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Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery Monthly
AUGUST 2016
Celebrating California Art


Browse our Archives
(previous articles and exhibitions)
Museum Exhibitions Map to the Gallery
neighboring galleries
And, Read our Gallery Notes
Regular hours ... OPEN Wed - Sun, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
(other times, give us a call, we live close by
and, if we're available, we're happy to host an impromptu appointment)
707-875-2911 (gallery) or 510-414-9821 (cell)
1785 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
BodegaBayHeritageGallery.com | Art@BodegaBayHeritageGallery.com
Now at the gallery
Blue Crater Lake Linda  Sorensen
Blue, Crater Lake
oil on linen, 30 x 24


A tip o' the hat to the amazing
Folk Art Duo, Sebastopol's Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent

Babe_the_Blue_Ox
WPA Artist Virginia Darce
and her Glass Mosaic at
Mt Hood's Timberline Lodge
Rio Olypmics Poster Art
Modern Olypics Poster
Art
Athens 1896
through Rio 2016

Now at the gallery
Henrietta Riddle Fish
Marsh at Sunset
oil on board, 12 x 24
Benicia's
Henrietta Riddell Fish
1856-1925


A tip o' the hat to the Amazing Folk Art Duo
of Sebastopol's Patrick Amiot & Brigitte Laurent

Sebastopol's Florence Avenue is much like any other American residential street ... well ordered houses built a century ago with mature landscaped yards ... as pleasant a street as in any American community.

But Florence Avenue is different.


Patrick Amiot in his own words, an Introduction to his art.
Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent moved to Sebastopol from Canada and took root on Florence Avenue. Soon after, their joint artistic journey began, an unbridled flurry of creativity filled with whimsey, humor, color.

Patrick sees life in cast-away junk, bending, welding, and molding it into recognizable fun loving figures based on pop
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Acrobats
Three Acrobats

culture, Sonoma County's agricultural heritage, or a range of recognizable figures from legendary sports heros to household pets. After Patrick completes a piece, he gives his creation over to Brigitte, who paints each piece with a vibrant and imaginative palette. Their end product gives new life and purpose for old cast offs, sculptures filled with delightful visual fun.

We suggest you take a drive to Sebastopol and, just across from the Fire Station on Bodega Avenue, turn up Florence avenue. Then park and stroll through this unique neighborhood gallery.

Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Dog Cat Raven Totem
Dog Cat Raven Circus
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked Witch of the West

Patrick Amiot Three Little Pigs Construction
Three Little Pigs Construction


Patrick's Gallery, a short film was shown at the Sebastopl Documentary Film Festival featuring the amazing world of Patrick Amiot
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Luther Burbank
Luther Burbank
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Oakland A's Pitcher
A's Pitcher
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Harried Waitress
Harried Waitress
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Dia de Los Muetos Biker
Dia de los Muertos Biker
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Tank the Dog
Tank, the Dog

Patrick's and Brigitte's work is well known far beyond Florence Avenue. They have done commission pieces for many businesses throughout Sonoma County. They now have a studio workspace south of Sebastopol where you can view a large selection of their work and their website http://www.patrickamiot.com

Patrick turned to making junk sculpture during his own mid career upheaval. He took an old water heater and turned it into a giant fisherman. He never expected much of a reaction, and he was encouraged by the unanticipated praise. His neighbors wanted to see more!

Patrick's underlying philosophy helps explain his creations. He says, "The whole purpose of my work is to glorify these objects, because they have their own spirit. When a hubcap has traveled on a truck for millions of miles and has seen the prairies in the winter and the hot summer asphalt, when its done traveling with that truck and finds itself in the scrap yard and I find it, I kind of like to use that."

Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Aussie Tennis Player
Aussie Tennis Player

Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Campfire Tall Tales
Campfire Wisdom
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Soccer Player
Soccer Player
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
Patrick_Amiot_Batman
Batman
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Dog Cat Catcher
Dog, Cat Catcher
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Cat Birdfeeder
Cat Bird feeder
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Owls
Owls
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Batmobile
Batmobile
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Surf Hound
Surf Hound
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Catapillar
Caterpillar
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Steam Locomotive
Steam Locomotive
Green Tractor and Plow
Green Tractor and Plow
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Used Car Salesman
Florence Ave Car Salesman
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Bird Brained Politics
Bird Brained Politics

This hubcap, or whatever piece of metal, from the day it was manufactured until now, has an important history. And I like to think the spirit of all these things lived incredible lives. If they could talk to you, they could tell amazing stories. That's something I don't want to hide."

Patrick respects the manufactured bits of junk he uses, because each had a previous existence. He believes his creations have a contemporary life, a social standing and a community responsibility.

He's allowed his art work to be used for raising money for local schools. For six years, the schools have sold Patrick Amiot & Brigitte Laurent's calendars. Amiot explains he disliked school candy drives with kids selling a product that had no local connection with the community.

