Paso gets pair of galleries downtown

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• Wine with art? It’s a perfect pairing at ‘First Saturdays’ in Paso

  Wine with art? It’s a perfect pairing at ‘First Saturdays’ in Paso

  A prominent county arts organization is reaching out to North County art lovers. On Jan. 7, Arts Obispo launches “First Saturdays: Wine and the Arts,” a monthly art walk featuring stops at a handful of Paso Robles galleries and wineries. The program builds on previous wine-and-arts events organized by Studios on the Park and other businesses.

  “We’re so thrilled to be extending our reach north of The Grade,” said Jenna Hartzell, program director for Arts Obispo, or, the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.

  According to Sasha Irving, programs director at Studios on the Park, Paso Robles tasting rooms have been hosting arts events for a few years. Her organization became involved in November 2010.

• Diverse and disturbing at The Vale Fine Art's Winter Exhibit

  Diverse and disturbing at The Vale Fine Art's Winter Exhibit

  The Vale Fine Art’s Winter Exhibit, lasting halfway through spring, is seasoned with a plethora of artists and styles.

  Ranging from local artists such as Hope Kroll, who does elaborate intricate collages, to illustrator Neal Breton’s rare paintings to Eric Segurd II’s unique bronze sculptures, diversity is paramount. Most of the art borders on the bizarre.

  Born and raised in Atascadero, Templeton resident Segurd majored in art and has been involved with bronze along with other pursuits since the early 1960s.

• Follow-Up File: Bright days ahead for Atascadero

  Follow-Up File: Bright days ahead for Atascadero

  For years, marketing and economic experts repeatedly told chamber members they needed to be open evenings and weekends. A bedroom community, Atascadero residents tend to work in other cities.

• Vanishing act

  Vanishing act

  There is nothing phantasmagorical about phantom exhibits; the tag is just an apt way of describing art shows that appear in temporarily vacant retail buildings and, poof, vanish in a month or so.

  “It’s just pop-up galleries,” said organizer and curator Michael Reddell. “It’s not like it’s original.”

  In the fall, Reddell became the executive director of Central Coast Sculptors Group and started doing phantom exhibits, which have become popular in urban areas. The inaugural one in San Luis Obispo was on Higuera Street in March. The current one is in Paso Robles, near the downtown park.

• SLO Down Pub to host show for El Camino Art Association

  SLO Down Pub to host show for El Camino Art Association

  The El Camino Art Association doesn’t have a regular gallery to show members’ art, but the venue for the current show is giving everyone some exposure through the end of the year.

  Since the SLO Down Pub opened in Arroyo Grande four years ago, it has always shown local art in its spacious environs.

  “Before we opened, it was an art gallery, Carried Away Art,” said Mark London, who owns the pub with his wife Julie. “It was kind of a shame to shut the art gallery down,” he said, so they continued to serve as a venue, showing a lot of the El Camino Art Association folks.