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Lili Artel was a late bloomer starting her art work in her fifties. She didn’t obtain her art education until long after an A.B. in English from Hunter College in New York City and a M.A. from San Jose State University, San Jose, California in Librarianship.  Her art studies were received at California State University, Hayward, CA.  She received her Fine Arts credential in 1972.  Her primary focus in art school was in sculpture --ceramic, direct metal, cast metal (bronze), wood and stone carving.    Lili uses primarily non-art materials, rope, all kinds of paper, nylon hose, hair, fur, leather, feather and found objects to create her work.  She uses craft/ textile techniques (embroidery stitching, knitting, knotting, wrapping and weaving often distorted and transformed to achieve textures. She calls in “needle drawing”.    Lili describes herself as a process artist who creates through curiosity and play. “What if I tear rather than cut? What if I unbraid the rope or yarn? What if I glue two pieces of paper together and then pull them apart? Play enters into my work in that I do not start out with a blueprint.  My hands and the materials do  a dance and chance plays a part in the process. ”

Bart Borland lives in Berkeley, Ca.. Born in New York, he was influenced by his parents in his choice of careers. His mother was an artist and his father a scientist and businessman. Bart studied Chemistry as his major and took art classes on the side. In 1967, he moved to the Haight-Ashbury and by 1969, he had a one-man show that was reviewed by Thomas Albright in the SF Chronicle and was described as “hallucinations that follow the tradition of psychedelic posters” and his work was compared by Albright to “Rauschenberg’s silk screens”. His work was loaned to the SFMOMA and he was represented at the Vorpal Gallery during this period. He gave up art while raising a family and returned four years ago when he discovered digital art. The digital medium opened a door and gave him powerful new tools to create art. He states: “This medium is revolutionizing art in America. It enables fantastic composition of patterns, shapes, colors and images inviting the viewer to closer inspection. Photographs are inset among amorphous shapes to give the impression of looking through one reality to another.” Bart seems to embrace the changing times and take an enthusiastic lead in exploring new art tools and creating new art forms that express the times.

Art Brandenburg has been creating art for over 60 years.  He received a B.A. degree in commercial art from San Jose State University and a secondary teaching credential as well as a Masters Degree in Art Education from Cal State, East Bay.   After teaching secondary art in Fremont schools, he retired and now devotes his time to his creative work and to supporting the art organizations in the Hayward area.  He has worked in oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, video and performance art.   His work has been shown at San Francisco Art Institute, the Sun Gallery, the Green Shutter Gallery, the John O'Lague Galleria, Adobe Art Gallery, Cal State, East Bay Gallery, the SFUU Gallery, Mendocino Art Gallery, DACA Gallery and is in many private collections.  In June of 2005, he had a retrospective show at the Sun Gallery.

Carol Jones Brown, has been painting and doing art for over 40 years. She has a BS degree in journalism and a teaching certificate for adult school in fine art, crafts and communications. She has taught art classes at the Adobe Art Center in Castro Valley, then 30 plus years with the Hayward Adult School where she is still teaching one class. She works primarily in oils, acrylics and mixed media. She has had many exhibits over the years and has shown in a number of galleries. Her paintings are in many private collections around the world.   She is a member of several active Bay Area art organizations that display her work. Carol says, “There was a time when I created works that would look great over someone’s sofa—florals, seascapes, etc.   But now I’ve been painting for over 40 years and sofa paintings just aren’t fun to do any more.  Today my goal is to make something that is exciting—a surprise, even for me.  Lately I have been attacking my empty canvases with globs of hot colors in acrylic paint, dancing my brushes around the canvas for a challenging start. “ Her works are magical, stirring and exciting and Expressions Gallery is proud to present her work as part of Masks, Myths, Magic…Chains, Pumpkins and Witches.

Tim Burns is local to Berkeley, Ca. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from San Francisco Art Institute, S.F, Ca. in 1982. His focus then, was Ceramic Sculpture. He was published in “2001 Urbanview- The Box” 3/7/01. He has received a number of awards for his work and has delivered several workshops as a guest artist and has exhibited in a number of shows and galleries. His current works are drawings in pastels. He is intrigued by nature and the “infinite patterns all intertwined of tree branches” and vines. His palette is that of fall colors. He presents his drawings of pumpkins and vines for Expressions Gallery show, Mask, Myths and Magic… Chains, Pumpkins and Witches.

