The Lamorinda Arts Council presents artwork from Aiko Kobayashi Gray, Loralee Chapleau and John Toki at the in-person and virtual Art Gallery at the Orinda Library during the month of October. You are invited to meet the artists at an outdoor reception in their honor on Sat. Oct. 2 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. where light refreshments will be served. John Toki is presenting a video demonstration of his public art career at 3:30 p.m. He hopes that people will learn more about the public art process and invites questions from the audience.

Aiko Kobayashi Gray is a weaver and textile artist who creates tapestries and other fabric art using natural fiber, wool, linen, silk, and cotton. She likes to dye her own material whether she is using natural or chemical dyes. When she travels to faraway lands, she returns inspired by her experiences. Translating those experiences into woven textiles filled with patterns and colors she experienced on the trip keeps her work fresh.

Loralee Chapleau main focus is painting in oils and acrylics; she tends to work on fairly large canvases. Her true passion is for color. Influenced by the California Colorists, she uses vivid colors, energetic brushstrokes and texture. She tries to present emotion with every stroke. When a piece of art elicits an emotional response from the viewer, that feels like success to her.

John Toki is a sculptor, respected studio artist and retired faculty member of California College of the Arts. He is showing a photographic retrospective of his decades long public art career because of his desire to educate the public about public art projects. His PowerPoint demonstration includes a Del Rey Elementary School Maker’s Day welded metal sculpture made by 20 third to fifth graders in 2016. He welcomes questions from the public about the public art process.

View the virtual gallery of October exhibitor artwork HERE Oct. 1-31. The Council thanks contributing artists for their cooperation in providing photographs that make up their virtual exhibit. Their original artwork is available for purchase online in the virtual gallery or by contacting curators Maggie Boscoe and Bill Carmel by email at gallery@lamorindaarts.org.

The exhibit runs October 1 through 31 during normal Library hours in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library at 26 Orinda Way. Hours are Mon. – Thur., 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Fri. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., closed Sun. Call 925.254.2184 for more information about the Library or visit http://ccclib.org/. To learn more about the Lamorinda Arts Council go to www.lamorindaarts.org.

Join the Museum of Art for an evening exploring the exhibition Collective Memories: Stonecuts from Cape Dorset.

• 5:30 p.m.  | A guided curatorial look into the Cape Dorset prints through exploring Inuit legends and animal stories.
• 6:30–8 p.m. | Learn about printmaking practices through this workshop, supplies included.

Register for Printmaking Workshop here >> 

Join us at the last FREE  Art Embraces LIVE program in 2021 on Saturday October 30. This special Halloween Theme program is presented by the Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC) featuring an optional Costume Contest.  Show up as Your Favorite Literary or Artistic Character. Prizes will be awarded by Jill Gelster, Costumer for the Orinda Starlight Village Players.  The  following artistic and literary celebrities are showing up in costume: Gustave Courbet (1819-1877), Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) and Yayoi Kusama, 90 years and going strong. Find out who else inspires lovers of literature and art by attending this outdoor program in the spacious Amphitheatger at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center. 

LAC President Denise Nomura, an artist herself, is our Emcee. She introduces each writer and artist, plus fields questions from the audience. The program features emerging authors reading excerpts of their work alternating with local artists displaying and speaking about their visual art.  Authors and artists answer questions live, which makes for a lively discussion. The artwork and portions of the program are uploaded to social media thanks to c0-chair Natalie Samuels Wheeler. A reception with light refreshments follows the program. Join us! “Ars Vita Longa, Vita Brevis” – art lives forever, life is short.

For more details, to apply as a Writer, Artist or sign up as an Audience Member, go to https://lamorindaarts.org/art-embraces-words. Click HERE to view a YouTube video from our July 25, 2021 program. Questions? Contact us at literary@lamorindaarts.org. All COVID-19 precautions observed for your safety.

Many thanks to those who help make this program possible: our generous sponsor, the Lafayette Community Foundation; Lafayette City Council Member Cameron Burks; Andrea Firth and Janine deBoisblanc of Diablo Writers’ Workshop; Lamorinda Arts Alliance; California Writer’s Club, Mt. Diablo Branch; LAC PR Intern Ricky Gjersten Jr.; LAC volunteers and LAC Marketing & Organizational Director Shelly Rose.