1961) and Boston
Cremes (1962). Others from the Museum’s collection
were personally gifted by the artist and his family, such as
the iconic Betty Jean Thiebaud and Book (1965-1969)
and Street and Shadow, a dizzying canvas made during
Thiebaud’s period of interest in the verticality of San
Francisco’s plunging streets. The exhibition concludes with
the artist’s return to the figure. Bumping Clowns (2016) is
a buoyant, joyful, oil on linen that radiates an American
nostalgia, a “culmination of what Thiebaud has been
doing all along — caricaturing what he sees,” says
Shields. The Crocker’s primary goal is to deliver a physical
version of the book to members of the community who
may not have access to the Internet or may not have ways
Watermelon and Knife, 1989 to remain engaged with the world and their friends.
Kingsley Member
Mask-erade
H
ere are a few of the members of Kingsley’s board wearing this year’s
newest fashion statement, the face mask. It seems ironic that such a
thing could become a trend, but here we are, making the best of the
situation. As artists and art appreciators, our tastes in masks run the gamut
from classic, to eclectic, to just plain fun. Send us your mask selfie and we’ll
put it in the newsletter next time!
Pam Trump
Amy Garrett Cecilia Delury John Skratt
MJ Hamilton Pam Saltenberger William Ishmael
Kingsley Events Update
Virtual Events and Artist Talks Will Be Upcoming
W
hen the lock-down started on March 13th, quality program to our members. William Ishmael is the
I think we all thought it would be a short chair and the committee has come up with a wonderful
inconvenience and we would be back to approach. We will have three virtual events. Two will
normal in a month or so. At the Kingsley we canceled the be studio visits and one will be the Crocker-Kingsley
lectures for the balance of our year but felt confident that exhibit. The first lecture will be in October, 2020, the
we would start up again in May. Well, we all know the Crocker-Kingsley in January, 2021, and the second
hope didn’t fit with our reality. We have canceled the full lecture in March, 2021.
2020-2021 lecture series now and have been working We have hired Laurence Campling as the
hard to figure out what our next move should be. videographer, who will interview the artists in their
I am so pleased to announce that the Program Committee studios. We are hoping to use a mix of video and live
has continued to work to try to find a way to bring presentation so you will have a chance for questions.
The artists are two local people who were
canceled for the in person lectures.
The first will be Craig Martinez. Craig is
a local artist who started as a self-employed
graphic artist and art director for 28 years.
He made a life changing decision to teach
at a local community college so he could
give himself the time to mature as an artist.
The works are composed of wood, wire and
other materials that have been used and
considered worthless. He is interested in the
human as a spiritual being burdened with
reflective thought. He is highlighted in this
issue. You can see more of his work at
http://www.craigmartinezart.com
Our second speaker is Julia Couzens.
Julia is an artist known for a diverse body
of work that embraces unconventional
materials and methods that include drawing,
sculpture, installation art, and writing. She
maintains a deeply inquisitive visual practice.
Her textile-based constructions take shape
between the disciplines of craft, decorative
art, and the expressive character of abstract
painting and sculpture.
Visit Julia’s Web site for more of her work at
http://www.juliacouzens.com/index.html
Keep on the look out for information on how
you can join the discussion and visit these
artists’ studios remotely.
LSB18-01, Julia Couzens, 2018
Creating
Something
From
Nothing
Craig Martinez’ artwork
retains the scars of their
previous lives
C
raig Martinez is a highly regarded
and collected Sacramento
artist with a distinctive style and
approach. His works are composed of
wood, wire and other materials that have
been used and cast aside. In Craig’s
view, the cuts, scratches and scars are
the conceptual and literal evidence
of having a life and being alive. His work often has
a Native American nuance, but not all pieces can be Craig Martinez Kingsley Talk
categorized as such. Conscious or unconsciously he
Date: October 21, 2020
says his work tends toward eternal archetypes. He states,
“I am interested in the human as a spiritual being Time: 1:15 pm
burdened with reflective thought.” It will be prerecorded and an email blast with
the link will go out soon.
