Art in Walnut Creek
A high class photo exhibit right here in town.
Facebook is good for a lot of things; much more than just keeping up with friends. I have “liked” the Bedford Gallery, in the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek, and thus I get to see when a new exhibit is opening. Like last night.
The new exhibit, Snap, is in two parts–a juried show, which drew artists from all over the country, and a special show of work by Brett Weston.
There must be a ton of people who follow the Bedford on Facebook, because the place was packed. The $5 they wanted to get in, and drink and eat to one’s hearts content, was well worth it. The $10 they wanted for a stapled together exhibit catalog was unreasonable, and they have plenty left if you want one.
The swirling mob
The art was nicely displayed--not too close, in good relation to each other
The juried show was in three sections–landscapes, portraiture and conceptual/abstract. Landscapes don’t usually do much for me, so I don’t have much to say. The portrait work was excellent– a great portrait shows you something about who the person is, not just what they look like.
These Jeff Castleman photos were classified with the portraits, but might have been considered conceptual work, too.
The conceptual/abstract work is difficult to judge–you either get the idea, or you don’t, and if you don’t there just isn’t anything there for you. Some I did, some I didn’t, that’s life in the gallery going business.
On to the Weston exhibit.
For four years in Miramonte High School, I sat behind Bruce Paltenghi. We might not have been the best of friends, but I know the back of his head awfully well.
This good looking guy sat in front of me in math and English class
He must have studied harder than I did, but then everyone did that. He still practices law, but invests and deals in art on the side. He even has an art website, Paltfineart.com
Okay, the point of this is that he has an amazing collection of the work of Brett Weston (son of Edward), much of which is on display at the Bedford, too. Brett follows in his fathers footsteps with wonderful, luminous prints, although he tends more to landscape and still life. His nudes are abstract, unlike the emotive photos his father took of Tina Modotti in the desert.
So that what’s going on right here, right now. Great art you don’t have to go to the city to look at. Or buy–it’s all for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to help sustain the gallery. Give it a look.
Totally Unauthorized 