From October 25th to December 20th, the Pleasanton Art League hosted its 18th annual Fall Member show at the Harrington Gallery in Firehouse Arts Center. The show consists of
75 works that incorporate different mediums.
“There’s something about this venue—no matter what your painting—it looks better if it’s in here. It’s like getting a good frame for a painting,” said live-demo artist Nancy Roberts.
Inspiring Our Community
Founded in 1969, the Pleasanton Art League (PAL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their goal is to develop creative talents, with the founding philosophy that art is crucial to community vitality. They have members of all skill levels, with a group of over 200 visionary minds.
“The nice thing about the Pleasanton Art League is that it is a community group. [All the]
artists belong, and they’re at all different levels,” said Roberts.
The show provides exposure to new and upcoming artists. For those wishing to join the artist community, attending galleries like this provides a confidence boost, as the galleries encourage them to start submitting art.
“It will help upcomers…[who] will get an idea of getting into [this] work and [doing] their own art. I think it will be an inspiration,” said attendee Nalanda Elangovan.
Invaluable Experiences
Part of the gallery’s draw is the opportunity to view live demonstrations. Nancy Roberts,
an acrylic painter whose art has been featured in many galleries, is one of the live-demo artists that PAL brought in. These demos provide insight to the art community, not just supporting aspiring artists, but also professionals.
“You can always learn something about the different mediums that you can incorporate into the technique you’re trying to perfect,” said attendee Priscilla Walker.
Moreover, these live demonstrates helps break down the idea that art must fall into a strict structure.
“[Roberts] has a free style…It doesn’t need to be a proper format, it can be anything. But the final output, her thoughts—it’s into the paint,” said Elangovan.
Dedication and Growth
Even professionals—like Roberts—suffer self-doubt and criticism. Still, she advises forthcoming artists to take advantage of any chances that come their way, and not to be afraid of making mistakes.
“Any time that you have in your schedule…just do it, and do it again. Let yourself have a giant stack of duds…rule of thumb is if you do one in every ten that you feel good about, that’s great,” said Roberts.
Despite setbacks, obstacles, and pressure, Roberts’ joy in her paintings provides an escape and an avenue to success, an inspiration to the art community.“I was planning for this demo today, and yes, there’s a certain amount of stress involved because I have to perform…but then, at one point, I said to myself: ‘oh boy, I get to paint!’” said Roberts.
