Ray Yoshida

Ray Yoshida (1930-2009)  Untitled  1972  felt tipped color pen on paper  11" x 8.5"  
davidnolangallery.com

Ray Yoshida was one on the most influential teachers at SAIC. When I arrived there in 1973 he was considered an icon of the imagists group and a consummate instructor in the painting department. His influence is still felt today, particularly with local artists whose work reflects his obsessiveness and commitment to highly crafted work.

Artist like Rebecca Shore, Ryan Travis Christian and Geoffrey Todd Smith (shown below) reference Yoshida to some degree or another in there particular take on painting and drawing.

Ryan Travis Christian  The Truth Is Often Stupid 2013  graphite on paper   38.75" x 30.25" 

westernexhibitions.com

Rebecca Shore  22  2011 oil on linen  40" x 46"  

corbettvsdempsey.com

Geoffrey Todd Smith   Rockets To Rothko  2015  enamel and gouache on panel  30" x 24"

westernexhibitions.com

Britton Tolliver

Britton Tolliver  Not Yet Titled  acrylic on panel  45" x 34.5"
leftfieldslo.com

Jason Karolak

Jason Karolak  Untitled (P-1508) 2015  oil on canvas  57" x 60"
jasonkarolak.com

Shara Hughes

Shara Hughes  Teal Walkway 2015  oil and acrylic on canvas  15" x 12"  
leftfieldslo.com

Thanks to Nick Wilkenson San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast has a venue worth traveling to. His latest show has two great painters, Sarah Hughes and Britton Tolliver. I will post Toliver's work later. If you are headed north or south do not forget about this wonderful gallery. You won't be disappointed. Nick is a wonderful painter as well as a curator. 

Thomas Scheibitz

Thomas Scheibitz  Treffpunkt  2015  oil on canvas  67" x 67" 
thomasscheibitz.de

Jeanne Tremel

Jeanne Tremel  Untitled  171  2015  oil on canvas   23" x 22"
jeannetremel.virb.com

Norbert Schwontkowski

Norbert Schwontkowski  Das Leers Zimmer   2011  oil on canvas  78 3/4" x 70 3/4"
miandn.com

Mathew Wong

                 Mathew Wong  Flower  2016  oil on canvas  39" x 31"  
                 matthewhk.net

I have been following Mathew Wongs work for a few years now. Historically he has worked with ink on paper or canvas working alternately abstractly or narratively. I am enjoying this new direction with its' graphic quality and punchy color. 

Louisa Waber

Louisa Waber  Hot Day At Duryea's Deck  2015  acrylic and ink on canvas  21" x 16"
louisawaber.com

Peter Saul

Peter Saul  Suburban House #1  1969  color pencil, marker, Gouache on museum board  39.5" x 45.5"
georgeadamsgallery.com

Dave McDermott

Dave McDermott  Goeth In Winter (After Kirchner & M.M.)  2014  oil on canvas  78" x 66"
brennangriffin.com

Lauren Silva

             Lauren Silva  Pine  2014  acrylic and oil on canvas  72" x 60"
             zsandh.com

Olaf Christopher Jenssen

Olaf Christopher Jenssen  Grenadine Painting/Facility  2009  oil on canvas  20.5" x 16.5"
galleririis.com

Shane Tolbert

   
                     Shane Tolbert  Untitled 2013  acrylic on canvas  66" x 48"
                      shanetolbert.com

Phillip Taaffe

         Phillip Taaffe  Enchiridion  2014  mixed media on canvas  80 1/4" x 71 5/8"
         luhringaugustine.com

Fredrik Soderberg

Fredrik Soderberg  The Hidden Landsape Of The Subconscious lV  2012  water color on paper  29" x 21"
galleririis.com

Jenny Spota

Jenny Spota  Bird Woman  2015  oil on canvas  36" x 33"
brennangriffin.com

Roy De Forest

Roy De Forest  (1930-2007)  Untitled 1976  pastel, pencil on paper  22.5" x 30"  
georgeadamsgallery.com

Roy De Forest was a seminal figure in the Bay Area Funk movement along with William Wiley, Robert Arneson,  Robert Hudson, Clayton Bailey, David Gilhooly. They were later joined by Jim Nutt and Gladys Nilsson who taught at Sacramento State University for a time in the early 70's before heading back to Chicago to rejoin their cohorts in the Hairy Who.

I always felt there was a subtle difference with the Chicago gritty urban funk and the more humor based and spiritual quality of the bay area artists. De Forest is a classic example of the latter. Perhaps it was the times (mid to late 60's) with its anti establishment attitude and let it all hang out music and social upheaval. What ever it was, it produced some of the best and most original art the west coast has ever seen.

Katia Santibenez

Katia Santibenez  A Sudden Drive  2015  graphite on paper  24" x 18"  
morganlehmangallery.com