To date, over the past six years, the Amiot / Laurent calendar has raised over a quarter-million dollars! Here's the link to buy one of your own ... http://www.folkartforschools.com/buy.html Next time in Sebastopol, find Florence Avenue, pull over and take a stroll, and feel the power and beauty of this amazing folk art. (Find Florence Avenue, Sebastopol on Google Maps.)
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Captain Reconoitering
Captain Recon
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Grace Slicks White Rabbit
Grace's White Rabbit
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave SFFD
SFFD
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Dairyman
Sonoma Dairyman
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Mermaid
Mermaid
Patrick Amiot Florence Ave Rover out for a Drive
Fido, Out for a Drive
Patrick Amiot in Toronto with his new Caruousel
Now in downtown Markham, Ontario The Pride of Canada Carousel
presented by creators Patrick Amiot & Brigitte Lourent,
Canada Day, 2016


Patrick Amiot Carousel 2016 from Eric McIntyre on Vimeo.
Patrick and Brigitte discuss the creation of their carousel.

Just north of Toronto, Ontario in suburban Markham resides a true Amiot masterpiece, The Pride of Canada Carousel. It was commissioned to pay tribute to the provinces and territories of Canada and all those who live there. It is solar-powered and housed in a glass pavilion. There are 44 rideable folk art sculptures, all done in Amiot's well known folk art style with Canadian themes, including a canoeist, a beaver, a moose and even a ski lift in Whistler, British Columbia.

http://www.patrickamiot.com | http://www.folkartforschools.com/buy.html | Back to the Top

Virginia Darce with assistants working on the Paul Bunyun mosaic
Virginia Darce with assistants working on
the Timberline Lodge's Paul Bunyun mural
WPA Artist Virginia Darce and her Glass Mosaic at
Mount Hood's Timberline Lodge

In 1937, 27 year-old Virginia Darce was given an opportunity to create a Paul Bunyun mosaic mural for a bar in the WPA's Timberline Lodge, located on the snowy slopes of Oregon's Mount Hood.

At the time, Virginia probably gave no thought that 80 years hence, people would enter the Blue Ox Bar and marvel at her work. Like other WPA artists during the height of the Great Depression, she was pleased to have the work.

WPA Plaque, entrance to the Timberline Lodge Virgnia Darce at work on her Paul Bunyun Mural at the Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood in Oregon
Working inside the Blue Ox Bar,
Virginia fits glass pieces onto the mural.
Virginia Darce's signature on glass mural of Paul Bunyan in the Blue Ox Bar Timberline Lodge, Oregon
Virginia Darce Signature
Paul Bunyan Mural

Virginia had some experience working with glass. Virginia worked for the Fuller Glass Company of Portland. Previously she had done a 70 foot long mural for the Oregon City Library. When it came to creating a stained glass design for the Blue Ox Bar, she decided to do a mosaic in a technique called "opus sectile," used often in medieval and ancient mosaics where materials were cut into large irregular pieces and made into a picture. This technique is easily distinguished from the more familiar tessellated designs made of uniformly small pieces.

Virginia Darce's Glass Mural, Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox Babe at the Timberline Inn on Mt Hood, Oregon
The famous Paul Bunyan Mural by Virginia Darce located in the Blue Ox Bar
at the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon. It was done in 1938 as part of the WPA.
Paul Bunyan Portrait Blue Ox Bar Virgina Darce Timberline Lodge
Paul Bunyan Portrait in Glass

Side wall, Blue Ox Bar, Timberline Lodge

Entrance to the Blue Ox Bar Timberline Lodge
Cave like entrance
to the Timberline Lodge's Blue Ox Bar

Paul Bunyan and his Baby Blue Ox
Paul Bunyan and his Baby Blue Ox
Side wall, Blue Ox Bar, Timberline Lodge
Babe the Blue Ox Virinia Darce Timberline Lodge

The very bright and bold colors chosen by Virginia's for her mural really enlivened the small cave like space given for the Blue Ox Bar, noted by the rich blue of Babe the Blue Ox and the blazingly orange squares in Paul Bunyun's large flannel checker boarded shirt.

Mt Hood Oregon

Since the Blue Ox Bar opened for business, it isn't too difficult to imagine generations of Oregonians enjoying a pint or two while admiring Virginia's work after a day on Mount Hood's slopes.

After the Mount Hood project, Virginia lived in Portland where she was manager for the Skidmore Fountain Artist Association. After the war, she was active in the Los Angeles area.

Virginia Darce WPA Painting The Market
WPA era painting, Waterfront, 1938 by Virginia Darce
Fine Arts Program, Gen. Services Administration

Virginia Darce WPA Painting The Market
WPA era painting, The Market 1938 by Virginia Darce
Fine Arts Program, Gen. Services Administration
Timberline Lodge exterior
The Timberline Lodge today.

A History of the Art of the Timberline Lodge,
You may fast forward to Virginia Darce's mural, featured at 15:28 into this video.
Virginia Darce Spring Landscape Watercolor 1944
Spring Landscape 1944
, Virginia Darce
currently on view and available for sale
at Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery,
California Women Artists Exhibition
Virginia Darce's page on our site | the Timberline Lodge | Friends of the Timberline | Back to the Top
* * * * *
Greek Urn
Stylized figures on an ancient ceramic urn,
depicting scenes of the original Olympic games
Modern Olympics Poster Art,
Athens 1896 through Rio 2016
from our August 2012 Newsletter

Placards and handbills have been in use as soon as the printing press and paper allowed. Governments used them for proclamations and Shakespeare used them to promote his plays. But when high quality was merged with low printing prices along with the introduction of vibrant colors, the art form of the poster was in full gear.

