News

'Animal Instincts' show shows creatures in a new light

In celebration of the active role women have taken in what used to be a largely male activity, we profile three local female painters making their mark in the art world

The 'Savages' exhibit in Paso shows off talents of 30 young California artists

Neal Breton's Savages ravage Studios on the Park in Paso Robles with their second annual group show.

There's no doubt about the joy of winery-hopping your way down the Central Coast. But if you're pressed for time -- or prefer to mix a little shopping and noshing in with the sipping -- downtown Paso Robles packs an abundance of charm into just a few square blocks. Bistros, shops and more than a dozen wine-tasting rooms surround the city's downtown square, site of wine festivals, art fairs, summer concerts and, we're told, a twinkle-lit Victorian Christmas fete attended by the Snow Queen, Ebenezer Scrooge and, of course, the Clauses.

Throughout the long history of art, fashion, and popular culture, most representations of women depict the female form as an object of desire-whether the subject is an eroticized odalisque in a nineteenth-century painting or a hyper-sexualized model, actress, or singer on a twenty-first-century magazine or album cover. Fortunately, a few superheroes of the art world-writers, performers, illustrators, painters-have used the very platform of art to expose the sexism and inequality often found lurking beneath its gilded surface.

Second group show to showcase more innovative art than ever

No, we're not talking about the misguided spirit of primitivism here, but a whole new beast: the second annual "Savages" show at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles, curated by local wild man and friend of New Times Neal Breton. The show features the work of the eponymous loose collective of young (teens to thirties) and "emerging" California artists whose media range from film to canvas, spray paint to skin. Plein air they ain't, but definitely a breath of fresh air. "Savages" opens on March 1 with an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and runs through March 30. Call 238-9800 or visit studiosonthepark.org for more information.

Sweet Art honoree talks art, football and family

Artists judge chefs each time they dine out, but how often do chefs get the chance to judge artists? Three Paso Robles chefs were given that assignment for the "Eat Your Heart Out" exhibit that runs through Feb. 23 at Studios on the Park.

From jewelry and scarves to hats and purses, several galleries around the county offer pieces for the body

Studios on the Park hosts delicious exhibit Jan. 30 - Feb. 23