“FACE2FACE, Hello Again” Runs March 28 to April 28 at the Brooks Theater Gallery

Featuring Portraits and Self-Portraits, Artist Open House Welcomes the Public Friday, April 5

(Oceanside) March 26, 2024 – Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC) is pleased to announce a new exhibit FACE2FACE, Hello Again! Pet portraits will mingle with family ancestors, faces of joy may contrast with downcast eyes of sorrow, celebrities draw the eye, while everyday people have a brief moment of attention. The show runs March 28 through April 28 at the Brooks Theater Gallery in the lobby of the Sunshine Brooks Theater in Oceanside and can be viewed cost-free. An Artist Open House, open to the public, will take place Friday, April 5 from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. 

“Last year’s FACE2FACE exhibition of portraits and self-portraits was so popular that we’re bringing it back with FACE2FACE, Hello Again!” said gallery curator and OTC Board Member Carol Naegele. “Come take a deeper look at the story told by each portrait and self-portrait. You’ll look into the eyes of real and imaginary individuals and perhaps see yourself in their story.”

Featuring a variety of artists from different backgrounds, the portraits include family members, famous people and strangers turned friends. Lois Athearn met the subject of her painting “Leap of Faith” on one of her adventures. “I met this gal on Catalina Island and in talking with her found she was very ‘theatrical’ and had a story to tell,” said Athearn. “I needed to capture this feeling of emotion…”

Other works of particular interest include portraits of Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Anne Frank by Krista Timberlake. Of her Ruth Bader Ginsburg piece entitled “RBG” Timberlake explained, “I completed this soon after her passing. It felt important to pay homage to such a pillar of feminism and women’s rights, in a time when the country is rolling back the rights women have fought for so long and hard.”

Viewers might overlook another celebrity portrait done by regular exhibitor Christina Rosenthal. Her “Self-Portrait with an Eagle Owl” isn’t just any bird. “While working on an art project in Park City I got to meet this owl who was featured in Harry Potter as Ron Weasley’s owl,” said Rosenthal. “I will never forget his calmness and his big orange eyes.”

The Brooks Theater Gallery is located in the lobby of the historic Sunshine Brooks Theater in the heart of Oceanside’s Cultural District. With year-round exhibits curated to relate to the themes of Oceanside Theatre Company’s main stage and youth productions, the gallery is seen by art lovers, theater goers, music lovers, tourists, and the Oceanside community. Artist Open Houses for each exhibit offer an opportunity for the public to meet the artists and enjoy the exhibit, cost free. The Artist Open Houses, often coinciding with Oceanside’s First Friday Art Walk, include ambient music, an artist-at-work on a new piece, and light refreshments.

CURRENT EXHIBIT DETAILS

FACE2FACE, Hello Again!

Exhibit Dates: March 28-April 28

Artist Open House: April 5, 5:30-8 pm

The free exhibit is open before and during most main stage events. Call 760-994-5975 to schedule an exhibition tour during the week.

Brooks Theater Gallery at the Sunshine Brooks Theater

217 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside

OceansideTheatre.org/brooks-theater-gallery

FEATURED ARTISTS

Lois Athearn, “Claiming Her Place in Jaipur” and “Leap of Faith”

Born in eastern Pennsylvania, Lois Athearn received her formal education in nursing and has always had a love of theater, music, and art. She also enjoyed sailboat racing which led to her buying a sailboat and racing in offshore races, including the Newport to Ensenada races. Upon retiring, she pursued a completely different adventure taking art classes at a local community college and attended many watercolor workshops. She has received many awards in different galleries and was accepted in an international show in the Czech Republic.

About “Claiming Her Place in Jaipur”

“This one tore at my heart strings and got deep inside my soul. Little girl sitting at a roadside in Jaipur, India.”

About “Leap of Faith”

“I met this gal on Catalina Island and in talking with her found she was very ‘theatrical’ and had a story to tell. I needed to capture this feeling of emotion and desire to be painted.”

