‘Resolutions’ captures fresh perspectives at Showcase Gallery
Instead of hanging and framing his art, Lawrence Sherwin of Newport Beach put on a slideshow at the Showcase Gallery in Santa Ana. The bright, eye-level monitor parading Sherwin’s images across the screen drew attention deeper into the gallery space at the opening reception on Jan. 6 of “Resolutions,” the group’s first exhibit this year of the Orange County Fine Arts Assn. of Artists.
“I have no interest in developing and printing,” said Sherwin about his unique way of presenting his photographs. “So I have no inventory of individual images, which also saves garage space.”
Sherwin joined the OCFA over a year ago, after retiring from his medical practice to focus full time on photography. He credits his 40-plus-year career as a doctor of dermatology as an important contribution to his photography training.
“Dermatology is a visual specialty, “ explained Sherwin. “We had to learn how to take pictures of the skin issues as a means to track the progress of patients.”
Sherwyn emphasized that he is drawn to a variety of subject matter, including shooting events of his choice for the Newport Beach Independent as an unpaid staff volunteer. It’s the excitement of exploring the environment rather than being driven by the monetary rewards that pique his curiosity.
“I enjoy putting together photo-themed books and slides and sharing images and my vision with people,” said Sherwin. “I want to bring joy to people.”
OCFA is a nonprofit cooperative that operates the Showcase Gallery, the exhibit space for the group’s members, located on Bear Street in South Coast Plaza Village. The first Saturday of each month has been designated as the opening of all shows at the Showcase Gallery, where every member is required to participate and contribute to the day-to-day running of the gallery. The gallery offers a way to meet and connect with other artists and welcomes visitors wanting to experience works from local artists like sculpture, painting, photography, glass work and mixed media.
Irvine artist and gallery director Maureen MacDonald first learned about OCFA and the gallery 10 years ago.
“I used to sell my clay pieces at the Lido Farmers Market, when one of my customers came up and suggested I should try the Bear Street Gallery and the Showcase Gallery,” said MacDonald, who has been working with mixed media, using paper, paint and cardboard to create collages that include photographs of the building construction of the Orange County Museum of Art. “We are celebrating 60 years of supporting visual arts in Orange County where our home has been during the last 15 years as a gift, per se, through the graces of Henry Segerstrom.”
Among the exhibitors Saturday night was Costa Mesa resident Robert Bucci, director of instruction at the Artist Loft Studio in Costa Mesa. Bucci has been painting for 25 years.
“I’m a bit of a realist and I’m trying to loosen up a little bit,” Bucci said about the contemporary style of his multicolored “Umbrellas” painting. ”I had more fun painting the red and white umbrella than the rest.”
Artist Young Sook Shin of Irvine was describing her acrylic painting titled, “Quail Hill Walk” to two young men who were in the process of conducting a video interview. As it turns out, they were her grandsons, Justin and James Koga, who traveled from New York to spend time with their grandmother and support her art in the exhibit.
“We grew up being close to our grandmother and even living on the same street,” said Justin Koga, who held the camera steady.
OCFA’s Showcase Gallery is located at 3851 Bear St., Suite B-15, in Santa Ana. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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