Rocks and Pools

Redwood City, CA - Redwood City, CA. - A chance trip to The Trinity Alps of Northern California in 1976 started a love affair for artist JoAnne Horsfall Beasley and sparked her return to landscape painting. A Palo Alto resident since 1974, JoAnne has become increasingly involved with the diverse landscapes of California.

JoAnne Horsfall Beasley and ceramic artist Karen Truesdell have collaborated for a show titled "Rocks and Pools," which will be presented at the Main Gallery from Feb. 5 through Mar. 9. The artists will host an opening reception on Sunday, Feb. 9 from 4-7 p.m. Both artists will be featured at the opening and the gallery will also have a drawing for Door Prizes, which will include original ceramic works by Truesdell and original paintings by Beasley.

Also at the reception, open to the public, will be music by Bay Area guitarist and teacher Rick Vandivier.

Beasley, a graduate of Cornell University with a BFA and an MFA in painting, delights in the many strokes, colors and shapes that capture her imagination. To quote her husband, "Why use just one stroke when 40,000 will do!"

Beasley's large works are constructed from individual sheets worked in oil pastel and pencil on paper or board which, when glued together, form a whole. This technique allows her to concentrate on the abstraction within the total construction.

The theme of this show, "Rocks and Pools," features two of her favorite subjects: Cherry Flat on the Trinity River is a beloved place and six of the pieces are of this spot. The three triptychs,"San Francisquito Creek", "Big Sur" and "From Skyline," are of other landscapes that have held her interest for years. Each triptych is complimented with additional smaller works that are studies or paintings of these regions.

Menlo Park artist Karen Truesdell has shown her sculptures and pottery locally for many years. She and Beasley first met at Gallery House in the early 70's and Karen has watched JoAnne's work evolve with great admiration.

For this show Truesdell has created open and closed forms in the "Rocks and Pools" theme to compliment Beasley's large paintings. It has also been an exploration in new glazes based on flux saturations and decoration combinations and techniques.

Truesdell was instrumental in bringing the artists' cooperative gallery into being two years ago and it has become a very lively part of the renaissance of Redwood City.

The Main Gallery is located at 1018 Main Street on the first floor of the 1857 John Offerman House across from the new Redwood City Plaza. Hours are 11 to 4 Wednesday to Friday and 10 to 3 Saturday and Sunday. 650-701-1018. www.themaingallery.org.