Nancy Calef was born in Bronx, New York, went to Bronx High School of Science and received a scholarship from the College of New Rochelle to study painting and sculpture. In 1977, she moved to San Francisco. She has lived abroad and traveled extensively in Europe, Thailand throughout the U.S., Mexico, Central America, Southeast Asia, India and Nepal,. She paints society from her imagination, juxtaposing characters in ordinary situations and tackling difficult issues using humor and adding the third dimension (sculpture and found objects on canvas).  Her work has been exhibited in various shows and has drawn various comments: "When I first saw Nancy Calef's paintings I thought, 'Now here's an original idea.' As a traditional, old workhorse I don't have much use for and don't believe in classifying contemporary art. I do think a picture should say something and Nancy's subject matter and palette express a view of the world beyond her years. "Jack Levine-- former President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  "Nancy Calef creates "peoplescapes." With a nod to Richard Lindner, a glance toward Red Grooms and a wink at Jack Levine, Calef respects traditional artistic roots when she breaks the plane of the canvas with sculpture and found objects. Calef's satiric eye views the planet from a unique perspective. The journey that began in the Bronx,  was nurtured in the Far East and flourishes in North Beach, has influenced her style, exposing society's foibles with humor - a thread of tolerance in this complicated world. "  George Krevsky-- Owner, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA.   “Her Peoplescapes are a must-see!" Nicole Meoli -- Where Magazine.  “Now, this is art with an attitude!” Former Mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown

Elizbeth Dante is an artisan who is highly skilled in all aspects of casting and carving, She works in numerous media; notably bronze, and other materials such as cast stone, aluminum. Elizbeth Dante is an artisan who is highly skilled in all aspects of casting and carving, She works in numerous media; notably bronze, and other materials such as cast stone, aluminum, resin, concrete, and carved marble.  While a gemologist living and traveling in Brazil, Panama and Southeast Asia, Ms. Dante attained an affinity for the Third World.  This ever-present influence has provided Elizabeth with stylistic inspiration for her work ranging from classical naturalism to stylistic narration.  Much of her sculpture explores the dynamics between round organic forms and hard rigid angles.  By exaggerating this interplay, her work creates a sense of tension which is both lively and sensual. Ms. Dante has said that her work combines ancient and modern rituals, extracting archetypes and stylized motifs. ”I pay homage to the many facets of the human spirit, characterized by warmth, humor and sometimes political commentary.” Although she utilizes an academic background that includes the Gemological Institute of America, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the College of Marin, Ms. Dante remains essentially self-taught.  She has honed her craft by working for established sculptors, most notably Elio Benvenuto.  While an artist assistant to German artist Toni Bruchert in Pietra Santa, Italy, Ms. Dante learned traditional techniques and methods for sculpting/enlarging and casting/finishing bronze; patinas; and marble carving.  Most recently as a patina artisan, Ms. Dante has worked with Bay Area Artists Steven DeStaebler, Bruce Beasley, and Ruth Asawa.  Ms. Dante has exhibited in numerous shows in the United States and Italy.  Her outstanding works have been showcased in collaborative efforts such as “Art on the Rock at Alcatraz”, and “The Day of the Dead” Exhibition at The Museum of Mexican Art.  In 1990, she received the prestigious Art of Peace Award from the Artist Embassy International for her sculpture “Woman's Liberation”, which was chosen by the Oakland Art Commission as a gift to Nelson Mandela and the people of South Africa.um, resin, concrete, and carved marble.  While a gemologist living and traveling in Brazil, Panama and Southeast Asia, Ms. Dante attained an affinity for the Third World.  This ever-present influence has provided Elizabeth with stylistic inspiration for her work ranging from classical naturalism to stylistic narration.  Much of her sculpture explores the dynamics between round organic forms and hard rigid angles.  By exaggerating this interplay, her work creates a sense of tension that is both lively and sensual. Ms. Dante has said that her work combines ancient and modern rituals, extracting archetypes and stylized motifs.”I pay homage to the many facets of the human spirit, characterized by warmth, humor and sometimes political commentary.” Although she utilizes an academic background that includes the Gemological Institute of America, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the College of Marin, Ms. Dante remains essentially self-taught.  She has honed her craft by working for established sculptors, most notably Elio Benvenuto.  While an artist assistant to German artist Toni Bruchert in Pietra Santa,Italy, Ms. Dante learned traditional techniques and methods for sculpting/enlarging and casting/finishing bronze; patinas; and marble carving.  Most recently as a patina artisan, Ms. Dante has worked with Bay Area Artists Steven DeStaebler, Bruce Beasley, and Ruth Asawa.  Ms. Dante has exhibited in numerous shows in the United States and Italy.  Her outstanding works have been showcased in collaborative efforts such as “Art on the Rock at Alcatraz”, and “The Day of the Dead” Exhibition at The Museum of Mexican Art.  In 1990, she received the prestigious Art of Peace Award from the Artist Embassy International for her sculpture, Woman's Liberation, which was chosen by the Oakland Art Commission as a gift to Nelson Mandela and the people of South Africa.

