Visuals 01.14.20

ERIN LEE GAFILL

Erin Lee Gafill’s family has been woven into the lore of Big Sur with their operation of the roadside restaurant Nepenthe. Growing up in that kind of environment, constantly surrounded by nature and creative people, Gafill was fated to become part of the local art scene. And that she has done. She’s well-known for her abstracted take to the plein-air style that is so prolific within Monterey County. Her works noticeably draw viewers with broad strokes of color – a bright orange sandbar may catch your eye first, and then perhaps you’ll pay attention to the shape, and then afterward, the colors hidden under the surface paint. eringafill.com

ELIZABETH INGEBRETSEN

Elizabeth Ingebretsen is not one to do things in halves. In a local art market that is dominated by landscapes, she stands out working with two of the most fickle mediums: watercolors and oils. Watercolors dry notoriously fast and hardly can be willed into a straight line or definite color, while oil paints dry notoriously slowly. Knowing she possess both patience and precision, she describes her style as “contemporary realism” focusing less on the big picture of a landscape than on the nuance of a scene. She’s done many demonstrations across Salinas and Monterey and has been featured in various galleries including Venture Gallery. elizabethingebretsen.com