By the 1890's in Paris, artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Chéret and Pierre Bonnard embraced posters as a way to popularize their art. It was Jules Chéret who founded a lithography office in Paris in 1866, using striking characters and bright contrasting colors for advertising. Since this was art that paid, it soon attracted the talents of young artists seeking to eat as well as pursue their painting.

Posters were soon seen throughout Paris, the art galleries of the street. Artists gained notoriety for their commercial work. Theater stars would choose their favorite artists to create the poster for their next production. The art form became so popular, a major exhibition of poster art took place in Paris in 1884

In the oldest traditions of major proclamations and promotions, the Olympics have used poster art to great effect in announcing the quadrennial games. Long before TV or posts on Facebook or YouTube.com, it was poster art which carried the weight of telling the world of the extraordinary global event occurring far far away, an event which allowed isolated corners of the globe to come together in symbolic and ceremonial unity.

1896 Olymics Athens
Greek Flag 1896 Athens, Greece
1900 Olympics Paris
French Flag 1900 Paris, France
1904 Olympics St Louis
US Flag 1904 St. Louis, USA

The posters for the first modern Olympic Games were designed and produced long before television and radio. The Olympics were new to most, and were at best a curiosity to more established events such as World Fairs. These posters were meant mostly for local consumption and were not part of a comprehensive media blitz.

1896 Athens ... 80,000 spectators cheered the opening ceremony of the first Modern Olympics at the Panathinaiko Stadium. The concept of Olympic teams had not yet evolved, and individual achievement was more celebrated. 14 nations participated, all European except Australia, Chile and the USA.

1900 Paris ... The Olympic Games were part of the 1900 Paris Exposition., a time when Paris was a center of world art and culture, and its new Eifel Tower was truly a wonder of the world. With all of that, the Olympics were far from the only event in town. Looking back, the games had some imaginative curiosities including motorcycle racing, ballooning, cricket, croquet, Basque pelota, a 200 meter swimming obstacle race and underwater swimming.

1904 St. Louis ... St. Louis repeated the mistake made by Paris four years earlier, making the Olympic Games a side show of the greater World's Fair occurring at the same time. Officially, events were held over four and a half months with organizers striving for an event a day. Only 42 of the Olympic events had participants from outside the USA. In Europe, the Russo Japanese War hampered European athletes from making the trans-oceanic voyage to America.

1908 Olympics London
UK Flag 1908 London, UK
1912 Olympics Stockholm
Swedish Flag 1912 Stockholm, Sweden
1920 Olympics Antwerp
Belgian Flag 1920 Antwerp, Belgium

The Olympics of 1908 was the last time the Olympics were an add-on to a World Exposition. Four years later, the Stockholm Games stood on their own as a major world event. The Olympics of 1916 were scheduled for Berlin, but were cancelled due to World War I. The games resumed in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.

1908 London ... Rome had been chosen to host the 1908 games, but Mt. Vesuvius erupted in April, 1906 and funds meant for the Olympics were diverted to help rebuild Naples. In the opening ceremonies, USA flag bearer Ralph Rose refused to dip the American Flag to King Edward VI. Martin Sheridan, the USA team captain, later explained "This flag dips to no Earthly king." For better or for worse, here is where that Olympic tradition is rooted.

1912 Stockholm ... The games in Stockholm were the first to feature both the decathlon and pentathlon, both won by American Jim Thorpe. Japan's arrival at the games marked the first time an Asian nation participated. It was the first game with electronic timing devices.

1920 Antwerp ... The 1916 games had been scheduled for Berlin, but were canceled due to WWI. The 1920 games were originally scheduled for Budapest, Hungary, but because the Austo-Hungarian Empire was allied to Germany in WWI, the games were moved to Belgium. These were the first games to use the Olympic Oath or the Olympic Flag.

1924 Olympics Paris
French Flag 1924 Paris

1928 Olympics Amsterdam
Dutch Flag 1928 Amsterdam, Netherlands

1932 Olympics Los Angeles
US Flag 1932 1932 Los Angeles, USA

The Olympic Games became more of a world stage in the economically vibrant 1920's. The Great Depression diminished enthusiasm for the 1932 games, but it still was a rallying call for the spirit of determination.

1924 Paris ... British runners  Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell (immortalized in the film Chariots of Fire) won the 100 and 400 meter sprinting events. Johnny Weissmuller won three gold medals in swimming and a bronze in water polo. These were the first games with a large media presence, with over 1000 journalists in attendance. The closing ceremonies were the first to include the flag of the host city, the next host city and the Olympic flag.
1928 Amsterdam ... The Amsterdam Games marked a number of firsts for the Olympics. It was the first time the Olympic flame was left to burn during the entire Olympic Games. The parade of nations was lead by Greece, and they marched around a 400 meter track which made its first appearance in Amsterdam.

