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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Adriana Suarez and Aldo Ramirez enjoy the work of Sunnyvale artists at the gallery in the Sunnyvale Community Center.
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Creative Arts Center showcases local talent
By KELLY WILKINSON
The Creative Arts Center Gallery at Sunnyvale's community center is a proud testament to the depth and range of area talent. The gallery's latest show, called "A Look at Local Talent," is an exhibition made up entirely of artwork by Sunnyvale residents.
"This was really a way for us to give back to the community and ensure that artists within Sunnyvale had an opportunity to exhibit their work," says Kristin Dance, arts coordinator for the city of Sunnyvale.
The exhibition includes 31 pieces of work from 22 artists, selected from 96 works by two jurors. There are oil paintings, photographs, ceramics, pencil drawings, prints, sculpture, and textile art. The one-room gallery is small and humble, but resonates with the complexity of its varied contents.
For Vicki Philps, resident and painter, the show provided her first opportunity to exhibit her work.
"Painting is something that's relatively new for me, so I had no ideas that [my paintings] would be accepted," Philps says. "And then when I saw the entire group, I was very flattered."
"Coming in as a neophyte, I had no expectations, but I also had no criteria," she says. "From my perspective, creating something is relatively easy, but promoting it and beginning to show it implies that you've got your act together, and I'm not sure I feel that way about my work. So it was a new education and a new direction for me."
Dorit Elisha, who had two pieces of work in the show, said that Sunnyvale's talent is substantial enough to merit more attention. "I've exhibited a lot in the area, but unfortunately there aren't many venues [in Sunnyvale]. I'm really happy to see this show here."
The Creative Arts Center Gallery holds three shows a year: one for children, one for the Sunnyvale Art Club, and one for the Sunnyvale Photography Club. Dance says that the titles can be misleading. "[The two Sunnyvale clubs] do involve Sunnyvale artists, but a large number come from outlying cities," she says.
This is the Creative Arts Center's first show exclusively for Sunnyvale residents, which Dance says came from a suggestion from the Arts Commission.
"Whoever's idea [the exhibition] was, I really want to thank them for being able to show in our own city," Elisha says. "And I hope there will be more opportunities."
A Look at Local Talent runs through May 1 in the Creative Arts Gallery in the Creative Arts Building of Sunnyvale Community Center. For more information, and gallery hours, call 730-7731.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
