October 2025 Newsletter

published by The Mountain Arts Network

A Non-profit 501-c organization.

"Inspiring Visual Arts in the Mountain Communities" 

 This e-newsletter is expressly for members, patrons, artists and fans of the Mountain Arts Network, The Mountain Arts Gallery, The Mountain Arts Community Art Center and The Mountain Arts Photographic Society, all located in the Lake Arrowhead Village in Lake Arrowhead, CA.   

CREATIONS AT THE GALLERY

Assorted Rustic Cabinet Door Handles by Graeme Gale

FEATURED ARTISTS

RICK ROTANTE

Rick Rotante is a professional artist. He attended the school of Art and Design in New York City. Early in his career he was tutored by two instructors from Pasadena Art Center where he learned new techniques. After graduation he did a two-year stint in New York City advertising. When he moved to California, he was inducted into the California Art Club while working for Walt Disney Pictures and Television in Burbank. 

Rick is very active in the art community. You can find more about this artist through his websites Rickrotantefineart.com, his Blog, “Musings from the Easel” which are essays on the life of an artist, his painting videos on YOUTUBE.COM, and @Rickrotante on FB and Instagram.

Rick offers private lessons at Raven Art Studio, currently oil painting on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 1pm - students need to call to register and bring their own materials. Call to register 909-233-0425. 

JIM MARX

Endangered Species Series

The current work that I am showing in the Gallery is from a series called Endangered Species. My background in photography includes studies at Colombia College in Chicago. Part of my education included the idea of working in series. Each image works on it's own but can be stronger when in a series.

These are portraits of coin operated rides, specifically horse rides, that were often found in front of stores. Each image is a created looking for the various personalities of the individual horse. The horse itself, the colors involved, the environment are used to define the horse and to evoke an emotion from the viewer. 



Aside from exploring each of the horses there is something else at work here. There is a memory of childhood involved. As an adult, the coin operated rides may evoke a memory from their childhood, maybe they have put a quarter in the slot and rode the horse for a few minutes. Even if you had never ridden one you would remember seeing them. The rides represent a time of childhood. A child of today may never have seen one of these endangered species in the wild but it would be clear from the pictures that these are toys of some sort and would be recognized as such. Not a memory of childhood in this case but an awareness of their childhood. 

The colors used in each picture are not subtle, they are large areas of bold colors. Considering the simplicity of the images, the compositions are studied and sophisticated. There is texture in the pictures, the textures of the material the horses are constructed of and the textures inherent in the surrounding environment. All of these elements are brought together to both, define the subject of the image and to strike a chord in the viewer.

Children's rooms are often adorned with colorful fanciful pictures. I think it would be great to have an original piece of art given to a child. One thing that I hope for these pictures is that a child could live with one of these pictures and love it. As a child matures, the pictures can mature along with them. I hope that what can happen with these pictures is that they evoke a time of childhood but remain a real piece of art. From childhood, through the different stages of school and into advanced education into life. The pictures can move from a child's room to a college dorm all the way to homes of their own and perhaps one day end up as a piece of art in their child's room.

NEW GALLERY ARTIST

AMI USREY

GALLERY NEWS

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE

Natalie Olson, October 2025

Just prior to Jon's stroke, one year ago, he had composed an article for the quarterly journal of ASMA (American Society of Marine Artists, of which he is a signature member). 

Due to the stroke, it was not submitted until I found it and submitted it with an appropriate preface explaining the delay. The article deals with Jon's donation of 29 paintings that we delivered to the Door County (Wisconsin) Maritime Museum. This collection was the result of years of work focusing on historical maritime scenes Jon had researeched or actually experienced while growing up in that area. The museum has used some of these paintings in their exhibits and hold them now as part of their permanent collection. 

JON OLSON - Artist Statement, April 2023

Although I have enjoyed various careers in my 80+ years, I have oil painted from my earliest days. As a youngster, my goal was to be able to paint ships, airplanes, cowboys, Indians and horses. I still have some trouble with horses! My work is in collections world-wide. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Mountain Arts Gallery and for the friendships with some very talented and humane people.

My work on display in the Gallery falls into three main genres: realistic, historical-marine paintings (large), plein air landscapes and seascapes (medium), and original and replica miniatures (small). 

I have been a signature member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) for many years and have participated in their maritime shows in Coos Bay (Oregon), Mystic Seaport (CT), and in their regular traveling exhibits. The American Society of Marine Artists is the nation's oldest and largest non-profit organization dedicated to marine art and maritime history, founded in 1978.
The AMERICAN SOCIETY of MARINE ARTISTS

BELOW IS A LINK TO THE ENTIRE ARTICLE WRITTEN BY JON OLSON AND PUBLISHED SUMMER 2025

ASMA Magazine | Flipbook

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/52f9876e5a.html#page/47

pages 47, 48, and 49

LISA COOK

Bumblebee necklace.

GRAEME GALE

Assorted Rustic Cabinet Door Handles.

JO ANN ROBINSON

Jo has recently added two new paintings to the Gallery. They are Embellished Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 12" and 12" x 12".

PRIVATE ART CLASSES

RICK ROTANTE OIL PAINTING CLASSES

“RAVEN ART STUDIO” 

WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS

$35.00 per three-hour session. 

10am - 1:00 pm in Running Springs

Call to register 909-233-0425 and address location 

Please Leave msg.

Come to learn, improve or expand your ability.

Bring your own supplies and paint -- No phones in studio

WOOD TURNING CLASS

Instructor: Darrell Harris



One-on-One Instruction by Appointment

Cost: Ask Instructor - All materials included

Class dates: Class by Appointment

RSVP: call Darrell Harris at 909-605-3378

Accepts Cash at the door.

Location: Artist Workshop.

Want to learn to turn a pen on a wood lathe? Sign-up for a 3-hour class and you will have a complete pen. 3 hour class with all materials supplied.

Instructor Artist: Darrell Harris.

MOUNTAIN ARTS PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

Want to Join MAN or Renew Your Membership?

    MAN Memberships are good for one year from the date of joining. CALL (909) 744-8450

or check our website for more info: mountainartsnetwork.org

  ART GALLERY PARTICIPATION

is based on a jurying process. 

For more details, please contact JO ROBINSON 

jomamacita@hotmail.com

818-720-3682

Memberships: $30 Individual, $20 Seniors (55 and up), $20 Student (17 & under), $10 each additional family member

Enjoy the benefits: 10% off all Gallery items, Invitations to special events and receptions, Open Studio opportunities, teaching & volunteer opportunities.

MOUNTAIN ARTS NETWORK COULD USE YOUR HELP!

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Mountain Arts Network

PO Box 1275 Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 | Phone: 909-744-8450

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