The Debut of Diversions Fine Arts Welcomes the Springtide – by Juri Koll
On the sunny afternoon of March 14th, Diversions Fine Arts Gallery made its debut in Manhattan Beach.
Springtide, curated and hung beautifully by Genie Davis, is the gallery’s opening exhibition, and opening day spilled the packed, engaged, smiling audience out onto the front and back entrances of the three-room space. The gallery is a welcome addition to the art world, and to Davis’ reputation as an astute, keenly observant, eloquent writer for the arts community and beyond.
26 artists graced the rooms with consistently exuberant color and depth, whether extroverted or introspective. We’ve had the good fortune of knowing many of them and supporting their work, so it was a pleasure to see artist friends and neighbors back together and meet new creators.
Artists showing are:
Linda Sue Price, Dave Clark, Jeffrey Sklan, Kaye Freeman, Danielle Eubank, Scott Trimble, Bernard Fallon, Karen Doyle, Jennifer Chan, Rebecca Hamm, Glenn Waggner, Michael Stearns, Karen Hochman Brown ,Stephanie Sydney, Judy Herman, Nurit Avesar, Dellis Frank, Nancy Mooslin, Skye Amber Sweet, Esperanza Deese, Linda Stelling, Annie Marini-Genzon, Beth Elliott, Caron G Rand, Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, Christina Shurts, Oana Gamlowski.
The theme of Springtide reflects it’s author – optimistic, insightful, looking forward to the blossoming of new original things. From crisp blue green ocean, (Danielle Eubank, Scott Trimble, Esperanza Deese) to butterflies on the wing (Karen Hochman Brown)…
…to gorgeous flowers (Jeffrey Sklan, Annie Marini-Genzon, Linda Stelling, Glenn Waggner, Sky Amber Sweet, Nancy Mooslin), birds (Beth Elliott), a colorfully uniquely fresh portrait of a rooster from Hawaii (Oana Gamlowski), and what could be lush bird nest sculptures (Lydia Nakashima Degarood). In short, there is something vivid and compelling on every wall.
There is another gem from Stephanie Sydney, a photographic composite in the grand tradition of Edmund Teske, Jerry Uelsmann, and other ground-breaking artists …
…and a Dave Clark totem freshly carved and polished in his unique, lyric style.
Abstract neon artist Linda Sue Price’s cheer opens the show at the front window, beckoning us inside; another motion filled piece welcomes viewers toward the gallery’s second room.
Michael Stearns has often combined the spherical with the liquid, the ethereal, the elemental. In his work here, comprised of luminous blues, sharp rotational accents of yellows, greens and reds, the blues hover and swirl out of a special place – earth, air, fire, water. He continuously excels at his gift of guiding us to our real soul.
Springtide is a show you must see if you’re anywhere near So Cal from now until April 4, when the show closes with an artist talk from 1-3 p.m.
Visit Diversions Fine Arts Gallery, 1069 N. Aviation Blvd. just off the 405 in Manahttan Beach, 12-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday or by appt: info@diversionsfineart.com or Diversionsfineart.com.
- Juri Koll
Director/Curator, Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA)
The Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA) is devoted to identifying, protecting and sustaining the unique stories, history and culture of one of the most important centers of American independent artistic expression, presenting the art world from the perspective of its artists, writers, curators, collectors, and the art viewing public.