Sean de Haast, a native Zimbabwean, is a ceramic and mixed-media artist/teacher living in Berkeley. Prior to relocating to the East Bay, Sean lived in San Diego where he developed a Somatic Artmaking curriculum designed to facilitate body-mind integration using masks, mandalas and collage. 

Ella Driscoll is a native San Franciscan. She attended the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with a B.S. degree in Public Health. For many years she worked as a medical technologist in bay area hospitals and clinics.  Regarding her formal art training, she studied art at Berkeley Evening High School, City College of San  Francisco, and with Richard Yip , watercolor artist, and with Rupert  Garcia, Chicano artist.  She also studied photography with master photographer, Allen Stross and at San Francisco City College and San  Francisco State University and continued her formal art education when she was awarded a scholarship to the Academy of Art in San Francisco, California.  Ella has had a number of solo and group shows and has received a number of  prestigious awards for her work. Her work has been shown in juried shows in New  Mexico; Idaho; Washington; Krakow, Poland and locally at the San  Francisco Women Artists Gallery.   Her awards include, Purchase Prize,  San Francisco Art Festival, Best of Show, San Mateo Art Festival, New  Brunswick  Bureau of Tourism, State of Alaska, Photography, Pacifica,  California, Photography.  She has several Merit Awards from the San Francisco Women Artists.  Ella states: “I try to portray in my work the area between life and reality and the  unreal or fantasy, while still maintaining a sense humor.  I find this leads me to collage, assemblage., sculpture, "shoe art"  and boxes.

Andy Fletcher, is a Bay Area artist who is self taught. Most of his formal Art Education occurred in Jr. High School. He states that his interest in painting things that you see everyday arose from watching box cars as a child and noticing that each car though similar was very different and interesting.  His work is reminiscent of the work of Andy Warhol in that he paints mundane every day images of products and ads that are part of our everyday experience. He presents his candy and pumpkins, as appropriate entries for the October show at Expressions Gallery, Masks, Myths and Magic…Chains, Pumpkins and Witches.

Rinna B. Flohr is an interior architect and designer who also is a floral designer and makes jewelry.  Her jewelry consists of earrings which she calls “sculpture for the ear” as well as bracelets, pendants.  Rinna believes that in a world where we have become so mobile and where we no longer have offices but cubicles, that walls have disappeared and that our bodies have once again become the pedestals for art as in times long ago when we wandered as nomads and wore our trophies and precious adornments.  She is also a floral designer and has had her floral designs exhibited in the Legion of Honor Museum and as part of the San Francisco De Young Museum’s “Bouquets to Art” Show.   Her floral art for this show uses Gourds and Pumpkins as well as dried and silk flowers in arrangements that can be used as decorative arts for the season. Rinna is also the founder and Director of Expressions Gallery. More of her earrings and floral art can be seen on her website: http://www.designideas.us.

