Each month, the San Carlos Friends of the Library sponsors an artist to show his/her work in the Library’s Community Room.  The art takes many forms and is not limited to water color, oils or photography.  Many of the artists will have an artist’s reception.  Light refreshments are served. 

     Please stop by anytime the library is open and see these beautiful artistic displays. The Community Room is located through double doors on the left wall of the library in the Children’s section.  The light switch is on the wall to the right as you enter.  Take a few moments to relax and enjoy!  Remember, each artist will donate a portion of the proceeds of their sales resulting from their San Carlos Library showing to SCFOL.  Read more about each artist in their individual article below this schedule. 

March 9 - April 1: Mildred Spiller. Her artist reception will be held on Saturday, March 13 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.

April 6 - April 29: Artists from the East County and Foothills Art Associations, including Jen Bottoms, Betsy Brown, Georgina Clemens, Dixie Sampier, Barbara Stewart, June Schilling, Lillian Schuler, and Jan Stitch will display their paintings.  Their artist reception  will be held April 16-17, together with the San Carlos Garden Club’s “A Show In Living Color”.

April 16 and April 17:  ” A Show In Living Color“.  FREE  TO THE PUBLIC.  This is a pairing of the paintings of the April Artists and floral arrangements by the members of the San Carlos Garden Club.   The Friday show will be held from 1:00 - 5:30 pm, and the Saturday show will be held from 9:30 am - 2:30 pm.  Both shows will be held in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library.  Pictures of their last show appear below.  The San Carlos Garden Club is an active member of the The California Garden Clubs, Inc. Palomar District, San Diego and Imperial Counties.  It was organized in July of 1962.  Members include, Kathy Bemis, Nona Carrillo, Jo Cormier, Genny Deutsch, Gail Dill, Dorothy Driscoll, Bettye Hebert, Gerry Hoffner, Rita Kuehn, Ruth Leerhoff, Bea Lorentz, Carol Lynnet, June Mason, Alice Matsumoto, Peggy Matthews, Joyce McManus, Ann McDonald, Marj Myers, Shirley O’Connell, Susan Pappert, Gayle Regan, Terry Seaburg, Linda Sellers, and Elizabeth Williams.  Refreshments will be served.

May 4 - June 3:  Jean Waters. Her artist reception will be held on Saturday, May 15th from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. 

June 8 - July 1: Barbara Stewart.  Her artist reception will be held on Saturday, June 19th from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

July 6 - August 5: David Stanley

August 10 - September 2 : Tova Galgut

September 7 - September 30: Javier Alonso

October 5 - November 4: Roberta Wilian

November 9 - December 2: Dixie Sampier

December 7 - December 30: Judy Burnett

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     Come join in the fun!  You will soon find a box in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library in which to place your vote for your favorite piece of art being displayed by that month’s featured SCFOL artist(s).  The painting or photograph chosen by the the greatest number of votes will be declared that month’s “PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD“.  It will then be displayed in the main library during the following month.  The artists will love your feedback, and we will all get to enjoy the art a little longer.  February is the first month for voting, and March will be the first month that the works will be displayed in the main library.

Remember that a portion of the sales of the artwork displayed in the library is donated to the SCFOL and supports the purchase of books, equipment and programs for the library. 

Out of space in your home?  We would like to encourage art patrons to consider purchasing a piece of our artists’ artwork and donating or loaning it for a period of time to be on display in the library, school, your place of work, a medical facility, nursing or retirement home , church, or any other place of your choosing.  This is a win-win for everyone.  The artist makes a sale, more of the public views their work, the library receives a donation, and you may get a tax deduction.  Just another way to volunteer! 

All of the artists and the San Carlos Friends of the Library thank you for your patronage.  Please come into the Community Room of the San Carlos Library and enjoy the beautiful artwork on display there!

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    Local resident, Millie Spiller, is our featured artist for March.  She specializes in a particular type of water color using Yupo paper.  All of her paintings shown in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library this monthe will make use of this technique.  She loves the use of color, and Yupo paper allows the artist more flexibility than the use of traditional water color paper.  

