VFA July Guest Artist Remi Dalton

"Much like Dorian Grey’s portrait, Instagram and Snapchat have “muddied the boundary between art and life, aesthetics and ethics.” Remi Dalton's Dream House painting series depicts the refuge of a contemporary romantic hero who isolates themselves in a space halfway between the digital and physical world. Missed notifications, 70's decor and meme culture litter these intensely chromatic paintings. This body of work explores issues of freedom and surveillance, isolation and connection and love and safety.

Another component to Dream House can be found online. The artist created a Youtube series entitled Painting for Pleasure, which documents the conception and execution of the paintings and exhibits complementary video pieces." Remi Dalton

Paintings in the Notes of Blue

This blue phase is not about depression. Not a celebration of self-pity or wallowing in a “purple funk” as my grandmother used to refer to it. This color comes from a sublime external joy. Whose origin is celestial.

Think tears of joy.

The glow of in an ultraviolet zone. Inspired by places where it actually exists in nature. I introduce the subjects in this series: delphinium, iris, freesia, fuchsia, (well the list does go on.)

So we invite you back for more.

Coast Guard New Lighthouse

Photographer Janelle Maas invited artists from Liberty Arts District to participate in a special day of painting and photography. The location is only by invitation at the tip of Point Loma in the Coast Guard housing buy the New Lighthouse. Janelle shared her home and photographs with us before their move to their next assignment.

*My back to the lighthouse... I find inspiration in the hills of Cabrillo.*

Do you recognize the house from any famous San Diego movies?

I am no plein air painter, but I grabbed this opportunity. I am completely absorbed in landscape. Endlessly inspired by patterns and colors that happen in nature. I was tinkering with the idea of limiting my palate back to a 4 color traditional landscape palate when I stumbled upon some local reassurance. A 7 color high chrome costal palate. I enjoyed my day with pre mixed paints and glazes celebrating this new world and have been working with this in my studio since.

For the Bob Ross fans here are the 7 colors: Titanium White, Naples Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue and Payne’s Grey.

Truly a delightful day. We saw sharks and rays pupping the beginning of costal wild flowers blooming on the hills of Cabrillio National Park behind us.. But the BIG Perk … swinging on giant swing from the cypress out front!

Photos courtesy of Janelle Maas