Paintings With Soul

  Opening Reception:  Saturday, July 27th, 4-6pm Exhibition: July 27th - August 25th   We're really excited about Mirada's newest exhibition:  WILD THINGS!  In 2009,   Mirada Fine Art   opened its doors with an artist that immediately grabbed the attention of all the new gallery’s patrons:   Jill Shwaiko . Her charming bronze critters (and oil paintings) brought smiles and laughter to all who encountered them. Her artwork is a whimsical contemporary take on ancient petroglyphs. Each figure tells a story. 15 years after joining Mirada, Jill continues to be a favorite for all those who walk through our doors. This will be Jill's first appearance in the gallery in the last five years. For this exhibition, Jill is being paired with Mirada’s newest artist,   Kimberly Santini . Kimberly is a master of capturing the allure and spirit of wildlife in an expressive and imaginative way. Her enticing wildlife paintings are unlike anything we've eve...

This is my booth from last Saturday’s Dog Days Event. It’s a far cry from the borrowed easels and ratty lawn chair I set up 4 years ago when participating for the first time! And I still see room for improvement, but this year at least my family room drapes were spared, as I had the tent walls! Each time I do an event like this, I learn something new. Like not to hang paintings below dog-hip-level unless I want another signature added. Pack hand sanitizer to deal with the drool and other unmentionables. Keep the spare dog biscuits sealed in a bin underneath the table – don’t just leave the box tucked beneath the cloth. Otherwise some prankster will make off with the whole mess of them. Get contact information for everyone who’s dog I photograph. This means shooting photos single handedly while holding a notebook in the other hand and writing with a pencil gripped in my teeth. What was this year’s lesson? That the clever seeming duct tape hanging system (dog-a-day panels duct taped to t...