Barbara Hoffmann – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
My name is Barbara Hoffmann and I work mainly in watercolor.  Watercolors have a magic all their own that I don’t find in other mediums.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
I have always been ‘doing’ art and spent much of my time in elementary school drawing. Then I gradually moved on to other mediums. Eventually it became time to share my work and AOTG seemed a great place to do it.  I applied and I was on a waiting list for two years. The gallery, in addition to showing my work, gave me an opportunity to work with other artists which is priceless.

Where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in Chicago. A great place to be from. I moved to California in 1973.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I always wanted to be a teacher and eventually became an art teacher. I taught art in elementary and in the School of Education at UC Davis. I continued in art education until 1998.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
I teach an art class to adults and whenever they are moved by their own art and what they have learned in the class always fills my heart.

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
I smiled recently when one of my students called out after struggling with her own work. “I get it!”

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Don Antram – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
Hello, I’m Don Antram and my art is mixed media.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
Art and creativity have always been one of my strengths. I joined AOTG to have another opportunity to show and sell my passion.

Where are you originally from?
I grew up in southern California.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I always wanted to be an entertainer.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
The best compliments I get are from children, saying they want to be like me when they grow up.

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
Being proud of my daughter buying a house for herself all by herself.

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Read Don’s previous interview here.

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Gia McNutt – Artist Spotlight

 

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
Hello, I’m Gia, and I create abstract mixed media textured work. I also have a clothing line featuring my art images.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
My mother was an artist.  I was surrounded by art and creating art daily as a child. However, my path was performing arts initially, and only later in life (midlife “awakening”!) did I determine visual art as one of my paths. In 2012 I began creating art as an adult for the first time, initially focused on realistic, representative acrylic paintings. In 2018 I began to transition to abstract art; it’s really an adventure! Images are “revealed” as I create. I rarely know where I’m going when I start a piece. I love creating!

Where are you originally from?
I grew up in Georgia from age 5-16.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to be an actor. I have a performance degree from an acting conservatory.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
I have been extremely blessed to have my art selected by the Auburn Symphony for their programs. I’ve met so many wonderful people! After a recent concert, a concertgoer reached out to me via email and purchased one of my original pieces, the one chosen for the Auburn Symphony’s “Symphonic Sorcery”.

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
When someone loves a piece of art so much, they have to own it. I only wish I could witness this each time personally!

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Read Gia’s previous interview here.

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Cherie Danzer – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
Hello, I’m Cherie Danzer. I’m a multi-discipline artist whose works include painting, fine metal jewelry, Raku clay sculptures, pottery and metal sculpture.  A variety of shapes and colors appear my paintings, clay work, metal sculptures, mixed media and jewelry.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
I am proud to say that I am one of the original and founding members of the gallery. The beginning of the gallery was a blessing to me and all the other artists.  Transporting artwork to and from shows caused damage to the paintings, the pottery, and some jewelry.  It was wonderful to have the gallery to showcase our work in one place and to eliminate some of the transport.

Where are you originally from?
I was very fortunate to be a member of a family that was able to live in other countries when I was young.  Memories of Bavaria and Japan were influences found in my work over the years.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
Being a founding member of Auburn Old Town Gallery.  Customers gladly come to enjoy all the artwork gathered in one place. 

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
Being a part of the gallery have been the best years of my life!

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Read Cherie’s previous interview here.

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‘UP IN THE AIR” is UP for the Month of March!

Who doesn’t love clouds, birds, flight and whimsy? The featured theme for the month of March “UP IN THE AIR” is sure to surprise and delight you! Stop by for a look at the creative works from the artists at Old Town Gallery! And while you’re there, don’t forget to discover all the artistic gems exhibited by the members of the gallery.

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Call to Artists!



**Applications are accepted via online submission only**

Please visit the Membership Application page for more information and to submit an application. As a co-op gallery, we expect each member to contribute to the gallery’s operations.

