The Figure Revealed | Sierra Star

A Sierra Art Trails special art exhibit, “The Figure Revealed,” featuring 75 pieces by 45 artists, opened Feb. 7 at the Stellar Gallery, 40982 Highway 41.

A gala reception will be held 4-8 p.m., this Saturday (Valentin’s Day) at the gallery.

The Figure Releaved, a juried exhibit, which awarded $1,200 in cash awards, will run through March 8. It celebrates the human figure in art, including but not limited to portraiture, documentary, genre scenes, historical subjects, nudes, body art, the figure in landscape, and abstraction.

The representation of the human figure is as old as art itself. Since pre-historic times the figure has been represented by carvers, sculptors, and painters striving to express and share the human experience through the representation of the human figure.

Paleolithic "Venus" figures are some of the earliest representations of the human form. Their purpose is unknown, but many believe they are fertility totems or representations of a fertility goddess. Others believe they are portraits or self portraits of women.

For thousands of years representations of the figure have been used to venerate gods, historical figures (both real and mythological), and everyday people. Mythological subjects such as Leda and the Swan, Apollo and Daphne, and David and Goliath have been represented over and over from classical times to the present, effectively keeping their stories alive through art.

First place winner in the 3-Dimensional art division is a four-foot tall mixed-media sculpture titled “Momento Mori,” by Andres Villela. First place winner in the 2-Dimensional art division is “Revenge of the Muse,” an oil on canvas painting by Fresno artist Dixie Salazar.

The exhibit will be curated by Kris Kessey, art professor at CSU Fresno, and Norma Rogers, accomplished sculptor and owner of Mountain Comforts in Oakhurst.

Sierra Art Trails is seeking sponsors to help us fund the exhibit. Sponsors receive sponsorship benefits based on their contributions including logo placement, inclusion in marketing materials, and inclusion in the annual Sierra Art Trails catalog. Sierra Art Trails is a 501c4 non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting working artists and artisans by promoting and showcasing their work.

Sierra Art Trails

A “Call to Artists” has been put out for the 2015 Sierra Art Trails Open Studio Tour that will be held Oct. 2-4. The event takes place in communities throughout Eastern Madera and Mariposa Counties.

Sierra Art Trails is open to visual artists and artisans working in all media including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, woodcarving, digital art, jewelry, textile arts, and art glass. Submissions are juried by a panel of art professionals to insure a high level of quality in the work offered during the event. The submission deadline is May. 1.

Details: Stellar Gallery, (559) 658-8844, email: info@sierraarttrails.org, sierraarttrails.org; or Michael Costa’s video on Facebook.