Scroll down to see the Safe Space Art Gallery!
Show dates: 10/27-11/20/2020
Artists Reception: Cancelled due to COVID-19
The Amador County Arts Council, in partnership with the Tri-County LGBTQ Alliance, is proud to announce Safe Space—an art show celebrating queer culture in rural Americas. Worldwide, all queer and ally artists of all skill levels, all media, and all ages are welcome to submit works of visual, performing, music, multimedia, and literary arts. This show is made possible by the Amador County Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council, a state agency.
Resources
Amador Network of Care LBGTQ+ Resource Guide – A directory of crisis lines, legal resources, local anti-bullying alliances/centers, and more.
Sierra Wind Wellness & Recovery Center – 10354 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA 95642. Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm. LGBT Coordinator Marla Vander Meer: 209-223-1956. Provides peer-lead 1:1 and Group Counseling for LGBT teens.
Tri-County LGBT Alliance – LGBT community servicing the Tri-county area as well as Alpine County.
LGBT National Hotline 1-888-843-4564 – Serving gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people by providing free and confidential peer-support and local resources.
Online Gallery
Alexandra Yakovleva
Artist Bio: Alexandra Yakovleva was born and raised in Russia, in the seaport city Kaliningrad. Alexandra studied in Kaliningrad Art school from 1996 through 2001, with completing an additional year of Art Master Class in the same Art School. During the study in the art school Alexandra exhibited her work in Kaliningrad Art Gallery and Kaliningrad City Hall. In 2007 she moved to the United States and spent almost a decade in gorgeous South Lake Tahoe until she moved to the City of Trees, Sacramento in 2016.
Alexandra primary works in oil medium. She uses oil painting as a language instrument to convey harmonical and peaceful ideas. She experiments with various styles to express what is on her mind. Her art aims to have a salutary effect on the viewer. The effect is reached by smooth brush strokes, palette knife applications, color choice, subjects and shapes. Her predominant style is a figurative abstract and surreal genre. Those genres are free from the traditional representation, which gives unconscious a full force to explore.
Artist Statement: She is looking into a safe space. Space in which she feels accepted, happy, and celebrated. She has sky above her head, and she knows that sky is the limit. She dreams about a colorful future and present. She does not want to miss a moment from the beautiful life that lays before her. LGBT culture in rural communities brings a unique diversity to that community. It helps it to thrive, find new talents, and have broader understanding about our differences.
Website: https://www.alexandrayakovleva.art/
Andre Pace
Artist Bio: The artist task A Retrospective reinforce by the verbal Remains of the image indentfying. These elements they are seen Afresh with expanded expression of Color and patterns it’s not gender nor Identity the complicated issues still Matters leaving visible traces of Contemporary & Mix Media design.
Artist Statement: New from the art dealer’s room and Columnist Series of mix media designers works, oils pastels, crayon, acrylic, watercolor.
Website: https://www.artsy.net/artist/andre-pace/works-for-sale
Ree McLaughlan Brown
Artist Bio: Ree McLaughlan Brown is a local artist, She paints in various mediums and exhibits locally and online. Her website is www.reemclaughlanbrown.ART. Wanting to make a difference, Ree often donates art. Ree earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art and MBA from CSUS.
Artist Statement: “BALANCING” Mixed Media
Artist head spins with dizziness from vertigo, painting in lucid moments with vibrant mixed media. The art is for sale at $140, with all proceeds going to Amador Arts. Framed to 16×20.
Website: http://www.reemclaughlanbrown.ART
Melissa Kowalchuk
Artist Bio: Melissa Kowalchuk was born in Canada Mississauga, Ontario. Melissa loved painting and drawing as a child. Melissa’s father told her she was very talented and to always pursue her career in art. When Melissa grew older, she had three beautiful children and moved to Brampton in 2009. Melissa enjoys painting landscapes, abstract and pointillism style as well as other various styles with acrylic.
Artist Statement: This piece of pointillism artwork inspired me one day as I was driving on an old country road. It’s a black and white farm scene which has a farm house in the back and a fence around the property with a broken fence in the front.
Website: N/A
Emily-Ann Hopkins
Artist Bio: My name is Emily-Ann Hopkins. I grew up in Amador county spending most of my time in the Amador drama room learning about theatre as well as myself. This past year I moved to Humboldt County to study physical theatre at Dell’Arte International. Since graduating the professional training program in June, I have moved to Eureka to start my life. I live with my partner Viv and my cat Egg, who help me create a new safe space for myself. I spend my time working at the North coast Co-op, collaging, and enjoying the beautiful world around me.
Artist Statement: This piece is a collection of short poems and collages. The individual pieces are made from paper bags and unused receipt tape collected from the cooperative grocery store I work at. These poems are about my personal experience growing up queer in a rural community and how I broke free from the constraints I felt on me. From the internalized homophobia to the uncomfortable stares I get when I walk with my girlfriend, I never felt like I was wanted there. The drama room, however, was my safe space. I met my best friend there, discovered my deep love for theatre, and found my true authentic self. I have deep gratitude for that wonderful place I miss so much.
Website: N/A
Alyssa Vargas
Artist Bio: Alyssa Vargas is a fine/digital artist from Pioneer, CA. She is the Program Coordinator at AmadorArts and is a teaching artist with BMCYF’s ‘Space to Create’ program in West Point, CA. She received her Associate’s Degree from Folsom Lake College in May of 2019, and runs an online art business on Etsy in her spare time. She was honored to receive the Kingsley Merit Scholarship Award in 2019 and had her work displayed in a temporary show at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. Her medium of choice is acrylics, and her favorite subject matter for her paintings includes animals, nature, and the human form. She often paints in bright, vibrant colors.
Artist Statement: This piece is a portrait of my best friend. His mother was best friends with my mother, so it was only natural that we became best friends too. In our 26 years of being a part of each other’s lives, we have remained the closest of friends, even with 4 hours of distance between us. Cody and I both grew up together in rural Amador County. He now resides in coastal Mendocino County with his partner Zane and his furry friends Artemis and Rascal. I look forward to their visits.
Website: http://www.alyssavargas.net/
Bonita Gill
Artist Bio: I’ve always loved art from kindergarten forward. I still remember a teacher’s aide who would draw in chalk on the blackboard during lunch when there was bad weather.
I took as much art as possible at Chaffey High School in Ontario, CA, graduating in 1967. I attended a number of Junior [Community] Colleges and attended San Francisco State University, graduating in 1980. My emphasis was on printmaking and I studied lithography, mono-printing, experimental printmaking and art history.
After graduation, I studied painting at night classes, watercolor from James Torlakson, oil painting from Kim Mendenhall and many more. I have had too many wonderful teachers to mention them all here, but to them all, I say thank you.
Artist Statement: On the top is a golden bee. Below is a gazing crystal circled by a eucalyptus leaf. Both top and bottom doors can open or close, A Ceramic Goddess face is inside. Her hair is tree moss and she has a golden metal flower on her forehead. The Goddesses hands hold gold metal stars, as if to place them in the sky.
Website: N/A