Paul Graf  has a BFA degree from CCA and is currently a member of the Sculpture Faculty at the Academy of Art University in SF, as well as a yearly guest instructor at the Mendocino Art Center. He was originally from Maryland. He presents “sculptural paintings” that reflect his approach to the interface between 2 & 3 dimensional art through  the raised textures that are the graphic results. In different lightings and viewed from different angles, many aspects of the image come forward or recede as you move about. Rhythmic forms and patterns with subtle shifting are used to create atmospheres, or small worlds in their own right. In "You've Been Framed", the denizens of darkly lit alleyways creep around between several levels of Noir City

Melanie Hofmann is a local Berkeley artist who has worked with projected digital art for theatre, digital video and with image transfer to materials including fabrics, tile and Italian charms. Her studio, Moonfire Digital Art and Textiles is located in Berkeley. She has exhibited in numerous shows and been part of various events and productions. She states, “My work in this exhibit is an exploration of color, texture and distortion using the human skull as a reference point. The skull often conjures images and thoughts about what we become after death and with the realm of spirits and our ancestors.”

Janice Meyer-Kirkpatrick was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and immigrated to the Bay Area as a child in 1981.  She retained vivid images of tribal African Art and the energetic pulse of Africa.  In her senior year of High School, she won the Capitol Arts Program Award initiated by Senator Jackie Speier. She earned an AA degree from the Community College of San Mateo and her BFA degree in painting and sculpture from San Jose State University in 1993. She has exhibited in the Bay Area with a one-woman show and in many group shows and coffee houses. She has sold her works both privately and publicly for the past 10 years.

Athens Kolias known as Athens K. Designs lives in the Bay Area and handcrafts elegant and whimsical purses.  A veteran of the fashion accessory world, Athens started designing her handbags as an answer to the need to carry some essentials when she went out dancing.  She uses many wonderful fabrics collected over the years. These include fabrics from the window displays of the high-end fashion and interior design worlds. All her bags are made individually, with no purchased handles.  All zippers are embellished with either a tassel or a bead or something interesting.  Linings are just as important as the visible side of these purses, and many times present a whimsical design sense.  Tassels, beads and dangles frequent these artful wrist bags.

Jonathan Kwak is a graduate San Diego State University and studied at L’academia Belle Arti in Firenze (The Art Academy of Florence) in Italy from 1998-1999.  In April 2003, Mr.Kwak received the honorary mention award of “Taste of Arts” The National Arts Program competition in San Diego.  Also In 2003, Mr.Kwak involved volunteer and assistant projects famous international artists like Andy Goldsworthy and James Hubbell.  Over the past two years (2004-2005), taught art at O.F.A.S.S (Oakland Fine Art Summer School) in Oakland, California.  Mr. Kwak has been working on “ X ” image for 9 years and continuing on this theme.  He has been shown his work in Italy, San Diego, and around the Bay Area.

Kristin Lamb started producing and studying art in high school.  She became interested in mural painting in 1996 and she painted her first mural that same year.  Kristin graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from California Polytechnic State University in 2004.  While in college she extensively studied painting and drawing, although she also had a chance to learn about graphic design, ceramics, glassblowing, photography, costume construction and jewelry design.  Her work usually consists of a combination of several mediums and has been described as surreal fantasy-scapes.  Kristin had the unique opportunity to study textile conservation at Hearst Castle during her senior year in college, during the course of the internship she fell in love with textiles and her most recent work reflects her passion for the medium. In this show, Art: Recycled and Found, Kristin offers us three types of artwork: 1) textile art with recycled materials in the form of scarves, 2) 3-D Art Boxes with fantasy-scapes using recycled papers and objects and 3) Greeting Cards. Kristin currently works as a Product Development Coordinator for Bentley Art Publishing Co. and as the Expressions Gallery Coordinator.

