The Styrous® Viewfinder: Jingletown Open Studios 2021 ~ Day One

Jingletown Open Studios 2021

I started out my day at the Jingletown Art Studios then wandered across the street to the 2934 Ford Street Studios.

The Jingletown Art Studios house quite a variety of very interesting work being done. First I visited painter Jill McLennan who also works on community and public arts projects.

Jill McLennan
photo by Styrous®

Then I met a new to me artist, Patricia Guthrie, who not only creates beautiful quilt pieces but is a delight to spend time with and talk about her work. She has shown at the The Westmoreland Museum of American Art and is Professor Emerita and former Chair of the Department of Human Development and Women’s Studies at California State University. Her quilts have been exhibited in various museums and galleries throughout the United States.

photos by Styrous®

From the JA studios I crossed over to the 2934 Ford Street Studios where I passed time with Anastasia Schipani. It was a delight to see her work again. Something new, though, she is making unique key fobs that would be impossible to lose.

Anastasia Schipani & key fob

photo by Styrous®

She had just finished one of her tapestries which was amazing! As with most of her work it is an intricate melding of various items, buttons, tiny figures, who knows what?

Anastasia Schipani tapestry

photos by Styrous®

Anastasia Schipani tapestry detail

I met another new to me artist, Meghan Shimek. What an amazing discovery she was! She is a fiber artist and her sculptures and hanging are beautiful! She says, "I love working with roving, I love that the word rove means to wander, I think that is the best way to think about my work. "

Meghan Shimek

photos by Styrous®

Almost next door to Meghan, I visited Peter Dreyfuss and discovered he was not showing his metal sculptures but rather concentrating on his paintings which are remarkable. His brother and a friend was playing for the guests beside a stand set up by Drawbridge Cellars.

I found Wayne and Roland of Drawbridge Cellars, "A family affaire", where they were serving their fine wines in the parking lot; they had done a pour for a reception at the Gray Loft Gallery (also in the Open Studios) down the street a few weeks earlier.

Wayne & Roland

Drawbridge Cellars

photo by Styrous®

Next to them, playing sax for the people in attendance was Tom the brother of sculptor/painter Peter Dreyfuss, see above.

Tom Dreyfuss on sax with a friend

Just off the parking lot is the studio of Fernando Reyes, who has been there for years. He told me he has had some great things happening for the last couple of years and things are going swimmingly for him. That was certainly good news to hear.

Fernando Reyes

photos by Styrous®

Around the corner of the complex from Fernando's studio I took a look in the studio of photographer, Lisa Levine,She was not in but I got a chance to see what she was up to.

Just up the "alley" from Lisa I made another discovery! Silkscreen printer Randy Rocchi and his partner Arleen. The work is a bit eerie, but with vibrant color that creates a superb effect!

Randy Rocchi & Arleen

interpretations of celestial figures

He is starting a new line with images of musical instruments over imposed on images of people; this is the first one with that theme.

Last, but certainly not least, I popped in to visit with Vida Pavesich, a jewelry designer par excellence I've known for years. She had some clients while I was there, one of them bought a necklace but wanted earrings to go with it. Vida cheerfully arranged to make a pair to match the necklace; one of the many perks of dealing direct with an artist that makes an item you're buying.