     Millie earned a BS degree in applied art from Louisiana State University and studied Fine Arts at the Traphagen Art school in New York City.  Additionally, she continued her studies in watercolor from Marsha Austin/Rogers in San Diego.

     Millie’s Artist Reception will be held in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library on Saturday, March 13th, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.  Come and meet this experienced artist and learn about the use of Yupo paper to enhance your watercolor experience.

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The San Carlos Garden Club proudly presents their Flower and Art Show, “A Show In Living Color”, in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library from 1:00 to 5:30 pm on Friday, April 16th, and from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm on Saturday, April 17th.  Participating artists from the East County and Foothills Art Associations and members of the Garden Club are listed above.

Here are examples of some of the art and flower arrangement pairings from a previous year’s show:

  Garden Club member, Joyce McManus says, “We are always looking to expand our club.  We have a great group of ladies and we welcome those interested in the floral arts and gardening.  We are always looking to contribute our interest in garden clubbing and floral arts to our community.”  The show is FREE and is open to the public.  Please join us for this beautiful experience.  Refreshments will be served.

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    Jen Bottoms was our featured November Artist and is the current SCFOL Artist Co-ordinator.  Originally from New Mexico and Colorado, landscapes of the south-west are her subject of choice, but her inspiration  is Cezanne.   Working with the pallet knife is one of her favorite techniques.

    Betsy Brown’s interest in all forms of art led to in her majoring in art at SDSU.  This juried artist works in all media and paints a variety of subjects, some whimsical, some romantic, and some dramatic.  All show a strong sense of design and color harmony.

     Georgina Clemens received her degree in Fine Arts from SDSU and her Masters in Education from Pepperdine University.  She taught art the last 13 of her 25 years as a teacher.  Since retiring, she has had time to create her own award winning masterpieces.  She is active in several local art associations.

    Dixie Sampier, although a native Californian, honed her artistic skills in the laid-back bayous of Lousiana.  The renouwned Henry Hensche made her “…..see the variety of colors even in the dullest shadow.”  Working in oils or watercolors she welcomes commissions.  Her website is www.dixiesampier.com.

    June Schilling, over many years, has taken classes in watercolor and acrylics.  She says, “Art comes from many sources, but I find nature displays exciting ideas and I enjoy transforming its vaiety, whether in an abstract or realistic form.”

    Lillian Schuler, a native San Diegan and SDSU graduate in Art, English and Education, taught ceramics, drawing, painting, crafts, sculpture, and art history to middle and high schoolers.  Her lifetime of additional art study, experimentation and travel have added inspiration and knowledge to her work.

    Barbara Stewart  comes to us via Denver, Newport Beach, and extensive European travel.  An Education and Fine Arts major, she drew on her background in art to enhance her students’ classroom experience.  One of her classes presented an original play using puppets for the district’s TV program. 

    Jan Stitch honed her skill in painting with oils at the Pittsburgh Art Institute.  She also studied with Keith Lindberg, Reed Farington and Yuan & Alex Gonzales in Carmel-by-the-Sea where her works appeared in many galleries and won awards in juried shows.  Following additional studies in Boston & Washington, DC, this prize winnig artist has made San Diego her home.  Her work has been featured in galleries from Hawaii to Chicago.

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      Jean Waters is our featured artist for May.  Her work will be on display in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library.  She knew by the age of eight that she wanted to be an artist, but was guided into teaching by her parents and teachers.  After receiving a Master’s Degree in Librarianship, she worked maintaining a law firm’s library.  Eventually, she was able to pursue her love of art fulltime. 

In 2002, Jean joined the San Diego Watercolor Society and Foothills Art Association.  She began exhibiting her art, winning awards in both associations.  Most recently, her Rhythm and Blues,took a first place.   Her work has also been shown at St. Claire’s Gallery in El Cajn, at the 10th Avenue Theatre and Art Centre in San Diego, and at San Diego Hospice.

