Visuals 12.08.22

ELIZABETH BARLOW

Set in conversation with flora – and fauna-inspired works from the Monterey Museum of Art’s permanent collection and select loans from the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Flora Fauna presents a visual celebration of the natural world centered around the work of two California representational artists, Elizabeth Barlow and Susan Manchester. The exhibition examines how representations of the plant and animal kingdoms have evolved over the last three centuries. Beneath the surface of their near-perfect semblances of beauty, Barlow and Manchester share a reverence and concern for the natural world that sustains their work and artistry. Barlow lives in Carmel. The above work is titled Glory (oil on linen) and the show is now on display at MMA. 

MONTEREY ANGELS

An unusual opportunity to see art during this very special season: Doug Bilse and his neighbors in Monterey have been meeting every week since the pandemic started. “We originally met on someone’s driveway and placed chairs safely apart allowing us to socialize through the hard times,” he writes. “We’ve become an extremely close community.” At one of these driveway meetings last year, they thought it would be fun if the neighbors got together on a fun craft project so that the street could display its own work, specifically angels, and get into the holiday mode. “The past month we’ve been bouncing to each other’s garages, watching progress and giving advice and encouragement,” Bilse shares. The results are several holiday angel figures – see one above. The angels are prominently displayed along Via Ventura in Monterey.