Cherrie Anderson, “Elise Reflecting”

Cherrie Anderson is a photographic artist who began to study photography seriously when she retired to San Diego from Washington DC. Her photographic process encourages her to see the world from unusual viewpoints, and serves as a form of meditation, centering and calming her mind. Anderson’s work has won two first place ribbons in the Coronado Flower Show photo exhibition. At AgeWell photo exhibitions, her Memory Cafe Mix won third place in the Artistic category and Calliandra Colors won second place. Her January Anklebreakers, won AgeWell’s last-ever competition for the cover of the Scroll’s Winter 2022-23 newsletter. Anderson’s photographic art has been displayed at the Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad, the Ashton Gallery in San Diego, the Brooks Theatre Gallery in Oceanside and the San Diego County Fair photo exhibition. She hopes that in a small way her artwork may bring beauty and pleasure to others.

About “Elise Reflecting”

“This is a candid shot of my daughter taken at a lovely intimate birthday lunch she hosted for me. We were sitting on a sunny patio, and I was struck by her thoughtful expression and the way her sunglasses reflected the happy occasion.”

Marina Anta “Birds Fly to the Music”

Although born and raised in Russia, Marina has spent the better part of her life living in different parts of the world. Her professional art career began over a decade ago, with various roles at art galleries and museums in Virginia, USA. She then earned a Fine Art’s degree in Italy, and is now working towards a Contemporary Art’s degree. Marina’s art has been exhibited in South Korea, Italy, Malta, Russia and The United States, at both museums and galleries. Her latest showing was at the international exhibition of The Watercolor Society, where her piece earned multiple rewards. She currently teaches art at Art on 30th, and continues her own work, utilizing various media, including photography, painting, and digital video art.

About “Birds Fly to the Music”

“I research patterns based on cellular structures, plant, animal and soil microorganisms, sea creature colorations, geological formations, and galactic and planetary nebulae. Then I abstract and juxtapose their similar organic shapes and surface properties. Here I have applied this technique to the human face, treating its topographical shadows as independent bodies floating or embedded within their own archipelagos.”

Micki Brown, “Spectacles”

Micki Brown was born in Medford, Massachusetts in 1969. She received her BFA from the University of Michigan, School of Art and Architecture in 1991 and is currently in the UC Berkeley X Painting Program. Brown’s work has been exhibited throughout Southern California, most notably with, but not limited to, the Oceanside Museum of Art Alliance, San Diego Art Institute, Ashton Gallery (San Diego), and Brooks Theater Gallery (Oceanside). In addition, Brown’s paintings have been shown throughout the country and internationally. She has been published in The Brooklyn Art Library Book “Portrait” Volume One, Jen Tough’s “Small Art” Book and featured in multiple Apero Show Art Catalogs. She is a member of Oceanside Museum Artist Alliance, San Diego Watercolor Society, and the North County Society of Fine Artists, among other organizations.

About “Spectacles”

“This piece is a tribute to an era of dreamers. A time when adventurous and creative people from many different backgrounds came to California and made it their home.”

Mary Dunlap, “In Havana”

Mary Dunlap’s passion for exploration of art through different themes always brings her back to the human form. She is fortunate to have studied under Maria Carmen Calvo, Hyatt Moore, and currently Janine Salzman. 

About “In Havana”

“My piece is a depiction of Deborah Harry cruising through the streets of Havana in a vintage vehicle during her concert tour in 2021.”

Lisa Gardner, “My Honey and Me”

Lisa Gardner is a retired middle school English teacher who has always enjoyed the visual arts. The years when her schedule included art were always her favorite! Now, she finally has time to create. Painting, drawing and the occasional printmaking adventures are her “jam.”

Rachel Farber, “Her Story to Tell”

Rachelle Farber is a local California artist/photographer in San Diego County. It is her honor to share ideas and concepts with her community.

About “Her Story to Tell”

“This woman is experiencing her world.”

Betty Hageman, “Take the Fork”

Betty Hageman grew up on 50 acres Michigan forest and wetlands. After obtaining her B.S. in Art with honors, she began her career as a graphic designer. Her focus was environmental sustainability and natural resources management issues. Diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean coral reefs first inspired her to explore artwork using transparent color layers to build visual depth on canvas. In 2006, Hageman was accepted into Seattle’s new Artist Trust Edge Program for professional artists. She began exhibiting in numerous juried exhibitions and gallery shows. That lead to artist residencies and fellowship awards in Georgia, Wyoming, Oregon and California. Among other awards and commendations, Hageman received a First Place Award from the Eastside Association of Fine Arts at their 2011 Open Juried Abstract Show in Seattle. Betty moved to San Diego in 2019, where she continues to offer graphic design services, fine art sales, and creative thinking workshops.