1932 Los Angeles ... These games were impacted greatly by the Great Depression. More than half the participating nations in 1928 found it too expensive to send teams to far off Los Angeles. The star for the USA was Babe Didrikson who won gold medals in the javelin and hurdles events. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was known as Olympic Stadium during the games, and the Rose Bowl was used for cycling events.
1936 Olympics Berlin
Nazi Flag 1936 1936 Berlin, Germany Third Reich
1948 Olympics London
British Flag 1948 London, UK
1952 Olympics Helsinki
Finish Flag 1952 Helsinki, Finland

The next three Olympic Games bridged sixteen years from 1936 to 1952. The 1936 games were used by Adolph Hitler and Germany's Third Reich as a coming out party, showing their strength and presence on the world stage. Following the games, the Nazi regime expanded a reign of conquest and horror, enveloping Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, France, the Netherlands, the Balkans, and Scandinavia. The games of 1944 and 48 were cancelled due to WWII. In 1945, the war ended and the games resumed in London in 1948.

1936 ... Berlin Germany topped the 1932 Los Angeles games. Germany built a stadium accommodating 100,000 fans and six gymnasiums and numerous smaller venues. Htiler wanted to establish his vision of racial supremacy, excluding Jews and Blacks. When threatened with a boycott, Hitler relented and other races were allowed to participate. When American Jessie Owens won four gold medals in the sprinting and long jump events, it was a major embarrassment for Hitler. But in spite of his Olympic victories, Jessie Owens returned home to a segregated America.
1948 ... London It had been twelve years since the world had gathered in peace to enjoy an Olympic Games. After years of war, the games of 1948 were greeted with a sense of global relief and celebration. But economic times were hard after the war, and these games became known as "The Austerity Games." No new venues were built. Because of the war, Germany and Japan were not invited to participate, and the Soviet Union still recovering from the war chose not to send a team. The main Olympic Stadium was Wembly Stadium, with a newly installed cinder track.
1952 ... Helsinki A couple of important nations made their Olympic debut in Helsinki, the Soviet Union and the new nation of Israel. Germany and Japan were again welcomed as members of the family of nations. But world politics still was causing some alienation. Formosa withdrew from the games in protest of the participation of "The Republic of China." USA decathlon champion Bob Mathias was the first athlete ever to repeat as decathlon champion. More world records were broken at these games than ever until the games in Beijing in 2008.
1956 Olympics Melbourne
Australian Flag 1956 Melbourne, Australia
1960 Olympics Rome
Italian Flag 1960 Rome, Italy
1964 Olympics Tokyo
Flag of Japan 1964 Tokyo, Japan
With the Olympics being held in far off locations like Melbourne, Australia and Tokyo, Japan, the Olympics truly became a global event. Also, the mid 50's and early 60's allowed for the Olympics to be broadcast on television. Reports of the Olympics, although done on film and transported by air, pictures and commentary of the games reached viewers who had never witnessed them before. As advances in television allowed for color and satellite transmission, interest in the games grew stronger.
1956 Melbourne ... A small portion of the Melbourne games were held in Stockholm, Sweden five months earlier. The equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine laws. A new Olympic tradition began in Melbourne. During the closing ceremonies, athletes were allowed to march in together, and not restricted to their national groups as a symbol of world unity.
1960 Rome ... The American team was anchored by two larger than life athletes. Wilma Rudolph who had been a former polio patient won three gold medals and was acclaimed as the fastest woman in the world. Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali,won the light heavyweight gold medal in boxing. 1960 was the final appearance of South Africa's team under the apartheid regime. They weren't allowed in competition again until 1992. The USA gold medal winning basketball team included future NBA hall of fame legends Jerry Lucas, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West.

1964 Tokyo ... Tokyo lost out on its first opportunity to host the games in 1940 due to WWII. A generation later, the 1964 games were the first to be telecast to the world via live satellite broadcast. The signal made its way to the US and then was relayed to Europe. In a poignant moment, the Olympic torch was lighted by Oshinori Sakai, a Japanese athlete born on August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on that city. Speedster Bob Hayes won the 100 m gold medal with a time of 10.0 seconds. Later he would star as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Boxer Joe Frazier won a gold medal in boxing.

1968 Olympics Mexico City
Mexican Flag 1968 Mexico City, Mexico
1972 Olympics Munich
German Flag 1972 Munich, Germany
1976 Olympics Montreal
Canadian Flag1976 Montreal, Canada

By 1968, color television and satellite communication had combined to make the Olympics an established world wide event. Posters changed noticeably too, focusing more on national symbols and less information. Mexico offers a festive and colorful theme for its games in 1968, Munich chooses cool blues with modern sculptural architecture, a far contrast with the forboding symbols of Berlin's 1936 games, and Montreal chooses a version of the Olympic rings of the five participating continents. But politics, although not featured in the posters, played a part in each of the games of '68, '72, and '76.

1968 Mexico City ... These Olympics were the first to occur in Latin America, and the first to occur in Autumn. In the game's biggest surprise, American broad jumper Bob Beamon set a new world record of 29.2 feet, besting the old record by a staggering 22 inches! But a symbolic political gesture by American sprinters Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze) received a lot of attention. They both raised black gloved fists while bowed heads in support of civil rights. 1968 had been a rough year, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. Lyndon Johnson did not seek reelection, and at the time of the Olympics, Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey were in the final weeks of their Presidential campaigns.

