Worst. Treasure hunt. Ever.
June 24, 2011 11:07 PM Subscribe
Help me find the piece(s) of art I wish I'd purchased years ago...with almost no specific information to aid in your search!
To this day I regret not purchasing some art I came across years ago when my budget, and collection, was much smaller. I would love to find the gallery/artist/pieces again, but it wouldn't be AskMeFi if there weren't complications...being that I don't remember the name of the gallery, artist, or pieces. I know this is a loooooong shot, but here's everything I can remember, to the best of my ability:
- It was around November or December, definitely before Christmas and probably sometime between 2003-2007. The gallery was in Old Town Ventura, CA on the north side of East Main Street, most likely between N. California St. and N. Palm St.
- I feel like the gallery was in the back of a courtyard, like you walk off the sidewalk and there are a bunch of little shops and you keep going back through a narrow outside courtyard and I think maybe up a few steps and into the gallery. I feel like it was kind of industrial feeling, not super-finished and fancy. It was a woman who greeted us. She had dark hair.
- I remember her telling us the artist was a young guy, but she loved his work and he was just emerging. Here's where it gets tricky. At the time there were 3 pieces I was fixated on (I remember at the time I wanted one, but couldn't pick just one and couldn't bear breaking apart all 3, which is why I told myself I had to walk away, but in truth I was broke) but I think there were more showing. They were hyper-realistic images that could have been painted or photographs. One of them was an image of a dartboard with a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a plate (sitting on a 50's kind of kitchen table with the metal around the tabletop?) in front of it. The reds of the board and from the jelly were really bright and vivid. I think another was perhaps of an iron or ironing board juxtaposed with another item but for the life of me I can't remember. And there was a third I can't remember at all. But the dart-board-pbj one I think is pretty close to correct. Also, I don't believe it was on a traditional canvas, but more of a kind of wood-like or wooden panel/box.
Other things I remember: I feel like she said the artist also had a talented brother. That could be a figment of my imagination.
I've been thinking about this for years and thought I'd throw the challenge out here and see what came of it. Even just the name of the gallery would be helpful - note that I don't believe it's the Sylvia White Gallery as I think she opened in 2008?
Thanks in advance for your efforts, gang!
To this day I regret not purchasing some art I came across years ago when my budget, and collection, was much smaller. I would love to find the gallery/artist/pieces again, but it wouldn't be AskMeFi if there weren't complications...being that I don't remember the name of the gallery, artist, or pieces. I know this is a loooooong shot, but here's everything I can remember, to the best of my ability:
- It was around November or December, definitely before Christmas and probably sometime between 2003-2007. The gallery was in Old Town Ventura, CA on the north side of East Main Street, most likely between N. California St. and N. Palm St.
- I feel like the gallery was in the back of a courtyard, like you walk off the sidewalk and there are a bunch of little shops and you keep going back through a narrow outside courtyard and I think maybe up a few steps and into the gallery. I feel like it was kind of industrial feeling, not super-finished and fancy. It was a woman who greeted us. She had dark hair.
- I remember her telling us the artist was a young guy, but she loved his work and he was just emerging. Here's where it gets tricky. At the time there were 3 pieces I was fixated on (I remember at the time I wanted one, but couldn't pick just one and couldn't bear breaking apart all 3, which is why I told myself I had to walk away, but in truth I was broke) but I think there were more showing. They were hyper-realistic images that could have been painted or photographs. One of them was an image of a dartboard with a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a plate (sitting on a 50's kind of kitchen table with the metal around the tabletop?) in front of it. The reds of the board and from the jelly were really bright and vivid. I think another was perhaps of an iron or ironing board juxtaposed with another item but for the life of me I can't remember. And there was a third I can't remember at all. But the dart-board-pbj one I think is pretty close to correct. Also, I don't believe it was on a traditional canvas, but more of a kind of wood-like or wooden panel/box.
Other things I remember: I feel like she said the artist also had a talented brother. That could be a figment of my imagination.
I've been thinking about this for years and thought I'd throw the challenge out here and see what came of it. Even just the name of the gallery would be helpful - note that I don't believe it's the Sylvia White Gallery as I think she opened in 2008?
Thanks in advance for your efforts, gang!
i hoped this would have been solved by now, but i'm gonna offer up this one david ligare painting for your scrutiny (two-thirds down here), or at least your pleasure, as a lot of your key points aren't met. he's not a young guy (b. 1945) nor emerging (been exhibited since at least 1973 says his website), but he studied in california and was exhibited early on up and down the coast. and the painting is on canvas, not wood... the funny thing about this painting is that when i first saw it, i immediately thought PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES!, but on a second glance, it's not really apparent what kind of sandwiches these are. but the colors work to make that impression, and they certainly are bright and vivid. i also clearly thought upon reading your question that this painting had also a 50s kind of red gingham checked cloth, but nope! the painting gives off 'peanut butter and jelly' and '50s thang' vibe that, formally, it just doesn't meet. but.
anyways, he does a lot of these hyper-realistic photographic paintings that are quietly surreal in a jarring kinda way that maybe you'd enjoy. wish i had your guy. pm me if you find out!
posted by ilk at 9:57 PM on June 28, 2011
anyways, he does a lot of these hyper-realistic photographic paintings that are quietly surreal in a jarring kinda way that maybe you'd enjoy. wish i had your guy. pm me if you find out!
posted by ilk at 9:57 PM on June 28, 2011
Hey! I can help with this one, I just know it....
There are two courtyards on that side of the street. Can you remember if the store on your right as you entered the courtyard was a bead shop or a fine jewelry shop?
Was the courtyard tiled, with steps leading up? Was the place you were in ONLY a gallery, or a coffee shop with art in? Because that would have been Zoey's... I can't recall what was there before Zoey's, but someone I know will.
I should be happy to ask around downtown and see if I can find some art like that.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:26 PM on June 29, 2011
There are two courtyards on that side of the street. Can you remember if the store on your right as you entered the courtyard was a bead shop or a fine jewelry shop?
Was the courtyard tiled, with steps leading up? Was the place you were in ONLY a gallery, or a coffee shop with art in? Because that would have been Zoey's... I can't recall what was there before Zoey's, but someone I know will.
I should be happy to ask around downtown and see if I can find some art like that.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:26 PM on June 29, 2011
Okay, before the spot at the top of the El Jardin Courtyard was Zoey's, it was Accolades Gallery.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:35 PM on June 29, 2011
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:35 PM on June 29, 2011
I googled for "accolades gallery" ventura and came up with at least a dozern artists' sites... so far none seem right, but maybe this one?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:53 PM on June 29, 2011
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:53 PM on June 29, 2011
Response by poster: Hmmm...I can't remember if it was jewelry or a bead shop...I want to say jewelry but can't be sure. I think the courtyard was tiled, and there were steps leading up. It was only a gallery, don't recall any coffee shop.
The artist you linked to isn't right - the pieces I loved were more photo-realistic, but definitely had rich colors like the still life pieces you linked to. Thanks so much, Ambrosia, for trying to help - I just don't know what else to try except to make a trek up there when I get a chance and try to figure it out relying on my visual memory alone!
posted by buzzkillington at 8:53 PM on July 29, 2011
The artist you linked to isn't right - the pieces I loved were more photo-realistic, but definitely had rich colors like the still life pieces you linked to. Thanks so much, Ambrosia, for trying to help - I just don't know what else to try except to make a trek up there when I get a chance and try to figure it out relying on my visual memory alone!
posted by buzzkillington at 8:53 PM on July 29, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by acidic at 11:51 PM on June 24, 2011