suMMer exhiBitions at the BaKersfielD MuseuM of art May 15 - auGust 24, 2014
Beth Van Hoesen works on paper
San Francisco artist Beth Van Hoesen (1926–2010) spent a lifetime dedicated to drawing and printmaking to become one of the most prominent California printmakers of her time. Prolific and possessing a keen eye for detail, Van Hoesen’s humble renderings of animals, portraits, landscapes, and flowers seem reverently effortless. Courtesy of the E. Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen Adams Trust, this exhibition includes preparatory drawings, lithographs, etchings, drypoints, and aquatints depicting various animals. Beth Van Hoesen, Boris, 1981, Aquatint, etching, and drypoint with roulette printer’s ink on paper, handcolored with watercolor, 15.25 x 17.75 in.
1930 R Street Bakersfield, CA 93301 Museum Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10AM - 4PM Saturday and Sunday 12PM - 4PM 661.323.7219 | www.bmoa.org
MaGnifiCent oBsession
Gaming Relics From The Giumarra Collection
DaViD liGare
River • Mountain • Sea
Beth Van hoesen Works on paper
Kern County at a DistanCe
Three Artists Explore The Residents, Landscapes, and History of Kern County
OPENING RECEPTION THURSDAY MAY 15, 2014 6PM - 8PM FREE TO MEMBERS $10 NON-MEMBERS EXHIBITIONS RUN THROUGH AUGUST 24, 2014
Magnificent Obsession
D av i d L i g a r e
Gaming Relics from The Giumarra Collection Gambling, or in more general terms the act of gaming for either play, pleasure, friendly, or not so-friendly wagers is, simply put, about as American as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. The rebellious spirit and playful nature can be traced back to our country’s origin and has provided a fertile field for risk takers. The Gold Rush time period brought the epicenter of gaming to the western states and in particular California. For over 30 years, George Giumarra has been expanding his collection of artifacts documenting this period in California’s history. This collection is comprised of gaming tools and devices demonstrating how Californians spent their leisurely time in the 1800s in the midst of the Gold Rush days. From playing card watches to cheating mechanisms, this exhibition takes an interesting look at the craftsmanship of gaming machines and the distinct styles that encapsulate a time period so relevant to California’s history.
R i v e r • M o u n ta i n • S e a
David Ligare is one of California’s most preeminent contemporary realist painters. His work is celebrated for its delicate luminescence and heightened attention to detail in his depictions of nature. This exhibition focuses on the artist’s large-scale panoramic work as well as a selection of small-scale preparatory studies. These new works, recently exhibited at the Monterey Museum of Art, are displayed in a contemplative setting to highlight their historical and cultural significance and to emphasize their spiritual impact.
David Ligare, Sea, 2013, oil on canvas, 60 x 90 in.
COVER IMAGE: David Ligare, Sea, 2013, oil on canvas, 60 x 90 in.
Kern County at a Distance
Three Artists Explore The Residents, Landscapes, and History of Kern County This exhibition celebrates the artwork of three California artists who share a love for the residents, landscape, and history of Kern County. Sam Comen, an award-winning editorial and fine art photographer based in L.A., has spent over three years documenting the farmlands and oilfield workers of Lost Hills. His photographs depict a new group of migrant workers, who embody the frontier spirit of the American west. Mary Austin-Klein’s paintings also capture the conditions unique to California. Her small-scaled gems represent the architecture inside Bakersfield and vast landscape surrounding the area. The work of Suong Yanchareon, a master of painting urban landscapes of California, focuses his work on highway passages and desolate structures surrounding the Central Valley. All three artists live outside the area, but are continuously drawn back to the region for inspiration. Together the three artists share their admiration for the environment distinctive to the County of Kern. Suong Yanchareon, Taft Holiday, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 in.
Mary Austin-Klein, Lawns and Palms, 2019, oil on duralar mounted on board, 10.25 x 16 in.
Sam Comen, Lost Hills 3, 2012, digital C-print, 22 x 33 in.