What could be better than an exhibit of yummy delights for the holidays? Luscious cakes piled high with frosting, gooey ice cream with mounds of whipped cream, and gift boxes filled with sumptuous chocolates are all images captured in paintings and sculpture in the next exhibit at the Gallery at 48 Natoma in Folsom.
The exhibit,
Just Desserts, features oil paintings by Kit Night, acrylic paintings by Susan Ballenger and life-like ceramic sculptures by Jeff Nebeker. The exhibit will open on Friday, November 9, and continue through January 10.
Many of the pieces in the exhibit have a pop art quality in which the artists were inspired by the works of Wayne Thiebuad and Richard Diebenkorn. Painter Susan Ballenger was fascinated by the way pies, cakes and cookies were displayed in bakeries creating light and shadow subjects that were later brought to life in her studio. Having studied painting in Boston and widely exhibiting there, Ballenger was later the feature page designer for the Sacramento Bee for eleven years. Her work is now being exhibited widely in the Sacramento region.
Kit Night’s work has been shown, received awards and is collected throughout the United States and has received praise from everyone from Pulitzer Prize winner John Updike, to national jazz composers and best-selling authors. This collection of “sweet stuff” oil paintings is just begging to be scooped off the canvas. “Ice cream is like the Mae West of dessert,” says Night, “all that whipped up glow, all those curves. Va, va, va, voom.”
Jeff Nebeker is both an accomplished ceramicist and pastry chef, drawing visual parallels between frosting, cake decorating and baking a cake with his hand-built “almost edible” ceramic creations. His patience and technical skill with clay and glazes creates what he calls “guiltless desserts.” Having studied ceramics at UC Davis with such greats as Robert Arneson, David Gilhooly and Wayne Thiebaud his work is broadly exhibited throughout the west coast.
In the adjacent Community Gallery at 48 Natoma, over 300 entries in the 6th Annual Folsom Focus Photography Contest will be displayed. The popular event features photos in three categories including black and white, Folsom events and Folsom outdoors in three age groups. The first place winners will be displayed in the main gallery and the winners will be announced at the opening reception.
The public is invited to celebrate both exhibits at the free opening reception on Friday, November 9, from 6 to 8 p.m., with refreshments, wine and live music. As a special treat for the evening, Karen’s Bakery in Folsom will create a “life-like” recreation of a cake as portrayed in a painting by Kit Night. The cake will then be cut and enjoyed at the reception! Also in time for early holiday shopping, the classes from the Art Center at 48 Natoma will offer a great selection of original art work for sale that one night only.
The Gallery at 48 Natoma is managed by the Folsom Parks and Recreation Department and showcases art by regional and national professional artists, area museum collections and traveling exhibitions; offering high quality original art exhibits that the community may otherwise not have an opportunity to experience. The gallery is free and open to the public and art is available for purchase. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9-5 with additional hours Thursday nights from 6-8p.m. Free tours can be arranged by appointment. For more information contact Cindy Abraham, (916) 355-7285, or
cabraham@folsom.ca.us.
Blog Post information and picture courtesy of the Gallery at 48 Natoma.
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