Sometimes an idea is so good, it's best to just steal it. That's what Encinitas artist Mary Fleener thought when she visited a 2008 San Diego art show called "Movers and Shakers," where local artists created portraits (in pencil, paint, sculpture and other media) of San Diego County's most prominent arts supporters.
"I liked the idea so much I 'appropriated' it. OK, I stole it," said Fleener, curator of the new "Artists by Artists" exhibit, in a press release. But she also gave the idea a little twist.
"Instead of rich people or people who gave money, I wanted to pick people who make things happen in Encinitas," she said of the exhibit that opened Tuesday at the Encinitas Library. "I wanted to focus on people who live in the Encinitas area and are working at their art and making their art work for them. These are the people I consider movers and shakers."
She chose 27 artists who in turn created portraits of fellow artists, shop owners and gallery owners. She provided the artists with a size restriction, but not much else. The result is an eclectic collection of works in oil, assemblage, clay, acrylic and photography.
"The one thing I didn't want was Norman Rockwell or perfection," she said. "I wanted artists to try something fresh. I let them run free."
The artists' works are portraits: of Danny Salzhandler by D. Goth; Robert Nanninga by Vanessa Lemen; Alec McTurk by Ana Clark; Rodney McCoubrey by Anne Julian; Mary Fleener by Fred Caldwell; David J by Scott Saw; Jerry Waddle by Max Dolberg; Diane Stacey by Cheryl Tall; Jim and Linda Hornung by Faith Lindley; Brad Schneider by Scrojo; Rob Machado by Rodney McCoubrey; Paul Williams by Drew Snyder; Mike Totah by Diane Stacey; Jeremy Wright by Jean Krumbein; Vanessa Lemen by Brian Weisz; Ron Lemen by Dody Tucker; Kevin Anderson by Jim Hornung; Cindy Lee Berryhill by Ron Lemen; Manuelita Brown by Kevin Anderson; Julia Gray by Jack Quick; Sheri Fox by Roz Light; Jack Quick by Bryson Stein; Roz Light by Nancy Nelson; RAW by Scott Lynd; Dody Tucker by Taina Ringeride; and Scrojo and Scott Saw by Fleener.
"For example, Ana Clark did her portrait of Alec McTurk in found materials because that's what he works in," said Fleener, who is a cartoonist. "My portrait for Scrojo, a poster artist, is a black velvet painting based on Tijuana images, while I used acrylic for Scott Saw."
This is the first time she's curated an exhibit; and while the organizing proved trying, she's impressed by the finished portraits.
"I think people are going to be knocked out by the creativity of these artists," she said. "It really turned into a community project. It takes a lot of work, but great art can happen right here."
"Artists by Artists"
When: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. -5 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays; through Jan. 4; artists' reception 4-6 p.m.
Dec. 13
Where: Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr., Encinitas
Admission: Free
Info: (760) 753-7376
