Page 8 November 27, 2014 TORRANCE TRIBUNE By TerriAnn Ferren Photos by TerriAnn Ferren Last Saturday afternoon, a very special place called Destination Art opened its doors. This non-profit entity in downtown Torrance exploded with people, color, and activity. Chef Shafer was on hand with hot tacos outside, while inside, wine, cheese, and a variety of other delectable treats were offered (by Red Car Brewery, Torrance Bakery, Keegan’s Sports Bar, Luigi’s Pizza, and many more) as crowds of people made their way through the spacious studios. I approached Margaret Lindsey and asked her how this amazing place started and she said, “We had a group of artists that got together about 16 months ago. There were eight or nine of us that started out wanting to do something more for the local artist. We raised money and became a non-profit organization. What we have here is a gallery and working studios for artists. We needed another venue for showing local artists – a lot of the other art centers in the area like to bring people from outside of the area. They bring in people from Los Angeles and farther away and the local artists were without a venue. Instead of just being shut up in your studio at home alone we wanted a community place. That is why we have studios here and this gallery will also double as a classroom where people could come in for classes. We will have ‘paint in’ days where other artists can come in and just paint for the day.” At this point I wondered how someone would sign up to take one of the classes and Margaret continued, “To take a class, contact us through our website: www.destination-art.net or send an e-mail to: destinationartsouthbay@gmail. com.” Painting from Photos and Stamping with Everyday Objects with Rosemary Bandes are examples of the classes currently offered. Anyone can join the group as an Associate Artist for $50 a year, which entitles you access to the studio on certain days to paint. As of the opening, they have 24 artists – 12 of them show in the gallery and 12 are resident artists in the studios. The artists’ work will be displayed in their studios. Margaret told me she is hoping this venture will be an inspiration for the whole community. Margaret then led me into her studio space, where I immediately noticed a beautiful painting of Malaga Cove Plaza on an easel and she told me the style was ‘plein air.’ The French term ‘plein air’ means, ‘done in fresh air’ or ‘done on location’ - outside. “There is a whole movement of plein air artists all through the country who paint on location,” said Margaret. Smiling and obviously enjoying the art on the walls was Torrance Cultural Arts Commissioner Anil Muhammed, who told me, “I think this is very fascinating. The amount of work that’s in here and the level of details some of the artists put in here is just fascinating. I am impressed by the quality of the work. It’s a great place for them to come together and present their work.” Proudly greeting visitors to his well organized studio space, David Wolfram said, “I have been an artist most of my life but I have only been doing fine art the last seven or eight years. I worked for Mattel for over 20 years. I was a product and then design manager and when I retired I started doing fine art. I do a lot of plein air painting. I am really happy with Destination Art because it gives you a lot of room to expand. I have a small studio at home, and I am going to keep that to work on my plein air paintings. But now I have a place to work on my bigger studio pieces here. This is my studio. You have got to follow your dream. The thing I am really looking forward to is the synergy that’s created when you get artists together.” At the last studio on one wing of the facility, I met and spoke with Richard Stephens, who has been in the gallery business most of his life and told me, “I closed my gallery, Cannery Row Studios a couple years ago and when I found this group, I joined it and now I love being here. I am happy I found Margaret – she is so focused – and I jumped on board and things happened.” Across from Margaret Lindsey’s studio was Rosemary Bandes’ space and she eagerly shared, “I do traditional and impressionist landscapes but more recently I have gotten into abstract mixed media and very specifically – something different that I do is hardware art. Actually the first piece that I sold of hardware art was called, Garage Floor for a guy who did a lot of work in his garage. I started a number of years ago when I turned a certain age and I got back into art.” Rosemary’s hardware art was completely unique and different from other displayed. Sparkling eyes greeted me as I spoke with Lois Olsen who told me, “I work in almost all mediums – I sculpt as well as paint. I’m working in acrylic right now and I am doing a lot of abstract painting but I also work in pastel and oil and I paint from life and photographs. When I am doing abstract work, its years and years of understanding balance, texture, color, and then revealing a lot about your feelings about things. It’s sort of improvisational. Abstract art is like jazz is to music. I have studied art for a very long time and I continue to study. There are a lot for people who know a lot more than I do. This is a workshop. I wanted a place where I could work.” Fine Arts Commissioner Dale Korman was beaming, and told me, “When they first came to the commission they were talking about finding a space and then when they did, they were so excited and we were too - and I can see it’s going to be a wonderful future – I think it’s a win-win.” Jane Copper told me, “I haven’t painted in a couple years and I decided to get back into it and I am so happy to start my painting again. Dave, our next-door neighbor here has made us all a rolling cart – each one of us – painted a different color to put all our stuff in. It’s wonderful!” Hope Witkowsky was admiring the art along with her husband, Michael, when I literally bumped into her. Hope smiled and said, “This is one of the best art studios I’ve seen. Torrance needs to have this type of thing. It’s a big compliment to them because they are taking a risk that they are going to sell their art and pay their rent. I am an artist with the Torrance Artist’s Guild (TAG) so I go through and see TAG pieces hanging. I wish we could’ve done something like this in Torrance with the city.” Then my eye was drawn to the back of the studio. I walked over to check out the local familiar subject pieces beautifully done by Al Hagan. “I’ve lived all over the world. The thing that really gets me is every day I’m down at the beach. Torrance really has a beach! This lifesaver shack is just at the beginning of RAT (Right after Torrance) (See Torrance Tribune October 15, 2010) Beach – the clouds that come up and the fog that sits there creates these pictures. I just try and get ‘em on canvas. I’ve been painting not quite 10 years. I was Emeritus Professor of Economics at Pepperdine University,” said Al. All I can say about this opening is ‘wow’. If the enthusiasm, energy, artistic talent, and overall good feelings continue to flow through this beautiful space, I can see this as a new center for artists in the area to work, show, and grow. Congratulations Destination Art! Destination Art is located at 1815 West 213th Street, Suite 135 in downtown Torrance. • TerriAnn in Torrance Destination: Art Artist Al Hagan with his paintings of a lifeguard post at Torrance Beach. Anil Muhammed, Torrance Cultural Arts Commissioner. Bonnie Bicksler, daughter, and Laura Bicksler, granddaughter of artist Lois Olsen. Dale and Howard Korman Margaret Lindsey welcoming everyone to the Destination Art opening. Hope and Michael Witkowsky Artist, David Wolfram A shoulder to shoulder crowded art opening of Destination Art in Torrance. Artist, Margaret Lindsey beside her ‘plein air’ art piece Malaga Cove Plaza. Artist Jane Copper Margaret Lindsey, artist Artist Rosemary Bandes Artist Richard Stephens
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