Craig has been a frequent exhibitor at the B Sakata
Garo in Sacramento as well as many local galleries and
exhibitions. His works are much sought out at the Crocker
Art Auction
Craig is an alumni of UC Davis graduating in 1986
with bachelor of science in general design. He was a full
time self employed graphic artist and art director. After
26 years in the industry he made a life changing decision
to teach at a local community college. This breakthrough
continues to affords him the time necessary to create and
Half Breed, 2018 mature as an artist.
Helping Communities, Creatively
A
t our first Kingsley Covid- The COLOR US HOPEFUL:
summer Board meeting Creativity Kits purposes will be:
members expressed a
1) To offer art supplies that will
desire that the Kingsley research help students complete creative
ways that we might work with school projects across disciplines
the Crocker Museum in its efforts
to reach out to Sacramento’s 2) To entertain and engage
disadvantaged citizens, children ages 6-11 during
particularly members of the their free time in fun, art-based
African American community. educational activities that don’t
Various Board members require anything beyond the
volunteered to join what has wonderful electricity of a child’s
become Kingsley’s Outreach imagination.
Committee: Linda Schroeder and The COLOR US HOPEFUL:
Cecilia Delury, Co-Chairs, Pam Creativity Kits are to be packaged
Saltenberger, Nancy Lawrence, in an exciting and engaging way,
Pam Trump and John Skratt. and they will contain art supplies (like paint sets,
color pencils, special craft papers) for free-form
Stacey Shelnut Hendricks, Director of Education for
art projects, art conversations cards for family
the Crocker, responded with ideas for specific projects
engagement, and art recipes for various prescriptive
involving African American art and artists. The Committee
2-D and 3-D art projects inspired by the Crocker’s
presented the Kingsley Board with a proposal to focus on
collection and various cultural groups within Sacramento.
the Black Artists Fund, a Sacramento Arts Leaders
initiative aimed at African American artists, providing The Museum hopes to include other creative resources
grants to support the development of new and/or from local artists, cultural groups, or community
original work, foster and inspire local Black artists in organizations (like Sacramento Public Library, Girl
their creative and promote their work to help them gain Scouts Heart of Central California, Sojourner Truth
visibility. Grants ranged from $100 to $2,500. The Board Multicultural Museum). Creativity Kits, like the first Color
voted to approve a $5,000 Kingsley grant for the Fund’s Us Hopeful: Coloring Books will be distributed for free.
Fall funding for visual Sacramento artists. For further Occurring in the Meadowview/South Sacramento
information about the artists (and their work), view the region this program continues Crocker’s longstanding
Black Artists Fund website and social media. community engagement initiatives. Crocker’s Block by
A second funding project involves the organization Block programs help revitalize communities within
most closely linked to the Kingsley, the Crocker. The Sacramento’s Promise Zone areas, neighborhoods
Board approved the Committee’s recommendation to help designated by President Obama’s administration as
fund a Crocker education program for children in the high-poverty urban areas in need of federal assistance
Meadowview/South Sacramento region. to create jobs, increase economic activity, expand
educational opportunities and reduce violent crime.
Stacey presented the Kingsley Committee with the COLOR
US HOPEFUL: Creativity Kits in three to five locations in See the Crocker website for more information about this
Sacramento, where the Crocker plans to establish a long- program http://www.crockerbxb.org/#upcoming.
term residency and continuous contacts with children. — Cecilia Delury
c/o Pam Trump kingsleyartclub@icloud.com
2157 Dame Shirley Way, www.kingsleyartclub.org
Gold River, CA 95670
I
t’s nice to put your feet up
and relax after a long day of
hanging around the gallery.
But, wait, are they in wedding
regalia? I wonder whose
wedding they attended? Perhaps
the Arnolfini wedding by Jan
Van Eyck in 1434? Or maybe
Henri Rousseau’s “La Douarnier
(The Wedding Party)” from
1905? Certainly Mona Lisa
knows, but she’s only offering
her enigmatic smile.
Staying home
with the Kingsley
Artists are known for their
creativity and uniqueness. How
would famous artists of the past
decorate or modify their masks to
reflect their personality?
Possibly Salvador Dali would
be a bit risky to make room for
his iconic mustache. Or are they
attached to the mask itself?
Who do you think would do
something uniquely creative with
their mask?
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