Photograph by Paul Myers
Ed Lucey is the artist who did 'Rose Trio,' a detail of which is seen here. It's part of the 'Hearts and Flowers' show at Aegis Gallery of Fine Art in Saratoga.
Gallery goes flowery for Valentine's Day
By Shari Kaplan
It wouldn't be February without the required Valentine's Day symbolism popping up everywhere: romantic cards in drugstores, heart-shaped cookies in bakeries and a profusion of red and pink roses and carnations in floral shops.
It also wouldn't be February without Aegis Gallery of Fine Art's annual act of rolling all the holiday's attributes into one with "Hearts and Flowers," a group show with a large mix of media from most of the gallery's member artists, who currently number some two dozen.
One of the most creative variations on a theme are frosted glass hearts--resembling traditional candy "conversation hearts"--compliments of Janett Peace of Sunnyvale. A prolific artist, Peace has also crafted blown glass paperweight hearts in many colors, tiny glass millefiori earrings, also in many colors, and vases full of delicate blown glass flowers on long stems.
Among those continuing the "hearty" theme are Los Gatan Gerri Russell, Saratogan Kay Duffy and Cupertinian Mahoko Dahte. Russell, one of the gallery's newest members, contributes Queen of Hearts, a mixed media mask painted an alluring red color. Attached to, or hanging from it are various found objects, including shiny baubles, red foil lips, black lacy fabric and a queen of hearts playing card.
Duffy, as usual, has a considerable amount of paintings and cards, including the colorful Be My Valentine and Hearts Delight watercolor collages and a handful of greeting cards covered in hearts. Dahte also fashions cards, each bearing one small but bright heart on a field of white. Dahte also makes stoneware sculptures and ceramic raku pieces--the former of embracing couples, the latter of heart-covered plaques or tiles.
Not to neglect the flower part of the show's theme, other members have turned the gallery into a blooming garden. Two such examples are Valentine, a large canvas of brilliant white, pink and red flowers by Virginia Fordice of Boulder Creek; and Twosome, a pair of modest pink flowers peeking amid green foliage by Britta Ottersgard of San Jose. Longtime Saratoga artist Yoju has also gotten in the mood with her gouache-on-rice paper miniature floral paintings.
Hearts and Flowers is on display through Feb. 25. Aegis Gallery of Fine Art is at 14531 Big Basin Way in the Saratoga Village. For information, call 408.867.0171 or visit www.aegisgallery.com on the Internet.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