Kurt Lightfoot, “Quincy Brooks @ OMA-AA”

Kurt Lightfoot’s mission is to create narrative and interpretive images and projects that have significant meaning to the viewer. He thinks that the visual narrative should not be like a question or hint, it should be more like information, an answer, or statement; i.e. it should communicate. 

Galina Marcus, “Mother 60”

Galina Marcus is a self-taught artist, a mental wellness advocate, and an environmental enthusiast. She was born in Moscow in the mid-80s where she lived and worked until moving to San Diego, CA in 2015. Although she painted and drew since early childhood, she only began pursuing a career as a professional artist in 2018 when she decided to join San Dieguito Art Guild in North County San Diego. She works with a number of media with a particular affinity for acrylic painting and mixed-media collages. Her work varies from pure abstract to quite representational, but always with a spin of symbolism and surrealistic influences.

About “Mother 60”

“This portrait is a gift for my mother’s 60th birthday this year. She lives in Moscow, so we can’t celebrate together for obvious reasons, nor can I ship the original portrait to her.”

Carol Mansfield, “Eclipse”

About “Eclipse”

“This could be an orbital event – or interpreted as one personality that overwhelms another.”

Anne Phillips, “Lost At Sea 2”

Anne Phillips is an artist living in the San Diego area. She had an untamed childhood, raised in the California mountains under a wide open sky. Growing up, Phillips and her sisters would tool around the lonely dirt roads with their father in his Comet convertible, heater blasting and radio blaring under a shower of stars. The clarity of colors in that dry desert light has driven her passion for bold color, and the rawness of nature powers her love of uncommon beauty. She has a unique perspective that is both intuitive and thoughtful and is always seeking to unearth an offbeat storyline in her work. Phillips is also an accomplished astrologer and Tarot aficionado and enjoys looking to planetary patterns for inspiration.

About “Lost At Sea 2”

“This is a portrait of my father as a young man, long before I knew him. He was a an old soul and a dreamer, sailing was in his blood.”

Kathryn Peterson, “Beach Buddies”

Kathryn Peterson has been creating art all her life, starting in her home state of Alaska. She lived in many places before settling in San Diego over twenty years ago, earning her bachelor’s in fine art along the way. From remote parts to large cities, she has experienced various countries and cultures. This variety is reflected in her artwork. Peterson works in various genres and media, often addressing events that have touched her life in a personal way, choosing materials and mode that best express the subject, as she embeds layers of meaning. Although her artwork often focuses on the figure, she especially enjoying painting the San Diego landscapes. She never tires of this beautiful place and never forget the blessing of living here in this uplifting community.

About “Beach Buddies”

“I like painting relationships: relationships between people, personalities, landscapes, objects, and especially people and animals. This painting invites you to look at the relationship between the San Diego beach, dog, and woman, and what this is saying. The dress is actually a painting of a recycled-materials dress I made out of melted Styrofoam.”

Carolyn Robertson, “Fluffy”

Carolyn Robertson moved to Poway in 1960 when her dad retired from the Navy after frequent moves around the country. She moved to Vista when she married and raised a family and worked for the Carlsbad School District. In retirement, she took watercolor lessons from various teachers and loves the medium. She also does photography and makes paintings of some of the pictures she has taken.

About “Fluffy”

“Fluffy is not my dog, a friend asked me to paint it for another friend of hers, so I did this from a picture.”

Chris Rogers, “Self-Portrait in Darkness”

Chris Rogers’ work can be serious, but she has a sense of humor in her work as well. It’s filled with brilliant colors and deep thoughts expressed with humor. She uses a variety of mediums and techniques and brings her unique and colorful perspective to life.

About “Self-Portrait in Darkness”

“I often use different-sized eyes to express the inequality in the world; this is the case with this self-portrait.”

Christina Rosenthal, “Self Portrait with an Eagle Owl”

Christina Rosenthal is a Southern California artist who has traveled to many distant lands. 