1972 Munich ... Germany went all out to put on a first class modern games, devoid of the political show staged in Berlin 36 years earlier. The games made famous the names of athletes Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut, Dave Wottle, Dan Gamble and Frank Shorter. But their triumphs were overshadowed by the Palestinian terrorist group called Black September who kidnapped and killed 11 members of the Israeli team. In the end, five of the eight terrorists were killed as they were attempting escape while being helicoptered to a nearby airport. In a now famous announcement, a weary Jim McKay of ABC Sports announced the sad news, "Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They've now said that there were eleven hostages. Two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone."

1976 Montreal ... Because of the events in Munich four years earlier, intense and comprehensive security measures were taken, and have been taken ever since. These measures proved effective. The Canadian head of state, Queen Elizabeth opened the games, a special moment for the Queen as her daughter Princess Anne was a member of the British equestrian team. Nadia Comaneci of Romania set the world of women's gymnastics ablaze with a perfect 10 from the judges. American Bruce Jenner won the decathlon and a quintet of American boxers; Sugar Ray Leonard, the Spinks brothers -- Leon and Michael, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. all won gold medals. 30 African nations boycotted the games in protest of participant New Zealand's visit to South Africa where apartheid was still practiced.

1980 Olympics Moscow
USSR Flag 1980 Moscow, USSR
1984 Olympics Los Angeles USA Flag1984 Los Angeles, USA 1988 Olympics Seoul
South Korean Flag 1988 Seoul, South Korea
During the 1980's, the Olympics were as politicized as ever. Because of the Soviet invasion of Afgahnistan, the USA boycotted the Moscow Games in 1980. In 1984, the USSR reciprocated by boycotting the Los Angeles Games. Americans fans who had grown accustomed to ABC's ground breaking Olympic television coverage had to endure only the skimpiest of coverage of the Moscow games. Those same fans cheered wildly during the Los Angeles Games four years later, laden with record breaking numbers of gold medals, all awarded without competition from the USSR.

1980 Moscow ... The Moscow games hosted the smallest number of nations since the 1956 Games in Melbourne, twenty-four years earlier. Consequently, the nations which did participate won more medals than they had in previous games. During the opening ceremonies, USSR cosmonauts Leonid Popov and Valery Ryumin aboard the Salyut 6 spacecraft gave live greetings to the crowd via televised images on the stadium scoreboard. The crowd cheered as the loudspeakers amplified and translated their message. At the closing ceremonies, the flag of the City of Los Angeles was raised rather than the flag of the USA which had boycotted the games.

1984 Los Angeles ... In response to the USA boycott of the Moscow Olympics, the USSR and the East German teams lead 14 Eastern Bloc nations in boycotting the games in Los Angeles, although the women's gymnastic powerhouse of Romania did send a team. Determined not to incur debt, the American Olymic Committee recruited Peter Ueberroth as its chairman. Existing venues were cleaned up and used including the Los Angeles Coliseum, originally built for the 1932 games, and the nearby Rose Bowl in Pasadena. American achievements at the games were numerous, including gold medals won by track star Carl Lewis, hurdler Edwin Moses, and gymnast Mary Lou Retton. The USA Dream Team included NBA stars Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin.
1988 Seoul ... These games marked the the end of major nation boycotts. Not since the '76 games in Montreal had Americans and Russian athletes competed against each other. Doves were released during the opening ceremonies, but in a bad bit of planning or bad luck, a number of the doves were burned to death when the Olympic Flame was ignited. These were also the last games to hold the opening ceremony in the daylight. Opening ceremonies afterward were moved to the evening to avoid blistering summer sunlight. Americans winning gold included track star Florence Griffith Joyner and diving sensation Greg Louganis. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson set a world record in the 100 meters, but was disqualified for a positive drug test for stanozolol.
1992 Olympics Barcelona
Spanish Flag 1992 Barcelona, Spain
1996 Olympics Atlanta
American Flag
1996 Atlanta, USA
2000 Olympics Sydney
Australian Flag 2000 Sydney, Australia
The games of the 1990's and the year 2000 were relatively calm of the boycotts of the 1980's. Atlanta's games were marred by a pipe bomb going off in Centennial Park in Atlanta, killing an olympic spectator, Alice Hawthorne, and causing the death of another nearby due to a heart attack. As bad as this event was, it certainly did not rise to the level of violence of the terroritst events in in 1972 in Munich. The games in Barcelona and Sydney were fortunate, both being quite peaceful and successful events.
1992 Barcelona ... With the end of the cold war, there were no boycotts of the games in Barcelona. South Africa had dissolved its apartheid policy and sent a team for the first time since the 1960 games in Rome. The Soviet Union had broken up, and most of the former republics of the Soviet Union participated under a banner called the Unified Team, although Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each sent their own separate teams. Germany had also reunited and sent a single German Team, the first since the 1936 Olympics. In a memorable moment, the Olympic Flame was lit by Para-olympic archer Antonio Rebollo. The American Dream Team in Basketball included NBS legends Michael Jordon, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
1996 Atlanta ... Atlanta's reliance on corporate sponsorship lead to criticisms that the games were overly commercialized. American fans were said to have been excessively loud drowning out background music for Russian and Romanian gymnasts. But one of the highlights of the games was the lighting of the Olympic flame by Mohammed Ali who had won the Olympic Gold Medal for light-heavyweight boxing 36 years earlier in Rome. Atlanta was not free of terrorism, although it was not impacted nearly as severely as the games in Munich in 1972. A pipe bomb went off in Centennial Olympic Park killing one woman and injuring 111 others. Today, Atlanta is most pleased with having hosted the games, citing the experience as Atlanta's emergence onto the world stage as a truly cosmopolitan city.
2000 Sydney ... The Aborigines of Australia speak of their prehistoric times going back many thousands of years as "Dream Time." These Aboriginal roots were celebrated in the Olympic poster above, with boomerangs forming artistic angles. At the opening ceremonies, Australia's Aboriginal roots were displayed along with its European immigration past as a British penal colony. The Olympic flame was lit by Cathy Freeman, an Australian Aborigine who later won the Women's 400 meters. Australians embraced this opportunity to shine in the international light. They love to be hospitable, and are sportsmen of the first degree. They are one of two nations to participate in every modern games since 1896.
2004 Olympics Athens
Greek Flag 2004 Athens, Greece
2008 Olympics Bejing
Flag of the Peoples Republic of China 2008 Beijing, China
2012 Olympics London
British Flag 2012 London, UK

