Courtesy image: All photos by George Rose
39 Works Representing all Nine of California’s National Parks is on view through February 19, 2024
SOLVANG —The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature (www.wildlingmuseum.org) is pleased to announce the winners of its third juried exhibition showcasing all nine of California’s national parks: Lassen, Joshua, Redwoods, Pinnacles, Channel Islands, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Death Valley all of which are featured in the show. California National Parks: Stories of Water features 37 artists and 39 selected artworks that were juried from a pool of more than 240 submissions by artists across the U.S., competing for $4,000 in awards. These artists reside in nine states including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Utah, Oregon, Arizona, Washington, New Mexico, Nevada, and California. The mediums represented in this exhibition are as varied as the art itself and include oil, acrylic, watercolor, graphite, textile, and photography. The exhibition explores various impacts of water – or the lack of water due to drought – in California’s national parks. Other works capture water’s abundance – particularly in the aftermath of this year’s heavy rains – through a range of waterfalls and rivers.
Juror Nathan Vonk, owner of Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery, located in Santa Barbara, had the difficult task of judging the impressive number of entries, and Stacey Otte-Demangate, Executive Director of the Wildling announced all the winners. Please see the sidebar for the complete list.
“It is a great exhibition, focused on an important and worthy subject. I have a deep appreciation for our national parks, and the part that art has played in raising awareness of these treasured places,” said Vonk. “The submitted work was really extraordinary, making it wonderfully difficult to pick the final pieces.”
Upon learning that she took the top prize, for her work “Holding Stratus Pose, Tenaya Lake” Lompoc artist Nancy Yaki, was surprised and pleased particularly since the piece represents a personal connection with water as a symbol of adaptability and enduring balance in embracing change.
“Amid the challenging times during my chemo treatments, my soul craved the soothing presence of water – driven by longing; I drove to Yosemite, where I discovered Tenaya Lake,” said Yaki. “There, amidst the beauty of nature’s canvas, I embarked on an afternoon paddle-boarding excursion and welcomed the serene lake, experiencing an indescribable connection – a profound realization of the interplay between the ever- changing currents and the unyielding essence of my life. As I held a pose, captivated by the moisture in the atmosphere, the clouds mirrored in the water, and the body of water that held me up, I found a surreal harmony—a moment of clarity that resonated with the core of my being.”
Over 120 attended the opening reception including the
museum’s Founders, mosaic artist, Patti Jacquemain
and her husband, David Gledhill along with supporters
Pete and Beck Adams, Judy and Jack Stapelmann, along
with Board President Kevin Patterson and Board
Members Margaret Weiss and Richard Nagler. The
event featured live music from Michael Holland, and
renowned photographer George Rose documented the
event. All of the many diverse works of art featured in this exhibition are available for purchase with 40 percent of proceeds benefiting the Wildling Museum.
This important exhibition was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation, Pete & Becky Adams, Penny & Joseph Knowles, The Poomer Fund for Anne Smith Towbes, George & Denise Rose, Margaret Weiss, and donors to the Patti Jacquemain Exhibition Fund.
For more information about the exhibition please contact the Wildling Museum via email: info@wildlingmuseum.org or call (805) 686-8315 and visit www.wildlingmuseum.org/news/2023-ca-national-parks-exhibition.
California National Parks: Stories of Water
On view at The Wildling Museum through February 2024
Featured Artists
Allegra Bick-Maurischat, Bob Canepa, Chris Chapman, Vicki Conley, Trevor Coopersmith, Michael Blair Davies, Jym Davis, John Evarts, Nancy Fint, Irwin Freeman, Jan French, David Gardner, Kevin Gleason, Patricia Gould, David Gregory, Kelly Hildner, James Hodgson, Christine Huhn, Ray Hunter, John Iwerks, Larry Iwerks, Christine Kierstead, Diane Lamboley, Margaret Luo, Susan Makov, Michael Miner, Jennifer Morgan, Eric Newam, Bill Saltzstein, Laurie Schafer, Seraphine, Nic Stover, Denise Taylor, Gary Wagner, Nina Warner, Suze Woolf, and Nancy Yaki.
About the Juror | Nathan Vonk
Nathan Vonk is the owner of Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery, where he oversees all sales and acquisitions, advises clients on building collections, and directs social media and advertising initiatives. The gallery offers approximately twenty exhibitions each year, including solo shows for contemporary and historic artists as well as curated thematic exhibitions. Through its research efforts, Sullivan Goss is also involved with scholarship and research for American artists and also has an active publication program. Vonk grew up in a small farm town in Iowa and received a B.A. from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and a masters in Critical Theory in Literature in Brighton, England. On weekend train trips to London, he taught himself art in the museums. After returning to the U.S., he taught English at Ventura College before joining Sullivan Goss.
About the Wildling Museum
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, where art and nature meet, offers visitors a unique perspective on the importance of preserving our natural heritage. Through the eyes of artists, and education and field experiences, guests can renew their relationship with the wilderness and understand its fragile nature – hopefully leaving more committed toward ensuring those spaces remain for future generations. Current visiting hours are weekdays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, and to volunteer or join as a member to support this important local arts and nature institution, please visit www.wildlingmuseum.org