FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTION: December 4th from 6-9 pm
ARTIST’S RECEPTION: December 5th from 2-5 pm
Fools and Flying Pigs: A veritable parade of fantastic creatures by Betsy Kluga.
Well grounded in the fundamentals of the figure with degrees in art and medicine, Betsy Kluga brings a veritable parade of fantastic beings to GearBox Gallery. In addition to developing larger eloquent works though out the year, Kluga creates a host of magical creatures incorporating antique china, jewelry, and buttons each Holiday Season. Enjoy these festive pieces in “Fools & Flying Pigs” at GearBox Gallery, 770 West Grand Ave in Oakland from December 3, 2015 to January 9, 2016.
Working in her lake view studio in the Sierra Foothills, Kluga combines found objects with concrete, wood, and paper creating sculptural works that blend fragility and strength; whimsy & depth. The materials echo the growth, maturation, decay, and the ultimate regeneration of the piece. Her intriguing figures and fabulous animals capture the imagination with gestural indicators of the mind, body and spirit.
As a USC trained Physician Assistant and Life Drawing Instructor, Betsy Kluga was one of California’s top commercial illustrators. She has been Senior Designer for several major toy companies, including Galoob Toys in the Bay Area. She also created Mattel’s Infant Division while pursuing a career in fine art. Betsy Kluga received the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Grant for her work with handicapped children, the Placer County Arts Council Re-Grant for art incorporating Braille, and the National Endowment of the Arts Grant for Painting & Sculpture. She’s won numerous awards in state & national juried shows. Her pieces are in private collections worldwide.
Also showing at the GearBox Gallery are works by member artists.
The GearBox is open Thursdays and Fridays from 12 to 6 pm and Saturdays from 11 am to 5 pm
GearBox Gallery will be closed Christmas Day, December 26th and New Years Day.