Welcome to the Blog Of CPSA DC210 San Jose

CPSA District Chapter 210, San Jose, CA

Monday, September 16, 2013

Mike Purdy's Demo at Coastal Arts League Gallery

On Saturday afternoon, September 14, DC210 secretary Mike Purdy took on the challenge of presenting our favorite medium at the Coastal Arts League gallery, in conjunction with our show.  He wasn't quite sure what to expect, nor was anyone else involved in the arrangements.  We were all surprised!  Here's what happened, in Mike's own words....
Saturday afternoon was really fun. It was a success and the customers were happy. It was really awkward at first. A few weeks ago I had sent the gallery e-mails that stated I would not be giving a demonstration. However when I arrived there were 5 people waiting for me to give my "demonstration". Since I didn't want to disappoint anyone I went ahead and gave them a presentation. Luckily I had plenty of pencils and paper to pass around. I spoke for almost 90 minutes about the CPSA, our chapter, pencils, paper, solvents, tools to use, etc. Everyone was very pleased. At 2:30, 5 more people came in and I spoke for another 30 minutes, then I left at 3:00. All 10 people were beginners who wanted to learn CP. They were asking about workshops, and they asked if I would conduct a full workshop in their area. I'm not ready yet, maybe one day.




Kudos to Mike for stepping up to the unexpected demand for information, and representing our favorite medium and our organization so well! This was great exposure for colored pencils, the CPSA, and for Mike.

Monday, September 9, 2013

"Explorations in Colored Pencil II" award winners

Friday, September 6 was opening day for our Explorations in Colored Pencil II show at the Coastal Arts League gallery in downtown Half Moon Bay, CA.  The opening reception was a success!  Thanks to the kind folks at CAL, Chris Swetlin who hung the show, Nenette Santos who took charge of the refreshments, and Mike Purdy who took photos.  An original and several prints were sold on the first day.

There are 40 pieces in the show, by 13 artists.  The show runs through October 6.  Go see it if you can--it's a strong show!  We heard that some of the locals are saying it's one of the best the CAL gallery has hosted in years.

The show was juried for awards by Half Moon Bay gallery owner Ellen Joseph, who had this to say about the difficult task:

Walking into this diverse exhibit, I was struck by the high level of skill visible in each piece. It is amazing to me that colored pencils can produce such brilliant results. It was certainly a challenge to pick just a few winners because each entry has it's unique beauty and story to tell. I applaud all the artists who contributed to this show. Keep up the excellent work!

Here are the award winners!


1st Place and $100:
Rest Stop
by Gemma Gylling

2nd Place and $50:
Sophie by Megan Seiter
3rd Place and $25:
Malibu Succulents II by Phillip Zubiate III
Honorable Mention:
Reflections by Gemma Gylling
Honorable Mention:
California Poppy Quintet by Denise Howard
Honorable Mention:
Pescadero Surf by Christopher Swetlin


Phil Zubiate receives his 3rd Place certificate from DC210 president Denise Howard

Chris Swetlin receives his Honorable Mention certificate from DC210 president Denise Howard
Here are some miscellaneous photos from the reception....




To see even more photos from the reception, click here.