Coral Lambert, currently living in the US, was born and raised in England and studied at Central School of Art in London, Canterbury College of Art, Kent and received her MFA in Sculpture from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1990.  Since then Coral has shown her work extensively in England and America including The Barbican Center, London, Franconia Sculpture Park, MN, Convergence, in Providence, Rhode Island, Grounds for Sculpture and twice in Chicago’s International Navy Pier Walk. Coral Lambert has lectured as a visiting artist at the Royal College of Art, London and RIT, New York among many others. From 1995-1998 she held the position of International Artist/Research Fellow in cast metals at the University of Minnesota. In 2000 she was invited as the semester visiting artist at the University of North Carolina and has returned there several times since. Coral is the Founder of the US/UK Contemporary Cast Iron Sculpture Residency Program that has taken place in England and America annually since 1997. A recent recipient of the Jerome Fellowship and Gottlieb Foundation Award, she also has artwork in several private collections. Coral was Co-Chair of the 5th International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art. Her artwork references asteroids, standing stones and volcanoes; icons of transformation that careen between astronomy above and archaeology below. Central to her work is the exploration of concepts related to growth and form, with a particular interest to those specifically found in natural phenomena that contain some kind of metaphysical presence.

Jennifer Wallace Mack has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute.   She works in various media: painting, photography, mixed media, and jewelry. Her work is consistent in the quality and detail in each medium she applies.  She has exhibited at a number of solo and group shows, many of which were juried.  Shown at Expressions Gallery are her mixed media paintings and her magnificent jewelry.   Jennifer has served on various Board of Directors for long standing Artist Organizations such as the San Francisco Women Artists where she was a past President and continues n the current Board as Vice Treasurer and The San Francisco Gem and Mineral organization where she is currently Treasurer. 

Patricia Meyer graduated with a BFA from the University of Witwatersrand, Johanesburg, South Africa. She studied ceramics with Vaughn Scott and etching with Guiseppi Cattaneo, artist and lecturer in fine arts, and lithography at San Francisco State University. She exhibits her mask paintings at the show at Expressions Gallery. Patricia has exhibited in major galleries and museums throughout South Africa where she gained considerable recognition. In California, she has had one person, two person and group shows. She has been written about in various articles and has numerous commissioned art sales, two of the more notable were a Watercolor for the Consul General for France of a home and a Pen and Ink study for the ORT Commission.

Udi Peled is a local artist whose work has been purchased for exhibit at the Berkeley Jazz School.  In addition, his work adorns many a catalogue cover for UC Berkeley.  He has shown his art at various select galleries.  Born in Israel, he is now living permanently in the United States. Udi blends expressionism with a style based on raw talent.  Udi’s versatile works are a favorite amongst local art collectors. He is available for commissioned art works as well as the artwork that is displayed in this show.

Scott David Plumlee is an authority on ancient chain designs. He has recently published a book entitled “Handcrafting Chain and Bead Jewelry”.

Laura Rattay is a local artist. She is self taught as an artist. She only recently started to make unusual purses out of cardboard and images she assembles. This is the first gallery show she has ever entered and Expressions Gallery is pleased to present Laura’s creative work

Sandra (Sandy) Ruhl was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Educated as an RN, most recently she has worked in oncology and cardiology research.  About 10 years ago Sandy discovered photography helped her to see more of the world and gave her a good reason to be outside and others, when viewing her photographs, said she had a “good eye.”  Sandy’s prints and slides have won awards in competitions at the Millbrae Camera Club, the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs, the Mid-Peninsula Photographic Alliance, the San Mateo County Fair, and the San Francisco chapter of the Sierra Club.  Sandy has donated photographs to the Burlingame Public Library, the San Mateo County Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society and the San Mateo Sunrise Rotary Club.  She has taken slides for use by the Friends of Mills Canyon in educational presentations and has led two photography walks through the canyon.  Her prints have been on display at various San Mateo and Santa Clara county locations, including Filoli.  Sandy initially sought to record her impressions of natural beauty.  She now also seeks to capture “interesting” images wherever she finds them.

