Mendocino Eco Artists
Creatively Supporting the Environment
Bob Rhoades writes, “I grew up on the east coast living in Ohio, New York, North and South Carolina. In my senior year at Duke I was recruited to teach in Central California. Since1970 I have been living and teaching art fulltime in California.
“When I moved from the Bay Area to the Mendocino Coast I was essentially a maker of abstract modular prints: monotype, woodcuts, and lithos. Once settled in the spectacularly beautiful north coast I was seduced by the landscape. Watercolors, pastels, and mixed media collages entered my exhibition repertoire. Teaching and traveling have been the strongest influences in my aesthetic development. In the 25 years that I have coordinated CRMC’s Art program; I have had the privilege of teaching many of the artists whose work appears in this publication this. Their interests and excitement with process and experimentation has pushed me further into media than I would ever have ventured as an individual artist. While drawing, painting, and printmaking have been the primary areas I have pursued since graduate school the skills of my talented colleagues in textiles, ceramics and digital imaging have enriched my knowledge and enthusiasm for mixed media and 3d work. Courses that I regularly teach at CR include drawing, painting, life drawing, printmaking (monotype, relief, intaglio and serigraphy), color and design, sculpture, and papermaking.
“The second major influence in my work is travel. I cannot visit a major city in the world without drinking in the treasures of its museums. Visiting a museum is like sitting down for a latte or a glass of wine with the most creative, cultured, eccentric and witty minds of a place and a time. All the information is there to take in, challenge, laugh at, or puzzle over at your own pace. In the last 10 years I have been leading small groups of art and culture interested travelers to Paris, London, Florence, Nice, Vienna, Prague and Barcelona.
“Artists of the world are a close-knit family. I hope these words shed some light on the eclectic range of images I am presenting. Should you wish to see more or learn about current trips that I have planned for the coming year, please visit my website.”
Winter Light ll
Dordogne castle
Six fish on stands
