The Sunnyvale Sun

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California meets Catalu–a in artist's international debut

By Heather Zimmerman

South Bay artist Mimi Kearns goes international next month, bringing a bit of California to Spain. The painter, a member of the Fine Arts League of Cupertino, will present her first international show May 15-25 at Cardona Castle near Barcelona.

"From California to Cataluña" is a solo exhibition that will feature about 15 of Kearns' original oil paintings.

Cardona Castle is a gothic 9th century fortress that the Spanish government has converted into an historic hotel.

"I've exhibited locally and nationally, and so my next step was to have an international exhibit," Kearns says. When she and her husband visited Barcelona last year, they stayed at Cardona Castle, and Kearns noticed that the castle had salons dedicated to art exhibitions. She approached the hotel's executive director about presenting a show.

The paintings that Kearns will show feature California landscapes. The artist notes that the scenery of Northern California resembles that of Spain's Cataluña region, where Cardona Castle is located. "We loved Cataluña; we thought it was very beautiful," Kearns says. "Some areas reminded us of the Carmel coast, where it was all rocky. Then some areas of Spain remind us so much of our own wine country--the golden hills...it's pretty."

Kearns, a California native, began her career as an artist during the 1970s, as a commercially successful weaver. She received her B.A. degree at UC-Berkeley and studied textile arts at the Richmond Art Center, and in Mexico.

After taking a hiatus from art to raise her family, Kearns returned to the art world about 10 years ago and began studying oil painting at the Pacific Art League, West Valley College and UC-Santa Cruz.

"I like the texture and the feel of oil," she says. "It's a sensual experience, and I prefer it as a medium."

Kearns resides in Saratoga, but she has been a member of the Fine Arts League of Cupertino for more than three years.

"My parents live in Cupertino, and I also like the league," Kearns says of why she joined FALC. "It's a very culturally diverse group and so the art is interesting, representational of cultural diversity and I find that really interesting."

In addition to preparing for her international debut, Kearns is also currently painting a dog for the "Dia de Los Perros" dog park fundraising event in Los Gatos in May, and she will have an exhibit in Saratoga during July.

For more information about the artist, visit www.protime.net.