‘Before we were tamed’: Artists team up for Open Studios, nature-inspired show

Annette Makino often incorporates haiku in her paintings, such as this one. © 2015 Annette Makino

Times-Standard
Eureka, California
June 5, 2015

EUREKA – Artists Tina Gleave and Annette Makino are joining their creative forces for two overlapping events this weekend.

As part of North Coast Open Studios, they will share their techniques and their newest paintings at Ramone’s Bakery and Café, 209 E St., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

They are also launching a joint show there, called “Before we were tamed,” with an opening reception during Arts Alive from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Gleave, a silk painter based in Rio Dell, said, “Though Annette and I use very different materials and techniques, this year we have both been inspired by the endless variety and beauty of nature to paint wilderness landscapes.”

Gleave will be showing her newest work: dramatic painted silk banners. She will also have lamps with hand-marbled silk shades for sale. She will show Open Studios visitors how she paints on silk using special dyes.

“Participating in Open Studios is always so rewarding because I am able to share my passion for art with interested people, while introducing new projects and visiting with everyone,” she said.

For the second year in a row, Gleave has been selected as an Artist-in-Residence at Yosemite National Park. She will be teaching silk painting to park guests from June 15 to 20 and exhibiting silk paintings of Yosemite. For more information, visit www.silksquirrel.com.

Makino, who paints with sumi ink and Japanese watercolors, is also a widely published haiku poet. For the past two years, the Arcata artist’s haiku have been honored as among the best of the year. She often incorporates original haiku or other words in her pieces.

The show takes its name from Makino’s painting of a red fox that includes this haiku:

fox tracks…
who were we before
we were tamed?

“Several of the paintings I’ll be showing depict local wildlife and Humboldt landscapes like the Arcata Marsh and the Kneeland hills,” said Makino. “In these pieces I’m exploring humans’ connection with nature — what we know, what we’ve forgotten, what we can learn. I’m really excited to share the new work with people.”

At Open Studios, Makino will demonstrate how she paints with sumi ink and Japanese watercolors using bamboo brushes. She will also have prints and cards for sale. For examples of her art, go to makinostudios.com.

Gleave and Makino will only be participating in North Coast Open Studios during the first weekend, but their joint show will be up through the month of June.