About “Self Portrait with an Eagle Owl”

“I had the joy of interacting with this beautiful owl in Park City, Utah. While working on an art project in Park City I got to meet this owl who was featured in Harry Potter as Ron Weasley’s owl. I will never forget his calmness and his big orange eyes.”

Eva Shaw, “Selfie with Coco Rose”

Eva Shaw, Ph.D., is self-taught and came to painting in her sixties, after surviving breast cancer. She’s happiest when encouraging the love of art to those who may not traditionally think that art is for them. “If my art makes someone smile or laugh, I’m honored. That’s my goal.” Dr. Shaw is a much-published author and her most recent books are the Beatrix Patterson mystery series: The Seer, The Finder and The Pursuer. She is a mystery writer, university professor, ghostwriter, avid gardener, passionate volunteer with her church, the community, the American Cancer Society, and other causes; devoted reader; and dog mom to Welsh Terrier, Coco Rose. She lives, thrives and paints in Carlsbad.

About “Selfie with Coco Rose”

“Every woman, at one time or another, thinks that she must try red hair. I did and painted this self portrait during my “Red Period.” Coco will always be black and tan.”

Sharman Slye, “Lady in Blue”

Without skill or instruction all Sharman Slye’s efforts to draw and paint floundered until her friend volunteered to babysit while she attended a drawing class when she was 30. That was the beginning. In 2000, the Adobe Gallery in Vista hosted a one-artist show of her work and she sold her first paintings. She has been ‘practicing-up’ since then. Some pieces are frivolous and fun – others are deeply rooted in faith. She has written and illustrated two children’s books.

Cecilia Stagni, “Cecilia (Learn Not To)”

Cecilia Stagni is a mom of three and an artist. She began her artistic journey when she moved to San Diego in 2009 from Italy, earning the certificate in Art and the Creative Process at UC San Diego Extended Studies and taking classes with established artists at the Watts Atelier of the Arts and at the La Jolla Atheneum. She enjoys painting still lifes, pets, and especially people in oil and also loves drawing. Inspired by the old masters of the 19th Century, she likes to add a colorful touch to her works.

Amore Stasilli, “Girl with the Pearl Attitude”

Amore Stasilli is creative across multiple art forms. She does improv and theater locally and wears clothes fashioned on her own sewing machine. She began painting as a teen and is self-taught. She is especially inspired by the Fauvre movement and highly emotive work like that of Matisse, Frida Kahlo, and Basquiat. 

About “Girl with the Pearl Attitude”

“I love to recreate classic pieces with a modern edge to them.”

Lily Tanzer, “Alma in Blue”

Lily Tanzer began her career in the corporate world, but shifted to assisting those experiencing neurodevelopmental challenges. She worked with a range of clients experiencing autism, learning differences, and traumatic brain injury. After almost twenty years as a HANDLE Screener and Practitioner, she has circled back to her first love: art. Her endeavors include fine art as well as shifting her career focus to expressive art coaching. The field of neuroaesthetics, the study of the intersection of brain sciences and the arts, fascinates Tanzer, and helps guide her work with art, movement, and sound therapy for increased joy and healing in her clients. Her love of the ocean informs much of her artwork as well as her love of dogs. She is the author of Travels with the Doggie Lama and The Adventures of General Darci.   

About “Alma in Blue”

“This portrait is inspired by a Hollywood still photograph of the actress Alma Carroll, who worked consistently in Hollywood in both film and print magazines. She retired in the 1980s in Carlsbad, CA and was my neighbor for over 20 years. Her spirit of courage and resiliency is inspirational in the challenges she faced in the Hollywood Casting Couch Era of the 1940s and 1950s. She was an artist herself and has informed my work as an artist and as a woman living life as art.”

Olga Tenyakova, “The Whisper”

Olga Tenyakova is a freelance illustrator and voice over artist. She tells stories in different languages: visual, vocal, English and Russian, and translates them from one language to another with ease. She enjoys experimenting with different media. While pen and ink will always remain her “native visual language,” she currently enjoys working with watercolor, gouache, and colored pencils with a touch of digital. She also grow trees from seeds and sketches people in public places.

