Cathy Cline a well known jewelry artist and artist-in-residence at the Arts Building in Auburn, continues to explore the creative challenge of designing gold, silver and vitreous enamel one-of-a-kind jewelry.  She is also currently using her watercolor and acrylic landscape painting background to create new “paintings” and functional works in vitreous enamel.  “I am fascinated by the interplay of reflections, color, movement, texture and transparencies in nature.  I enjoy interpreting nature’s beauty in my work.” Cathy has a Master’s Degree in Jewelry Design, studied jewelry in London, England and Guadalajara, Mexico.  Also she completed The Revere Academy’s program and achieved Graduate Jeweler’s status.  In the area of enameling, she has taken numerous seminars and workshops from nationally and internationally known enamellists.  She has taught jewelry design for over 30 years in college and high school.  Cathy will be sharing studio space with ceramic artist Anita Posey Lowe during the Mother’s Day Weekend Studio Tour. www.cathyclinedesigns.com


Reif Erickson is a regional artist with works in public, corporate, and private collections throughout the Pacific Coast. REIF (pronounced ray-f) has been pursuing his art career for the last twenty-eight years and contributes much of his success to his continuing practice of painting "on location" in what he refers to as Fresh Air™ painting. Through careful observation and technical expertise, Reif achieves masterful landscapes of California, Hawaii, Alaska, and the Southwest.
www.reifart.com


Jim Farley is a wood artist who shapes local and exotic woods to form sculpted clock bases, boxes, candle-holders, fantasy-figure and dinosaur puzzles and words. Jim was raised in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, and has studied the character, qualities and uses of various species of wood his entire life. Since leaving the practice of law nine years ago, Jim has focused on acquiring and working chunks of many local woods and several exotic woods. Jim prefers working with wood, rather than clients, because shaped wood is generally more attractive than clients, less likely to require as much attention, usually content to be exactly what it is and the process of learning and shaping wood is endlessly satisfying. Jim's shop-studio will also be open for viewing during the tour.


San Francisco born artist, teacher, and calligrapher, Sonja Hamilton, SWA, is noted for her fluid, concise watercolors - whether landscapes, seascapes or flowers. She graduated from San Jose State University with a BA Degree and holds a Lifetime Special Teaching Credential in Art, has exhibited widely, and has paintings in private collections in the USA, Australia, Canada, Mexico, England, France, Japan and China. Sonja has taught in adult education since 1967, has conducted several workshops in Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, and was an instructor on a tour of Italy and Greece, the Canadian Rockies, France and Belguim. In 2011, she will be teaching a watercolor workshop in Switzerland. Amongst her numerous awards are several Best of Show, First Awards, and the Grumbacher Gold Medallion.  "Although I draw and paint in many media, I find watercolor the most exciting, spontaneous, and challenging. When I paint, my cares leave and I become totally immersed in what I am doing. Watercolor is exhilarating, yet most relaxing for me - a great joy. It's who I am."
www.sonjahamilton.com


Jennifer Johnson is an Auburn, Ca. artist who creates exciting and distinctive sculptures created from found and discarded steel. The sculptures form a powerful and, at times, controversial, expression of personal experience and social stereotypes.  Currently showing throughout California and in Washington, she is an award-winning international artist who focuses her work on the human form and horses. Her sculptures range in size from 15 inches to 15 feet. Jennifer Johnson's studio is open year-round by appointment, inviting the visitors to roam through the garden of sculptures and watch creativity in progress in the studio. Purchases can be made directly through the studio or at any one of her galleries. Jennifer invites corporate and private commissions and has a mailing list for show information.
 www.jjohnsonstudio.com


Anita Posey Lowe is well known for her beautiful and reasonably priced ceramic bowls, cups, plates and individual casserole dishes that are microwave, dishwasher and oven safe.  She notes that her glazes are lead-free and safe for food and drink. The colors she works with are earth tones; tan, blue and green when overlapped they create beautiful blends.  All her pots are hand thrown, trimmed and signed.  Aside from her functional pottery Anita’s sculptural art is a mixture of wheel thrown, hand built or a combination of both, she uses several methods of firing -- raku, reduction or pit-- to get results.  She plays with the forms to perfect concepts that reflect her personality.  She says, “each ceramic piece is one-of-a-kind”. A graduate of San Francisco State University with a BA in art, emphasis in ceramics, Ms Lowe has been developing her technique for more than 38 years.  "No matter how much effort I put into a clay piece, the fire, glaze, wind, air and timing all play a role and control of the final outcome of the pottery is left to Karma," says Anita Posey Lowe.  "That's the beauty of pottery and why I enjoy working with it."

Rick and Janet Nicholson of Nicholson Blown Glass celebrated 30 years of glass and marriage in 2009. The emphasis in their small studio is on creativity and innovation. Originally from Hawaii and Ohio, respectively, Rick and Janet settled in Auburn, in 1982 where they raised two daughters. Their works involve figurative sculpture, sculptural lighting, and multiple piece wall and ceiling installations. The combination of glass, metal and light have presented exciting new challenges and have allowed the work to expand into larger projects.  Notable commissions include two wall installations for the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Shenzhen, China: a 21-piece wall installation for the lobby of Weil, Gotschal & Manges International Law Firm in Dallas, Texas and a 17-piece wall installation for the new Kaiser Permanente medical building in Roseville, California. While Rick is the master glass blower, Janet is the colorist and designer of their successful collaboration. Rick was a TA at Pilchuck Glass School for Dale Chihuly and Fritz Dreisbach in 1981 and has continued to study at Pilchuck with masters, Therman Statom, Richard Marquis and Dino Rosin. Matt Eaton has worked as their full time assistant for nine years. “Glassblowing is fascinating to watch. We welcome visitors on the upcoming North Auburn Studios Tour or by appointment to enjoy the process.” Janet said.
www.nicholsonblownglass.com

Auburn artist Patty Pieropan Dong enjoys working in a variety of media: oils, watercolors, and block printing. Her subjects include California landscapes, plein air work from Europe and the Caribbean as well as still life and portraiture.  A graduate of Boston University with a BFA in painting, she also did post-graduate work at Boston State College and Suffolk University.  In addition to teaching art and painting, Patty is a member of the Old Town Gallery of Art and active in the Placer Arts Council as an Art Walk committee member, Autumn Art Studios Tour steering committee member and Placer Artist's League board member.
www.pepdart.com

Diane J Wood works both in metal, glass casting, Pate de Verre ,and kiln form glass. Her work most often arrives in the form of faces, study of nature and spiral movement within the glass work.  With her background in ceramics, she makes all her owns glass forms for her sculptural wall work.  The glass work is an expression of movement, textures, and the use of transparency of the glass.  Diane has studied under Dan Fenton for glass casting, and Pate de Verre glass work. She has a fine art jewelry glass line, and glass sculptural work that is shown in galleries in the United States, private residences and internationally.  She teaches metal and glass art in Charter schools, as well as, being an instructor in fused glass at Sierra Community College, Rocklin, Ca.
www.shenwood.com

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