Now in the twenty-first century, the biggest news in the Olympics is its coverage via the internet. With a variety of platforms and an increase in reporting, the Olympics have become a global party. Interest is not only international, it is instantaneous and personalized. Every telephone is a camera and a broadcasting platform, a far different reality from when the modern games resumed in 1896. We wish the Olympic movement continued success as an ever-increasingly popular voice for world peace, cooperation, and friendly competition. Conflicts and discord so often dominate the news, but with the Olympics, messages of global harmony provide a necessary and refreshing counterpoint.

2016 Olympics Rio
Brazilian Flag 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2004 Athens ... The opening ceremonies were a problem for NBC Sports. Due to sensitivities back home, they avoided showing a Minoan priestess as she entered the stadium topless, along with Greek athletes appearing as Greek statues (without pants). During the men's marathon, Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima was attacked by an Irish priest  and dragged into the crowd. De Lima recovered to take bronze. The American Dream Team in basketball was defeated by Argentina. American swimmer Mark Phelps in his first winning Olympic performance wins six gold and two bronze medals.

2008 Beijing ... China went out all for these games, with over 14,000 performers participating in the opening ceremonies. The Chinese invested heavily in the games, constructing 37 new Olympic venues, 31 of which were in Beijing, including the iconic "Birds Nest," Beijing National Stadium, not to mention capital improvements to their transportation and communication capabilities. These were the first games to feature 100% of the television broadcasts in HD, with a huge international audience due to the growth of the internet. Fears of terrorism and bad air quality did not materialize. The most memorable athletic performance was by American swimmer Mark Phelps who won eight gold medals.

2012 London ... The games have now begun and the opening ceremonies were a treat. Aside from dazzling fireworks, breathtaking symbolism of the athletes marching in and the lighting the Olympic flame, and a cast of thousands, the most memorable moment for many was the short film skit featuring Queen Elizabeth arriving at the stadium accompanied by James Bond, leaping down to the stadium from a helicopter high above, billowing out with Union Jack chutes. Add Paul McCartney with a stadium filled with fans, athletes and cast members singing Hey Jude at the end and it was a memorable and worthy opening.

2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ... From the towering heights of Rio's iconic Cristo Redemtor high atop Sugarloaf Mountain to the footprints left on the beach by that Girl from Ipanema, Brazilians are thrilled to host the first games held in South America. With their appealing expression of tropical colors, and their rich heritage of music, dance and Carnival, we trust the Brazilians will continue well established traditions of the games, all with Brazilian flair and flavor. With hope and anticipation, we look forward to Rio 2016.

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GALLERY NOTES ...
Now through September ... our current exhibition and sale, "Women Artists from our Collection"
Ginochio's and Gourmet au Bay Bodega Bay's Newest and Coolest Places to hang out!
ON THE WATER ...
Gourmet Au Bay and Ginochio's Kitchen
NOW OPEN in Porto Bodega ... from our gallery, just down
Eastshore Road beyond the STOP sign and across the little bridge.

Gourmet au Bay | Ginochio's Kitchen
Emerging from the Shadows

Newly Published ... Emerging from the Shadows
by Maurine St. Gaudens
a four-volume survey of Women Artists Working in California 1860-1960

Author Maurine Saint-Gaudens is the granddaughter of noted San Francisco jeweler, Maurice Saint-Gaudens, and the third-cousin of the esteemed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Her artistic background led to her career as a respected Fine Arts conservator and the establishment of the Maurine St. Gaudens Studio in Pasadena, California. Maurine has been a good friend of our gallery. Our gallery exhibition will include some of our gallery's artists and paintings published in this book.

This four-volume set presents 320 women artists who lived and worked in California as well as throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe. This work encompasses a range of styles—from the realism of the 19th century to the modernism of the 20th.

Read more from the Emerging from the Shadows website.
Order your copy from Schiffer Publishing.

