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Fruit as Art at Napa’s Grand Hand Gallery

 

 

The “Fruit Juice” exhibition at the Grand Hand Gallery in Napa squeezes new life into the old subject. Featuring three artists who work in different media, “Fruit Juice” proves that fruit is no longer your grandfather’s art subject.

When you hear the term “still life” you probably think of a painting – of dubious quality – of a bowl of fruit. Correct?

Minneapolis, MN painter Michael Schmidt has taken his eye for cityscapes and focused it on fruit. With palette knife and oil paint, Mr. Schmidt captures the beautiful colors, textures, and details most of us no longer see in our fruit bowl.

Local fiber artist Meghan Urback works in wool felt and creates baskets of berries real enough to eat! Urback’s uses both personally created and industrial-produced felt to create her functional berry baskets and wall art.

Fruit may be a time-honored subject, but Margaret Dorfman has made it her media as well. Fruit that she has hand-sliced and processed into parchment creates bowls, jewelry, garlands, and kites. The parchment making process preserves the colors and intricate details of each type of fruit – from strawberries to beets – in spectacular detail. Shaped into bowls, folded into flowers, or fused to copper to make jewelry, Dorfman sustainably produces her media and nothing is ever wasted.

Napa’s cultural offerings are many and varied. A day spent downtown will open your eyes to exhibits of local artists, world-renowned artists – such as Thomas Kinkade and Gordon Huether, the Firefighter’s Museum, the Art Walk, and a modern look at a classic subject – fruit!