Local Artist Returns to Cosmos After Six Years and Two Kids, Brings Real Life to Art

’s very first consignment artist is back after six years, and she's got some brushwork that’s bound to make you see ordinary life in a new light.

“I like to capture something mundane in an interesting way,” said Wendy Kwasny, a local La Mesan who’s been painting since the behest of her kindergarten teacher 30 years ago.

“I guess I was fairly hyperactive, and the only time I would sit down and concentrate was when I was drawing or painting,” she said.

And so began private lessons at the age of 5, which turned into a degree in applied arts at SDSU. Currently, Kwasny spends much of her time submitting paintings to the juried shows at the San Diego Art Institute and taking care of her two young children.

“My inspiration has changed dramatically in the last four years since I had children,” she said. “[At parties] I used to like to paint people laughing so hard their eyes were closed―that real raw moment that showed something.”

Now, she said she often turns to the daily activities of friends and family to find her motivation.

Kwasny is available to do commissioned pieces and can be contacted independently at bendystar.com. Her work will be shown at Cosmos through June.

NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: Well, it’s actually the afternoon, but you get the point. At 1 p.m. every Thursday, the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center shows a good movie for an even better price: $1.

“We show old movies and new movies,” said Kathy Tinsley, the center’s assistant manager. “I try to mix them up a bit.”

This week’s movie will be Radio, starring Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding Jr., with other hits like Toy Story 3, Easter Parade and True Grit to finish out the month of April.

The center doesn’t provide snacks, so make sure to bring some of your own. The program is available to anyone 18 and over, and Tinsley said the more the merrier.

“We get anywhere from 15 to 40 people,” she said. “But we can accommodate many more.”

For more information, call 619-667-1322 or see the attached newsletter in the gallery.

THINKING IN THE LONG TERM: If you’re one to plan for the future, Sharp Grossmont has a program that’s just for you. On April 25, it's hosting a one-hour seminar called Advance Care Planning, which will be led by the program’s coordinator, John Tastad.

Hospital officials said the class will teach how to identify values, goals of care and the communication skills necessary to select the best healthcare agent.

The class will be held at the Grossmont Healthcare District and registration is required. For more information, call 800-827-42277 or go online to sharp.com.