Venerable Nature

Welcome! The Exhibition Gallery is pleased to present: Venerable Nature

Every aspect of nature, whether "living" or not, takes a role in the existence of many other parts of nature. Everything is interconnected and therefore all of nature is valuable, worthy, and venerable.

In Venerable Nature, artists demonstrate or encourage respect, admiration, and appreciation for nature. Some of the artwork focuses on nature's fragility or the effect of human intervention on landscapes. In contrast, other artworks reference the permanence of certain features of nature. Yet other works address nature's grandeur and the power of creation.

Enjoy the variety of unique works ranging from photography, to painting, collage, to assemblage and take a moment to reflect on the importance of nature, all the living beings, and how we all interact with each other in profound ways.

Artists: Rohini Y. Deshpande, Hadi Aghaee, Hugo Bastidas, Ann Beaver, Sarah Joy Cabana, Efren Ave, Gabriel Navar, Melina Ramirez, and Kree Arvanitas.
Please click each image to visit the artist's website.

Rohini Y. Deshpande, Witness, photography

Sun stands as witness to the growing technology in the world. This photograph was taken in my ancestral village this year when I visited India. The landscape has changed a lot. Yet, the beauty of the sun as it rises is unmatched. I tried to capture the beauty amidst the power structures.

Hadi Aghaee, Monterey Costal Scene, acrylic on canvas, 20X40"

Almost all my paintings are to preserve the memory of all that remains around us before the forces of nature and/or humans alter them beyond recognition. In this painting, I share a glimpse of the Point Lobos Park I have visited many times in appreciation of the beauty of nature in our Monterey, CA coastal area.

Hugo Bastidas, In the Foyer, oil on linen, 50x60"

These paintings are part of my series celebrating the grandeur of the great outdoors. We hang chandeliers in grand spaces we build. I've hung a chandeleir in a space we've perhaps have taken for granted. This is my grand foyer.

Hugo Bastidas, The Foyer, oil on linen, 50x60"

Ann Beaver, Falling, pen on paper, 11x14"

Through simple lines and colors, this piece represents the constant connectivity of nature-decay leading to life.

Sarah Joy Cabana, Alas del Tiempo, assemblage, 22'x27'

Even as significant moments appear and disappear, the organic forces of our existence remain constant. The valley cradling San Jose has experienced drastic transition over the last fifty years, but the mountains and crevices of the valley are unchanged. I find the permanence of nature comforting in a world of jarring change.

Efren Ave, World I, watercolor and gouache, 16x12”

The results of using fossil fuels are very visible on our planet. The effects of global warming are undeniable. World I is witness to the killing of the planet by the abuse of dirty energy; a vicious cycle, in which the most important goal seems to be "to make the rich richer."

Efren Ave, World II, watercolor and gouache, 30x22”

There is no doubt that as humans we need to focus much more on using renewable energy to slow down the heating of the planet. In World II, humans and nature co-exist in perfect harmony, using clean energy to leave a better planet for future generations.

Gabriel Navar, selfie 4 summer slippin' 10, acrylic, pencils, ink & oil on canvas board, 20x 16"

Nature, humankind; the planet is very fragile. Humankind is tightly interwoven with our world. Think about it... especially with the drought that we are experiencing in California.

Melina Ramirez, Buddhalupe, mixed-media painting, 16"x20"

The figure is not necessarily la virgen or the buddha: she is a woman embracing her divine power of the creation of life within her own body, a power embraced in many religions and cultures across the globe. This piece is in honor of all women for their potential to give new life.

Kree Arvanitas (RebelDog Studio), Endangered Mandala, acrylic mixed-media collage on birch panel, 16x16"

This is a meditation on losing nature. I made the botanical drawings separately, painted and then glued them inside the circles. I collaged on some fragments of medieval and ancient scientific manuscripts in the corners of the star shape.

Curated by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo

---