Water, Nature, Hope Pam Douglas, Julienne Johnson, Joan Ransohoff: Painting to Save the World June 21, 2011 - July 16, 2011

Reception: Sat., June 25, 5-9 pm
Artist Panel: Wed., June 29, 7-8 pm
Water Charity Event: Sat., July 9, 6-8 pm
Book Signing: Sun., July 10, 12-4pm

The Life of Water
Pam Douglas

Pam Douglas, a painter, award-winning screenwriter, and professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts harnesses the energy of water through her new series, The Life of Water.


Her paintings evoke both the generative and destructive power of water though the interplay of bold colors and abstracted images of waves, waterfalls, splashes, storms, sailboats braving the wild seas, and rivers breaking through dry land. Painted on raw linen, the pieces allow the natural texture of the material to react in unexpected ways with paint and ink. Other works are on wood, creating tension between the tough surface with fluid media. The juxtaposition of the materials, colors and images reflect our equally tense relationship with water as both a beloved source of a hope and renewal a fearsome begetter of tragedy and destruction.

Ashes for Beauty: Scene II
Julienne Johnson

Embracing the perennial ideal of HOPE, Julienne Johnson embraces abstraction, the vocabulary of pure color and the energy of paint to tackle global crises. She views the artistic process as the way to work through fundamental human issues and arrive at open ended, cathartic resolutions. A Grammy-nominated songwriter, Johnson brings that same diligence to her renewed passion for painting. Working from the perspective of action-painting, she blurs the lines between painting, sculpture and assemblage. Her up-to-thirty layers of paint, glazes and hand-mixed pigments obscure hidden photographic images and prints. Ashes for Beauty: Scene II is the second in a series of works that explore the process of transformation. Like the Phoenix, the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, this series theatrically symbolizes the potential for hope that arises out of chaos. It celebrates the energy of life, art and transformation.

On Location...
Joan Ransohoff

Captivated by the colorful beaches and mountains of her outdoor surroundings, Joan Ransohoff heads outdoors to paint the beauty of California in her series On Location.... An Illinois native, she captures the unique playfulness and serenity of her landscape with a keen eye for its ever-changing light, heat, wind, and wildlife. Her paintings are a journey for the senses, a tranquil and luminous place encapsulating the beauty of the natural world. Whether painting spontaneously en plein air or controlling light and composition within her studio, Ransohoff’s technique and subject matter present a refreshing, vibrant look at the natural world.