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.