    Originally, she painted in a realistic manner and was known particularly for her cat portraits.  She liked to say that she painted every hair on the cat, but carpal tunnel syndrome required a change in her style.  After viewing a Water-media Collage Workshop DVD by Carrie Burns Brown, Jean began working with collage, using oriental papers which she paints and decorates with acrylics.  Jean carves her own stamps.  She uses her own papers and stamps in collage so that the artwork will be both archival and original.

Largely self-taught, Jean has made a study of design and composition aided by the following art instructors: Marilyn Grame of Jamul; Drew Bandish at the La Mesa Adult Education Center; Carol Thomason & Norma Soule at the Studio of Art and Design in Solana Beach; Karen Knudson, Carrie Burns Brown & Rise Parberry at San Diego Watercolor Society; and Linda Doll who gives monthly art seminars in her Rancho Bernardo home.

Jean says, “My love of pattern and texture is quite evident in my abstract collages.  Once I have decided on the color harmony and compositional device (grid, cruciform, etc.), I am free to work spontaneously, intuitively, and experimentally, having a great deal of fun in the process, while achieving a strong value structure of lights, darks, unity, harmony, and balance.  I hope that my art uplifts your spirits and shows the joy that I feel creating it.”

Jean is planning an Artist Reception in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library on Saturday, May 15th from 12:00 - 2:00 pm. Come and meet this enthusiastic artist.   Refreshments will be served. 

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  Barbara Stewart is our featured artist for June.  Her paintings will be on display in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library.  Barbara grew up in Denver, majored in Education, and minored in Fine Arts.  Only recently has she been able to realize her dream of painting with pastels and watercolors.  She credits her instructors, Drew Bandish and Barbara Peterson with encouraging her.  She joined the Foothills Art Association and displays her works at the Porter Hall Gallery in La Mesa.

   While living in Corona del Mar (Newport Beach), the colorful sea, spectacular sunsets and dramatic cloud formations fascinated her and shaped her desire to capture these on paper.

       While teaching at an Orange County elementary school, she introduced her students of various art mediums; tempra murals on large rolls of butcher paper for geography lessons; paper-mache animal puppets for art class.  Using puppetry, she was asked to have her class present an original play (English lesson) on the school district’s television program.

   Early in their marriage, Jean and her husband traveled and lived in Europe for nine months.  Traveling in a new Volkswagen convertible purchased at a German VW factory, they experienced adventures in England, Scandinavia, Spain and Portugal.  Impressed by all of the European museums and galleries, she was especially captivated by the Prado in Madrid.  A memorable highlight was their visit to Toledo, the village of her favorite artist, El Greco.  Her childhood dreams of being a graceful ballerina were relived through viewing the works of Degas.

Jean has two children living in San Diego.  Her daughter teaches mathematics at Parkway Middle School, and is married with three children.  Her son, C.R. Stewart, recently from the Boston area, is promoting his newly published book,  The Window, and has completed writing his second book, a young adult adventure novel.

Jean is planning an artist’s reception, on Saturday, June 19th from 12:00 to 2:00 pm, in the Community Room of the San Carlos Library.  Please, come and meet this delightful artist.  Refreshments will be served.

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     Effective January, 2010, our Art Co-ordinator, Betsy Brown, will be turning over the reins of her position to our November, 2009 artist, Jen Bottoms.   We would like to thank Betsy for her hours of work organizing the artists’ shows for the San Carlos Library.  We will miss her expertise, and lightening speed follow-through.

     We welcome Jen and her experience as an artist.  She is a member of local and national art groups:  Woman’s Caucus for Art-National; Woman’s Caucus for Art-San Diego Chapter/Board Member/retreat & exhibitions committee; Foothills Art Association-Board member/Director; Inland Artists; Crest Artists; Lake Jenning Park Estates-Art Painters Founder & member; San Diego Pleinaire Society.  Her studio is currently located in Spring Valley at Art in the Alley, 9048 Rosedade, #2, Spring Valley, CA 91977.  She may be contacted at artists@sancarlosfriendsofthelibrary.org or by leaving a note for her at the library.  Welcome aboard, Jen!

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