Emerging Artists Showcase Talent at Local Gallery

Art connoisseurs filled Coastline Community College Art Gallery showroom last week to view the newest exhibit, entitled, “Emerging,” during the gallery reception on Friday.

Artists of all ages, ranging from local amateurs and Coastline students to faculty members and professionals from Southern California, were invited by exhibit curators Jay Sagen and Anita Sinclair to showcase their developing artwork, completed from the past to the present.

“There is a lot of gray to who is ‘emerging,’” said gallery acting representative Shea Mayberry. “There is no age limit since artists are always making medium adjustments in different points of their career, whether they are new or professionals in the field.”

For Coastline student Rob Woulffraat, the exhibit will be the first time he gets a chance to share his talent in a professional gallery. His painting, “Man’s Bestfriend,” represents his love for dogs and features a black dog contrasted by a colorful background on a five-foot by six-foot linen piece.  

For Pamela Grau, a long time sculptor who has sold many pieces during her career, being featured at the exhibit was an opportunity for her to officially share with the world the turn of direction she has taken in her life and in the world of art.

During her fight with cancer, Grau had made the decision to seek alternative means to expressing her creativity during undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. She had little energy to continue sculpting and began integrating smaller 3-D art with flat surfaces to form the two pieces displayed in the exhibit. Grau’s discovery in a new medium has changed her professional outlook and is allowing her to be free of being stylized. “The joy of being ‘emerging’ is not feeling like I have to be something,” she said.

Other feature artists, such as Rick Frausto, a 15-year found-object artist, value the development in his art and style and believes that to be successful means to always be advancing in exploring different techniques. “I’ll probably still be emerging until I’m in my 60s,” he said. “It’s always good to have some room and space to grow and learn as I go along.” His 1950s-inspired whimsical characters made from collected everyday-use material, such as bottle caps, wires and even baking ware were chosen for the exhibit to display an eclectic style of art.

The art gallery will also be honoring in loving memory of past artists, Lynn Morgan and Ray Jacob, with the displays of their versions of “emerging” art. The exhibit will continue displaying the works of the thirteen represented artists until March 12. 

Coastline Community College Art Gallery is located at 10156 Adams Ave, Huntington Beach. Opening hours are Thursday through Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and all showcased works will be for sale.