Dorothy Stonely

Monterey artist Dorothy Stonely has fond memories of her first box of crayons. “The colors were so exciting,” she says. “My young mind reasoned that if I broke them all in half, there would be even more color. My father, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, understood perfectly. He was my first and most influential teacher of both painting and music.” Her show at Venture Gallery, A Painted Symphony, reflects both of these passions. Stonely was born in Rhode Island and at 18, moved to the California Coast, where she found the freedom to create very non-traditional art in a supportive setting. Although she chose not to pursue a formal art education, taking many classes from other working artists has infused her work with the vibrancy that comes from a community of artists working together and sharing ideas.