Art from the inanimate
‘Centerpiece & Still Life’ at Art Central Gallery answers the question, ‘What is still life?’
By Monica Fiscalini — Special to The Tribune
A whole lot of lemon, apple and cup paintings have found their way into my Facebook feed the past few months. I’m always inspired and impressed when my friends take on a new creative endeavor, and I’m getting used to the stream of still life studies coming from Fresno.
Still lifes date to the Middle Ages, and never seem to fall out of fashion with beginning and professional artists. Art Central Gallery’s May exhibit, “Centerpiece & Still Life,” answers the question, “What is still life?” Local artists have captured inanimate objects, both natural and man-made, in old ways, such as two-dimensional oil paintings, and newer, such as photography and broken ceramics.
I hoped to see fruit and found pastel peaches by Jim Peacher. I wanted to see something old world and was rewarded with Jason Mayr’s garlic and onions. Mayr also offers a Buddha in a completely different style. Twila Stofer shows how an artist’s eye for arrangement can also work for still-life photography.
The gallery, which shares the space with Art Central Art Supply, features an assortment of work by area artists in addition to rotating exhibits.
What: “Centerpiece & Still Life”
Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Show runs through June 4
Where: Art Central Gallery, 1329 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo
Contact: 747-4200
This article is reprinted from the Tribune
