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 Vallarta Living | Art Talk | December 2006 
An Assembly of Artists
 PVNN
| | You are invited to "Meet the Artists" at Galleria Dante every other Wednesday from 6 to 10 pm. For more information, call 222-2477. To see some of the art work on display at Galeria Dante, visit GalleriaDante.com. |
Over the years, Puerto Vallarta has evolved into one of the biggest center of artists and art galleries in Mexico. Thanks, in large part, to the efforts made by Galleria Dante owners Claire and Joe Guarniere.
The Landslide Winner in the “Best Gallery in Vallarta” category of Virtual Vallarta's 2006 Reader's Choice Awards, Galleria Dante has been featuring the works of Mexican and International artists in an indoor-outdoor space that invites art lovers to totally immerse themselves in the Puerto Vallarta art scene for more than 10 years.
Every week they receive new works by many of the more than 100 sculptors and painters who exhibit their art work at Galleria Dante - and every other Wednesday they invite the public to "Meet the Artists" and view their newest works on display in the gallery's 6000 square foot show room and sculpture garden.
The gallery's first two art openings of the year were very successful, and on Wednesday, December 13th from 6-10 pm, Galleria Dante will be hosting their third “Meet the Artist Night” of the season. In attendance at this show will be 16 artists:
Laurie Chase – Paints the cities she has lived in: Santorini, Portofino, Martinique, and now Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. Her beach scenes and boat scenes attract many collectors. She is a signature artist of the National Marine Society.
Yvan Genest – Just back from a show in Los Angeles. Yvan’s paintings have taken another turn this year. After a fire forced him to move, he found in storage a small hand in silver that he has been given for luck, when he had lived in Tunisia with the nomadic Berbers in his twenties. His new series were inspired by this lucky charm.
Pipo Brockman – New to Galleria Dante this season – Pipo’s works are refreshing: both his portraits of humans, as well as his portraits of Mexican hairless dogs. He is relaxed, his smile warm, his family and his dogs his models and his support. We are happy to have him join our team this season.
Jean-Gabriel Lambert – Vibrant color best describes the paintings by this sensitive French artist. His paintings, a mesh of strong brush strokes and vibrant colors are forceful. You feel his passion and love of life in his use of colors. This year he will also work in acrylics, whereas for years all his paintings were oils. This energetic, young man warms the heart of all who meet him.
Bill White – If you have seen Bill’s portraits, you know how talented he is. He has spent several years painting the famous Xuitla dancers. He is currently working on a huge commission, capturing with his brush the unique characters of the priests from the local parishes. But he will soon be delivering a group of small gems, portraits of charras & charros.
James Knowles – Hails from Kent, England, but has been living in Mexico more than 20 years. He is very prolific and we currently exhibit mostly his floral paintings, which are best described as sensual. Since the birth of his son almost 2 years ago, he has been more experimental with new ideas and subject matter, everything from beach scenes to markets.
John Anderson – copper fountains, pelicans, herons and wildlife are John’s forte. The sound of water falling has been a big draw to get people into the sculpture garden area of the gallery. The light dances off the copper and as the light hits them , it shines
Peter Spataro – New to the gallery this year. He often asked: “Why do the locals not paint this beautiful city?” So that is just what he did. This week we received light filled beach and river scenes, mostly of the Conchas Chinas and Rio cuale areas. Thank you Peter.
David Leonard – Glass tables, beds, chairs, room dividers, serving bowls, flower vases, mirrors. David keeps busy. If you have frequented the restaurant, Vite-A, you will have seen his tables and chairs. David just returned from a show at Lincoln Center in New York, and is anxious to fill many orders.
Richard Baker – At age 80, he started painting oils. For years many collectors fell in love with his watercolors, but he has also gained recognition for his oils. In the watercolors, his use of the white paper amazes professionals, as well as art teachers. His oils have a softness in is brush stroke and use of color.
Rogelio Diaz – Has a unique style, but has definitely been influenced by Picasso and Basquiat. Rogelio believes that we all have something of a child within us. The older we grow, the closer we come to returning to the innocence of childhood. You either like or dislike his paintings, he leaves little room for middle ground. But collectors who would have never considered his works in years past have now become fond admirers of his work.
Edgar Martinez – Young and very talented are two words to describe Edgar. No one re-invents himself each year more than he. He feels he is letting down his collectors if he does not give them something extra each season. His latest creations of marble powder mixed with oil, could compete with the masters of Florence, Italy.
Bill Megrail – His landscapes are an extension of where he lives, as Bill paints plein air. We currently exhibit banana plantations, cactus fields, floral gardens with a view of the ocean and garden scenes of San Miguel. His commitment to detail shows in his finished masterpieces which you feel you can walk into.
Lee Chapman - We welcomed this fall, but Lee is certainly not new to Vallarta. Come see his new Tango dancer series. Aside from his fun Lencho style, he also paints more seriously under his given name , but still with such a flare for humor. Lee has a great following of clients for his paintings, as well as his children’s books.
Cherie Sibley - When she is not selling real-estate and giving painting classes, she is traveling the world to photograph material for her own paintings. This year she traveled to Ecuador and Morocco. She also made her mark on the local art scene by painting famous people’s cats – everything from Andrew Lloyd Weber, Marilyn Munroe to Jack the Ripper’s cat.
Javier Lampreabe – Hails from Argentina. Javier used to paint large murals and worked in theatre. Most of his paintings are in a 3-dimensional, and they all have a dream-like quality. There are many hidden elements in his works. The paintings have a peacefulness, as does the artist, as he explains his art and the new house he and his wife are building themselves, brick by brick.
Throughout the season, there will be many artists attending these events - some of the internationally acclaimed artists that have been with the gallery for years, and some talented new artists that Claire and Joe will proudly introduce to Vallarta.
Open Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm, Galeria Dante is located at Basilio Badillo 269 in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. For more information, call 222-2477, or send an email to info@galleriadante.com. To see some of the art work on display at Galeria Dante, visit GalleriaDante.com. |
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