About “The Whisper”

“It started as a portrait of a man. But the more I watched his story unfold, the clearer it became – there was someone else in the picture! This mysterious woman changed the energy of the scene giving us a hint of his past and his future. And the red tulips…”

Krista Timberlake, “Frida Kahlo,” “RBG” and “Anne Frank”

Krista Timberlake is a fine artist and graphic designer, originally from Western Massachusetts. After attending UVM for premed and Savannah College of Art and Design, she earned her B.F.A. in painting from UMASS, Amherst. Regarding her drawings, mixed media pieces and paintings, she is intrigued by line, light, texture and color, and is most interested in using watercolor as she loves that it is unpredictable. She also loves collage, drawing, mixed media, acrylic and more. Timberlake gravitates toward creating human figures and portraits, animals, bicycle-themed and music-themed work, in an organic, dynamic and non-photorealistic manner. By day she’s the Entertainment Designer for The Upper Deck Company. 

About “Frida Kahlo”

“She was such a colorful, experimental artist – I wanted to throw some unexpected colors and textures in her portrait and have those epic brows be the darkest part of the piece.”

About “RBG”

“I completed this soon after her passing. It felt important to pay homage to such a pillar of feminism and women’s rights, in a time when the country is rolling back the rights women have fought for so long and hard.”

About “Anne Frank”

“Like so many other girls, I read The Diary of Anne Frank when I was pretty young. The Holocaust was never mentioned or taught in school when I was attending. Her story and words had such a profound effect on me, and I couldn’t imagine that story being played out for thousands of girls my age. The few images that remain of her always looked so hopeful and innocent. What an impact she’s had on millions of readers for over a hundred years.”

Trish Vernazza, “The Balance of Serenity”

Trish Vernazza is an artist, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist and art therapist in private practice in downtown, Carlsbad. She is a humanitarian, intersectional feminist, activist for race, gender, class and sexuality. She is a long time member of North County African American Women’s Association and is aware of her white privilege. She is not afraid to speak her mind or speak for those who can’t. Creating art is her way of keeping a personal diary of the encounters that she has experienced in her life. She is fascinated by culture and how it intertwines in her life.

About “The Balance of Serenity”

“Balancing your thoughts and emotions will aid in helping you find inner peace. This is created by your unique and personal style of daily living.”

UPCOMING EXHIBITS

Mindful Art – Mental Health Support, Love & Understanding

Exhibit Dates: May 3-26

Submission Deadline: April 24 at 5 pm

Artist Open House: May 3, 5:30-8 pm

 

Abundant Color by Sargent Art Group

Exhibit Dates: May 31-July 28

Submission Deadline: May 21 at 5 pm

(Submissions limited to Sargent Art Group only)

Artist Open House: June 7, 5:30-8 pm

 

Laugh Out Loud!

Exhibit Dates: August 2 – September 5

Submission Deadline: July 24 at 5 pm

Artist Open House: August 2, 5:30-8 pm

 

Adelante – National Hispanic Heritage Month

Exhibit Dates: September 6 – October 8

Submission Deadline: August 21 at 5 pm

Artist Open House: September 6, 5:30-8 pm

Art Walk: October 4

 

Strictly Sci-Fi

Exhibit Dates: October 12 – November 12

Submission Deadline: September 28 at 5 pm

Artist Open House: October 12, 5:30-8 pm

 

Happy Holidays by OMA Artist Alliance

Exhibit Dates: November 15 – January 6

Submission Deadline: November 6 at 5 pm

(Submissions limited to OMA Artist Alliance Members Only)

About Oceanside Theatre Company

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC), the resident professional theater company operating the historic Sunshine Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside, is a focal point of the Oceanside California Cultural District (OCCD). OTC’s mission is to produce professional theatrical, visual art, and musical productions for the entertainment and enrichment of the community, present educational opportunities in the arts for children and adults, and provide a safe, state-of-the-art public venue for expansion of artistic endeavors in North San Diego County and greater Southern California. OTC produces a four-show mainstage theater season in the 198-seat venue, as well as a Music Series, play readings and various other events in the adjacent black box theater, Studio 219. An important part of OTC’s mission is inspiring and sharing the arts with local youth through the Youth Theater Arts Program, which includes Summer Theater Camps, a Fall Youth Theater Arts Outreach Program, and onsite After School Theatre Classes at local elementary schools. To learn more visit www.oceansidetheatre.org.