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What's showing in Bodega Bay?
Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery Sign Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery
1785 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay,
CA 94923, 707-875-2911 | Map & Location
Celebrating Early California Art
- original paintings by famous artists of the past - and local artists
Joshua Meador Composed by the Sea
"Composed by the Ocean"
Joshua Meador
Reb Brown Sign Thumbnail The Ren Brown Collection

"Celebrating Friendships, featuring the prints of
Mayumi Oda & Ryohei Tanaka

http://www.renbrown.com | Back to the Top

Ren Brown Collection

What's showing nearby?
in Sonoma, Napa & Marin Counties
Sebastopol Center for the Arts

IN SEBASTOPOL, Sebastopol Center for the Arts
"BOUNDARIES"
Jul 29 - Sep 4, 2016
Juror Paul Mahder


282 S. High Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472  707.829.4797
Hours: Tue - Fri 10am - 4pm, Sat & Sun 1 - 4pm

Christopher Queen Gallery IN DUNCANS MILLS Christopher Queen Galleries
3 miles east of Hwy 1 on Hwy 116 on the Russian River

“ARTISTS & TROUBADOURS”
PAINTINGS BY EARLY ARTISTS OF THE BOHEMIAN CLUB 1870′S TO 1920′S
26TH ANNUAL SALE & EXHIBIT
through September
http://www.christopherqueengallery.com |707-865-1318| Back to the Top

Cassinetto
BBHPhoto Dennis Calabi IN SANTA ROSA Calabi Gallery | http://www.calabigallery.com 888
456 Tenth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 | email: info@calabigallery.com | 707-781-7070


Famed master conservator Dennis Calabi brings his rare knowledge and experience
to present a tasteful and eclectic array of primarily 20th century artwork.

http://www.calabigallery.com | Back to the Top

Read about 1st Friday Artwalks, first Fri of the month
Easton Crustacean Dancing Dream 144
Easton, Crustacean Dancing Dream, American Alabaster
Annex Galleries Santa Rosa IN Santa Rosa The Annex Galleries
specializing in 19th, 20th, and 21st century American and European fine prints
The Annex Galleries is a member of the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA).
http://www.AnnexGalleries.com | Back to the Top
Linda Ratzlaff IN GRATON Graton Gallery
http://www.gratongallery.com

Graton Gallery | (707) 829-8912  | artshow@gratongallery.com
9048 Graton Road, Graton CA 95444 | Open Wednesday ~ Saturday 10:30 to 6, Sunday 10:30 to 4


Bodega Landmark Gallery Thumb IN BODEGA Bodega Landmark Gallery Collection - renovated and reopened
17255 Bodega Highway Bodega, California USA 94922 Phone 707 876 3477
Fri-Mon, 10:30 - 5:30
http://www.artbodega.com | Lorenzo@ArtBodega.com | Back to the Top
Hammarfriar Gallery Thumb IN Healdsburg Hammerfriar Gallery
http://www.hammerfriar.com

 (707) 473-9600  | Jill@hammerfriar.com
132 Mill Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448 | Open Tues - Fri 10 to 6, Sat 10 - 5, Sun 12 - 4


john Anderson
Vintage Bank Petaluma Thumbnail
IN PETALUMA Vintage Bank Antiques
Vintage Bank Antiques is located in Historic Downtown Petaluma, corner of Western Avenue and Petaluma Blvd. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Warren Davis and the rest of the team at Vintage Bank Antiques has assembled a spectacular inventory of paintings. From the 18th Century to Contemporary Artists. We have paintings to suit every price point and collector level.
If you have a painting for sale, please consider Vintage Bank Antiques. Contact Warren Davis directly at WarrenDavisPaintings@yahoo.com, 101 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952, ph: 707.769.3097

Back to the Top
Petaluma Arts Council Art Center IN PETALUMA Petaluma Art Center
"... to celebrate local artists and their contributions and involve the whole community"
Petaluma Center for the Arts
Lee Youngman Photo Thumbnail
Lee Youngman
IN CALISTOGA the Lee Youngman Gallery
Featuring the work of contemporary painter Paul Youngman,
and the works of famed California painter, Ralph Love (1907-1992)

http://www.leeyoungmangalleries.com | Back to the Top
Left ... Lee Youngman, Right ... Paul Youngman
Paul Youngman
Paul Youngman

Links to current museum exhibits relevant to Early California Art
The Greater Bay Area
The Walt Disney Family Museum
This museum tells Walt's story from the early days.
(on the Parade Grounds) 104 Montgomery Street,
The Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129

-- view location on Google Maps
--
Now through Jan 9, 2017
Wish Upon a Star: The Art of Pinocchio
Disney Museum Exterior Thumbnail San Francisco
de Young Museum
Permanent Collection
beginning July 16 - Oct 9
Ed Rouscha and the Great American West


De Young Museum Thumbnail
San Francisco
California Historical Society


California Historical Society Thumbnail San Francisco
Legion of Honor

-Permanent European and Impressionist Paintings
now through Sept 11
TheWild West ...
San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum
San Francisco
Contemporary Jewish Museum

San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum Thumbnail Oakland
Oakland Museum of California

-- ongoing Gallery of California Art
-showcasing over 800 works
from the OMCA's collection

Oakland Museum Thumbnail

San Francisco
SFMOMA

http://www.sfmoma.org

SF Museum of Modern Art

Santa Rosa
The Museums of Sonoma County
FULL EXPOSURE:
Femininity in Photographic Portraiture

