FLORA & FAUNA

You may have heard me talk of my love for the Monterey Museum of Art (MMA) a time or two.. Our beloved regional museum is just my size. Small, impactful, thoughtful, and not overwhelming. The MMA focuses on California art, with impactful programs that help educate school age children in art, exposing them to something so needed for development of the whole self but forgotten in our schools. One of the wonderful features is that it only takes a bit of time to enjoy the thoughtfully curated works of art, to be enraptured by a select group of important pieces. The collections held by the museum and the exhibitions are deep and rich. My new friend, Elizabeth Barlow is opening her show along with her studio mate Susan Manchester on December 8th, both create breathtaking representational art of the natural world. Elizabeth expresses the beauty of the flower through slow painting as she describes it. Detailed, meticulously caring for every dimension of the petal, every leaf, every nuance. The luminosity of her flower representation brings the subject to life as if you were in the garden with it, enjoying the beauty, intricacy, and smelling it’s fragrance. Read more about Elizabeth.

Susan is a master at captivating the intricate, layered details of the natural world, practicing a botanical approach. She initially gravitated to print making, particularly etching. The art of etching brings such complex detail that no other art form can provide. This is truly evident in her comprehensive aviary representations. In her journey and her broad range of works she explores both wet and dry art forms to tell the story of how she sees the beauty of the biodiversity in this world. Read more about Susan.

After you visit the Flora & Fauna exhibit there are plenty of wonderful edibles right within the Adobe district in Monterey. Just a few steps away is Cooper Molera Adobe, home to many things wonderful but if you are hungry for a bite stop into Alta Bakery for lunch….the fries are the best I have ever had and I have had a lot of fries in my life. Bring your breakfast or lunch out to the garden and enjoy. If it is a bit later in the day just a few doors down is Stokes Adobe, a delightful restaurant also set in an historic adobe. What I love about it, other than the scrumptious food and the perfectly charred bread, is the ambiance. Sit out side in the garden or find a little nook or cranny in one of the many cozy rooms inside. Enjoy!