Gallery

At the recent opening reception of a show called “Figures” at MJW Fine Art on Balboa Island.

When asked how she liked the show, Seattle advertising agency administrator Brandy Fertig said, “Oh, mirrors! This mirror is so gorgeous, I can see my shoes! You wouldn’t understand; it’s a woman thing.”

Jill Piazza, a toy buyer for Our Gang’s General Store next door to the gallery, in her “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” top. Pointing at “Weimar Berlin,” a painting of a gay man against a backdrop of Adolf Hitler and Paul Von Hindenburg by Randall Lake, she said, “I hope they are tolerant enough here in this town to buy it.”

“I don’t use nude models,” said sculptor Victor Fisher. “My wife would kill me. But Jeff does,” he added, pointing at fellow artist Jeff Horn.

Sicilian-born Angela Burgio, grandmother of artist Tim Carey. “If you write something bad about my grandson,” she said, “there’s a truckload full of Sicilians waiting for you out there.” (She could say that because her husband, Stephen Burgio, a retired New York judge, had stayed home.)