Aug 13 to Sep 25

Sonoma County Museum Thumbnail
Santa Rosa
Charles M. Schultz Museum

"Mr. Schulz Goes to Washington" through Dec 4

Charles M Schultz Museum Santa Rosa

Moraga
Hearst Art Gallery

Reflections in Water:
Selections by the California Art Club 
through August 28 


Hearst Art Gallery Thumbnail
Sonoma
Mission San Francisco de Solano Museum

featuring the famed watercolor paintings
of the California Missions
by Christian Jorgensen
Mission San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma CA Sonoma
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art

551 Broadway, Sonoma CA 954
(707) 939-7862
Sonoma Museum of Art Exterior Thumb
Ukiah
Grace Hudson Museum

http://www.gracehudsonmuseum.org
Grace Hudson Museum

Bolinas
Bolinas Museum

featuring their permanent collection,
including Ludmilla and Thadeus Welch,
Arthur William Best, Jack Wisby,
Russell Chatham, Alfred Farnsworth;
current exhibit of Tom Killion block prints
.

Elizabeth Holland McDaniel Bolinas Embarcadero thumbnail
Walnut Creek
The Bedford Gallery, Lesher
Center for the Arts
Lesher Ctr for the Arts Walnut Creek CA San Jose
San Jose Museum of Art

approximately 2,000 20th & 21st
century artworks including paintings, sculpture,
new media, photography, drawings, prints, and artist books.
San Jose Museum of Art Thumbnail
Monterey
Monterey Museum of Art

Pacific Street Reimagnined ... through Summer
Monterey Places ... through Aug 29
Ongoing exhibitions ...
S.C. Yuan from the Museums Permanent Collection

http://www.montereyart.org
Monterey Museum of Art Palo Alto
Cantor Art Center at Stanford University
Cantor Art Center at Stanford University

Sacramento
Crocker Art Museum
& their marvelous Permanent Collection

http://www.crockerartmuseum.org Sacramento
Capitol Museum

Governor's Portrait Gallery
Permanent Exhibits

(including one of our galllery's favorite artists,
Robert Rishell's portrait of Gov. Ronald Reagan)
Capitol Museum Sacramento Thumbnail
Stockton's Treasure!
The Haggin Museum!

-Largest exhibition of Albert Beirstadt paintings anywhere,
plus the works of Joseph Christian Leyendecker,
Norman Rockwell's mentor.
see our Newsletter article, April 2011
Haggin Museum Stockton    
Southern California (and Arizona)
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Museum of Art

Art of the Americas, Level 3:
Artworks of paintings and sculptures
from the colonial period to World War II—
a survey of of art and culture
& "Levitated Mass"
Los Angeles County Museum of Art Irvine
A Summer Idyll:
Picturesque Views of California

through Oct 6
The Irvine Museum

Irvine Museum Thumbnail
Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Museum of Art Thumbnail Los Angeles
Hammer Museum (at UCLA)


Hammer Museum
San Diego
San Diego Museum of Art
Permanent Collection
San Diego Museum of Art Thumbnail

Palm Springs
Palm Springs Art Museum

Permanent Collection
American 19th century Landscape Painting

Palm Springs Art Museum Thumbnail
Pasadena
Norton Simon Museum

-an Impressive Permanent collection,
European impressionist and post impressionist paintings
See our newsletter from March 2014
Norton Simon Museum Pasadena San Marino (near Pasadena)
The Huntington Library

American Art Collection
Paintings by John Singer Sargent,
Edward Hopper, Robert Henri,
Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran,
William Keith, Mary Cassatt,
Thomas Hart Benton and many more.

Huntington Library Art Collection Pasadena
Laguna Beach
Laguna Museum of Art

-California Art and only California Art
Permanent collection includes many historic
California Artists of the Laguna Beach Art Association
Laguna Art Museum Pasadena
Pasadena Museum of California Art
Pasadena Museum of California Art Exterior thumb
Prescott, AZ
Phippen Museum
Phippen Museum Entrance Hwy 89    
& Beyond
Hololulu, HI
Honolulu Museum
(see our Newsletter article
from February, 2015)


Honolulu Museum of Art Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum

Permanent Collection: American Art
Portland Art Museum Thumbnail
Seattle, WA
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Art Museum Chicago, IL
Art Institute of Chicago
Permanent collection:
the Impressionists


Art Institute of Chicago Thumbnail
Washington D.C.
The Renwick Gallery

Permanent ... Grand Salon Paintings
from the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Renwick Gallery Washington DC Bentonville, AR
Crystal Bridges
Museum of American Art
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Cedar Rapids, IA
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Grant Wood: In Focus

is an ongoing permanent collection exhibition.
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Philadelphia , PA
The Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art Thumbnail
Washington D.C.
The National Gallery

Permanent collection
American Paintings
Tha National Gallery Washington DC Thumbnail Brooklyn, NY
The Brooklyn Museum
American Art
Permanent Collection
The Brooklyn Museum Thumbnail
Philadelphia , PA
Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia Campus
Barnes Foundation Campus Philadelphia Detroit, MI
Detroit Institute of Arts
American Art
Permanent Collection
Detroit Institute of Arts
New York , NY
The Whitney Museum of American Art

The largest selection of works by Edward Hopper
The Whitney Museum of American Art New York Ottowa, Ontario
National Gallery of Canada
Canada National Gallery of Art