Through iridescent color, amorphic shape, and varying texture, Michele de la Menardiere uses an abstract language to explore the rich complexity of the visceral landscape. She creates to inquire into such universal themes as: mortality; beauty; loss; the spirit; conflict; harmony; loneliness; and grace. The process of painting itself is equally as important as the end result. Michele paints as a cathartic response to her constantly evolving energies and emotions. She paints to be present and to connect to something deeply essential and sublime. Through this meditative exercise, each piece becomes an authentic and passionate expression of existing in the moment.

Most of my paintings are abstract or non-objective. I paint for the satisfaction I find in the process of painting itself, approaching the canvas without any preconceived notion of subject matter. I try to paint in the moment and let the paint lead the way in an exploration of color and form. By disengaging my discursive mind the painting process becomes intuitive. I paint for what painting is, not for what it represents.

I studied architecture at UC Berkeley and graduated with a BA in Environmental Design. Since then I've practiced architecture, interior and graphic design and fine art in the bay area.

My subjects include portraits, landscapes, pets and male figurative images. I express the passion I find in my subjects with color and texture and render shade and shadow to emphasize light. I think of shapes as topography, irrespective of the subject.

Several years ago I adopted a mixed breed dog and named her Kama. As a result I embarked on my pet portrait business, PetPicasso.Net with Karma as the CEO (Canine Executive Officer) I’ve included many of the commissions on this site.

In 2008 David Leddick published three of my figurative paintings in two of his pictorial anthologies, “The Nude Male 21st Century Visions” and “Gorgeous Gallery.” David included the following with the paintings:

“Boldly impressionist and highly charged with color, David Barnett is the 21st century’s connection back to artists of the turn of the last century like Renoir. The human form is his subject but he finds shapes and colors there through his artist’s eye that reveal to us things not seen or noticed before.”

Cheers,

 David

I paint primarily figurative paintings and portraits to express the world around me and within me often using images taken from both personal and found photographs as well as mass media.   I attempt to subvert the technical portrait and let what is truly strange and engaging to emerge, creating moments of abstraction with the paint, and provoking a narrative and mystery in the composition.  

I feel moved when sunlight touches an object in the afternoon and visualize the space around me. I walk out and wander around to observe shapes of shadows. I realize that shadows make spaces visible. I find myself in the spaces enjoying architecture delineated by sunlight. Buildings and their shadows are layered and blended together creating momentary beauty of colors and shapes. These scenes are temporary, and will change or disappear in the next moment. They are very precious because their occurrence is the unique combination of a place, sunlight, and the precise moment I happen upon the scene – like an eclipse. I spontaneously use photography to capture visual information like quick sketches. Camera documents specific moment of ever changing shapes and spaces. Although capturing the moment is quick, when I create works of art, I choose time-consuming autographical method in transferring information from the photograph. During the process of depicting information, I become involved deeply and identifying myself as a part of the space. I note that nothing is permanent and everything is constantly changing: light, cityscape and myself. I worked on printmaking for a long time. The printmaking process is reminiscent of the relationship between light and shadow. Etching and aquatint help me express my interest towards light and shadow by using rich tones of black and white. The graphic nature of black and white leads me to lines and shapes found in architectural elements. Once I eliminated color from my work, I found myself drawn to the exploration of space itself. My work became about the physicality of three-dimensional space.

Margaret Timbrell is an artist based in San Francisco. She studied with Lisa Yuskavage at New York University, where she earned her degree in Studio Art, and was a fine arts student at Speos, Academie des Beaux Arts, and Jussieu Paris 7. In her final year at NYU, Timbrell developed a love and appreciation for conceptual art and the corps exquis with her mentor, author Lawrence Chua. Timbrell travels back and forth between mediums. Until recently, she worked exclusively in photography, focusing on the photograph as installation. But after a terrible accident in January, 2007, in which she was run over by a truck, Timbrell picked up an easel and rediscovered painting. Timbrell's paintings are abstract studies of intense colors, seen from up close. She begins her work by selecting colors that clash. With time, as she immerses herself in the painting process, she brings the extreme colors into a restless dialogue. Her photographs, on the other hand, focus on the intimacy of space: the startling proximity of a bedroom wall, the span of floor beneath her bed, or images that have been made abstract through intentional color misprinting. Though building off of classic compositional structure, Timbrell’s paintings and photographs are distinguished by a fascination with the surface textures of her everyday environment.

I am primarily a landscape painter. I specialize in trying to paint reality; painting what I see as accurately as possible and trying to capture a real moment.

Last November, I took a plein air painting trip to the suburbs of Vegas thinking I would capture some great housing subdivisions. After a lot of hard-work and travel (and some enjoyable sight-seeing), the paintings did not turn out as well as expected. Disappointing.

Back at home, I decided to paint fruit and veg in the studio. Generally I paint still lifes every year for auctions or whatever, but this turned into a whole series.

My sister was always telling me to get rid of stuff. "Take a picture of it and then get rid of it." I added some objects to the pictures but I did not get rid of the objects.

I am pleased with the results. It is still painting reality, but easier--much easier. And you can eat some of the stuff when you are done.