A medley of aromas, pigments and conversation interpreted the scene at the Padre Hotel’s Farmacy Café on Feb. 4.
Hors d’ oeuvres and fine wine were carried by attending guests who had come to experience ConTEXTual, an evening exhibition presented by the Art Council Community of Kern.
This show of literacy gave on-lookers the opportunity to acknowledge and purchase the items showcased, while creating awareness of their cultural elements.
The opening show recognized four artists: Yvonne Cavanagh, Christine McKee, Claire Putney, and Barbara Reid for their creative work.
Each portrait hung on alternate walls and was highlighted by dim lighting, followed by a descriptive caption underneath explaining its significance.
Former Bakersfield College student and featured artist, McKee described her work as, “how I see it.
“I made this piece in attempt to portray the way I view Dyslexia through my own eyes.”
McKee discovered through many years of experience the different forms of visual art and printmaking.
“There’s many ways you could interpret my work,” said McKee.
Barbara Reid attracted guests with a completely different style of acrylic on canvas.
The statement usually made in Reid’s work is expressed through a personal experience and a tragic life lost.
Reid’s visual art consisted of different seasons, handwritings, a picture of her son, and also text cutouts from a newspaper and a book.
Yvonne Cavanagh was another artist whose work showcased clay sculptures.
“My work for this show is based on a gorgeous Ficus tree that I admired while traveling last year,” said Cavanagh.
Cavanagh’s sculptures made a bold and solid statement, for ranging all under 15 inches in length.
Like the additional artists, Claire Putney used oil on canvas to define her style of abstract art and toward the end of the evening, sold three individual pieces.
The profit gained from the show also played a meaningful role in supporting various non-profit organizations, along with sponsors of Jim Burke Ford, Neuro Feedback’s Train Your Brain and First Book.
The goal of ConTEXTual’s evening event was achieved in making people aware of literacy-involved art.