Our 2024 jurying will be held in January, May & September.
Deadlines to submit applications are as follows:
December 29th, 2023 deadline for the January 15th, 2024 jurying
– April 29th, 2024 deadline for the May 20th, 2024 jurying
– August 29th, 2024 deadline for the September 16th, 2024 jurying

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Located in Historic Old Town Auburn, our visitors include long-time patrons who purchase for their own collections or for gifts, locals who bring visiting friends & family to Old Town, and restaurant patrons & tourists traveling to/from the Sierra.

We are centrally located, close to the action during Spring and Summer events held in Old Town.

During the holiday season, the gallery is filled with gifts & decorations.

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Kirsty Roberts – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
Hello, I’m Kirsty Roberts. I create my art with Hex Mesh wire. It’s a specialty wire that allows me to create without framework beneath.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
My creative soul craves artistic expression, it’s an addiction! I was encouraged to apply to Old Town Gallery by a fellow artist and was honored to be part of this wonderful group of artists!

Where are you originally from?
I grew up and attended school on the Central Coast of California, where art is celebrated in the local community.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
Forestry and nature conservation was one of several focuses. I spent a couple summers working with the YCC, Youth Conservation Corps.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
Last year I was asked to make a German Shepard K9 for a local Sheriffs Museum. My Wire Sculpture Dog wears a bulletproof vest in a display at their training facility.

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
The New Year makes me smile! It’s an awesome feeling to start over with a fresh outlook and renewed expectations for the coming year!

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Read Kirsty’s previous interview here.
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Kelly & Janis Quinn – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
Hello. We are Kelly & Janis Quinn, and our art medium is metal art. But not just any metal! We use discarded, old, rusty metal and repurpose it into a piece of art.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
While I (Janis) have always been crafty I never considered myself an artist. And while Kelly was never an artist, he is extremely creative and comfortable thinking waaaay outside the box. Kelly always wanted to weld and after retirement started welding things together. What better metal to practice on than old, thrown out junk that people didn’t want. In this process the idea of building art utilizing recycled metal was born.

Where are you originally from?
Other than Janis spending elementary school years in Sacramento, we have lived in the foothills in Placer County since birth.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
Neither of us had any idea what we aspired to be when we were young. We both just went to work after high school and chose careers that suited us, stuck with it and feel proud of our accomplishments.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
We routinely receive compliments that our work makes people happy, that it makes them smile. The fun part about our art is that while it’s dirty, messy, heavy and hot – the end result is so pleasing. It’s amazing to think you can take all this old dirty metal and fashion it into something entirely different. We love it!

 What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
Our grandchildren!

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Read The Quinn’s previous interview here.
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Lorna Miser – Artist Spotlight

Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your art.
I’m Lorna Miser aka Lorna M Designs. I create bags and clothing using unusual upcycled materials.

What led you to be an artist and to share your art in Auburn Old Town Gallery?
I have been visiting AOTG for many years in awe. It never occurred to me that my upcycled sewing would be considered “art” and I could be a part of this wonderful gallery. It makes me so happy to be there.

Where are you originally from?
Born in Iowa, moved to San Jose CA when I was 3; and then to El Dorado County when I was 22.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to be a clothing designer. Instead, I worked in the yarn industry for 35 years. I dyed yarn, designed knitwear patterns, taught and wrote books. I actually did become a clothing designer by accident.

Tell us about a compliment that you’ve received that you’re most proud of.
The director at a local gallery commissioned me to make her a backpack/briefcase using inner tubes. She loved it and said she’d been dreaming of this for years.

What’s one thing that has made you smile recently?
Spending time with my 11 grandkids.

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER!

KAZ HUETTE

A passion for the manipulation of space has been a steady stream running through Kaz Huette’s life. It defined her career choice as an Interior Architect and Designer and continues to influence her art and passion for creating wearable masterpieces. Her work is an embodiment of creativity. The jewelry world of Kaz Huette Designs is where fashion and art collide. Each piece of Kaz’s jewelry is a work of art, crafted to be lightweight and comfortable so they can be worn all day without a second thought. This is made possible by using the latest 3D printing methods and the most environmentally friendly products in the industry. With a wide range of colors, textures and materials, Kaz’s jewelry invites one to express their individuality and make a statement wherever they go. Kaz’s jewelry is currently in galleries in Sacramento and Palm Springs, and now Auburn Old Town Gallery!

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