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Bock heads for Gallery Row

You're Invited

Al Joyal

(Updated: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 4:13 PM)

Join the opening celebration of the new location of the Williams Gallery West on Saturday, August 23, from 5 to 9 p.m. Meet Featured artist painter Mary Jane Brewster and dance to the tunes of Kit 'n Kaboodle.

The new location is in the middle of Art Gallery Row, a half-mile north of downtown on Highway 41. Owner of Williams Gallery and all-around Mr. Art is Jon Bock. He told me the new gallery space may be a little smaller, but the storage and work space is much larger, the ceilings are great and the location is ideal. Williams Gallery is now one of five galleries in one location.

The old location had no space to package art to be shipped. The new space is more accommodating to his growing shipping of art due to Internet sales. He will have a large number of items on sale at the old location (40680 Highway 41 next to Days Inn) until the doors close at the end of August. Sale items include pottery, prints, collectibles, fixtures, books and records.

I jokingly say Jon Bock is to art in our Mountain Community as Donald Trump is to real estate in New York City. Bock excels at all aspects of art, from teaching and coaching to creating, selling and collecting.

He has an art-oriented web site business, sells on e-bay, leads the Sierra Art Trails, appraises art and sells art-related works. Bock and his associates have online auction experience, and established contacts with private collectors. He has been recognized by the Madera County Arts Council for his outstanding contribution to the community.

The local art community supports Jon and his efforts. He told me one day eight friends showed up to help get the new location ready. And that many people have put in efforts toward the grand opening.

That is a supportive community!

Williams Gallery West has a large spectrum of local original art including paintings, photography, drawings, gourd art, printmaking, sculpture, art glass and ceramics. The gallery also has a collection of international folk art inducing Indian basketry, textiles, and Native American jewelry.

For more information, call Jon at (559) 692-5551.

Native flute fest

Yosemite Flute and Art Festival is a place to enjoy the Native American flute, world music and art for a weekend in Oakhurst. It features local artists and musicians as well as internationally recognized experts in the field.

The festival will be Sept. 26-28 at Oakhurst Community Park, with vendors, workshops, open mic and entertainment. There will be concerts at Yosemite High School as well.

For more information, go to www.yosemiteflutefest.com or call (559) 641-5980.

Helen Dalgleish

Yosemite Western Artists member Helen Dalgleish will show her watercolors at the United Security Bank of Oakhurst through September.

Helen received a bachelor's degree in fine arts from La Sierra University in Riverside.

She is an exploratory watercolorist who enjoys the challenge of the medium. Often she approaches a painting with flexibility and spontaneity which may turn a painting into a "happy accident!" Other times, she feels analytical and disciplined, working out the details of difficult abstract problems. Much of the work in her portfolio features landscapes, but her most recent interest has been to capture the beauty of fresh flowers.

Helen has been active member of Yosemite Western Artists since 1992. If you wish to contact Helen regarding her paintings, her phone number is (559) 658-8464.

Animal Art

Sheila Boyd would like to announce the launch of her new web site: www.animalartbysheila.com. It's All About Animals, her passion and focal point of her art work.

Sheila is an air-brush artist who has original work on a few cars around town and you can see also see her work in the lobby of Hoof N Paw Veterinary in Oakhurst.

"Enjoy the compilation of work I've done over the years and the joy I get each time I paint the image of an animal," she says.

Al Joyal can be reached by e-mailing aljoyal@sti.net