André S. Wagner was born in 1980 in Burgstädt, Germany. Ttrained as a photographer, he creates unique photographs of landscapes of his travels around the world. The photographs in this show are taken in India, Spain, Eastern Europe and New Zealand. The pictures are composed by means of long-term exposure and in some cases, the help of a fire-artist. His fascination is with light and the landscape. He photographs the natural movement of light and also creates light with fire kept under control. The fire artist wanders through riverbanks spinning a fireball at the end of a long baton. With long-term exposure, the fire appears to be dancing in circular patterns through the landscape producing a surrealistic effect of energy that when combined with the rotation of the earth as Andre puts it “leads man to delve into the mystic knowledge down deep in his soul.” Andre has entered prestigious competitions and has won several distinguished prizes. Perhaps the one of which he is most proud is the International contest 13 Hasselblad Austrian Super Circuit where he won a gold medal and thirteen recognitions. His work has been published in a book, in many magazine and other publications and in art catalogues. His unique gift is the sensual way of perceiving the surroundings. With his photographs he shares theses with us. As David Hernández de la Fuente, Author and Poet, Spain states, “The real journey is that of a man who is thirsty to travel towards his own center who leaves an unforgettable impression on the retina of a new view of the world and its elements.

Sara Waugh has studied painting and drawing at Columbia University and the New York Studio School in New York City, The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and SUNY New Paltz in New Paltz, New York.  Her paintings have been exhibited in solo shows and group shows across the United States.  Waugh graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and a Minor in Mathematics.  Both of these subjects continue to influence her paintings.    Waugh works primarily with mixed media, including watercolor, ink, gouache, and acrylic on archival watercolor paper.  The works presented in “Masks, Myths, and Magic” are inspired by the idea that science and magic are not as disconnected as they at first appear to be.  Her subject matter comes from the natural world – including pupae, leaves, trees, and human body parts - and she combines this biological imagery to create an otherworldly, magical atmosphere with layers of paint, delicately drawn shapes, and a “nuanced” palette. Her goal is to bring the viewer on a journey where the everyday becomes mysterious, fascinating, and beautiful.  Waugh is inspired by artists including: Richard Diebenkorn, Frida Kahlo, Pierre Bonnard, and Willem de Kooning.  She lives and works in San Francisco.

Charles Webb holds a post-graduate degree in Psychobiology from the University of Pittsburgh with a specialty in sensation and perception and was a published researcher in this field before moving into media production. He owns and operates a film, video and digital media production company in San Francisco. He has written, produced, directed, and photographed projects in the United States, Europe and China, that encompass diverse genres, including national TV commercials (Miller Beer, Buick, Wishbone, national political candidates, etc.); documentaries (The Black Panthers/”George Jackson Lives”, “The Grateful Dead Movie”, martial artists in the People’s Republic of China “China’s Living Treasures”, etc.); and nationally released independent features (“Honky-Tonk Nights”, “Head-On Collision”, “American Eyeball”). Mr. Webb has created a collection of neo-primitive/neo-shamanic paintings, sculpture, fetishes, jewelry and other artifacts, which seem to have “emerged” from an imaginal tribal culture.  The collection intertwines ancient materials (stones, bones, horns, skins, etc) and methods (painting, molding, cutting, etc.) with the synthetic and cyber (acrylic polymer paints and clay, digital scanning and image manipulation, archival large format ultrachrome printing, etc.). He has been exhibited in San Francisco and Sedona Arizona and pieces are included in several private collections.

Thomas Yarborough was born in Iowa in 1968. He states: I started my creative career as an 8 years old composing songs and inventing a morose code to jot them down, so I would not forget them.  Laying around my house at that time were 1000's of my father's books, among them was a curious little paperback on visual illusions.  Among the Rorschach test-like examples on the pages was a whole chapter on double-imagery; my love-affair began.  In 1984, at Ithaca High School located in Upstate New York I began to fully apply myself to the pursuit of symbolic art and poetry. He received Artist of the Year Award during his senior year in High School in1986 and in the spring of 1996 he was awarded Best Artist from Iowa State University where he earned his BFA in 2000.  This collection of drawings was created between 1986-1988, the very earliest period were I had reached a certain level of maturity, when my drawings became more than mere scribbles.  The influences are quite apparent, heavily inspired by Picasso, Dali and M.C. Escher.