The soul of a culture on display

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• Central Coast silk painters display their work in Paso Robles

  Central Coast silk painters display their work in Paso Robles

  Silk is difficult to cut and sew, and some find the slippery material a challenge to paint on. For Stephany Andrews, however, it’s as smooth as the fabric.

  She didn’t even bother with a sketch for her painting, “Afrasia,” for example. Rather, she just used her imagination on a blank piece of silk.

  As one of dozens of artists in the Silk Painters of the Central Coast exhibit, Andrews won the blue ribbon for “My Favorite Things,” a wine bottle and a pear on the beach, appropriate to the venue: The Gallery at Vina Robles.

• Full throttle artistic drive

  Full throttle artistic drive

  Mandy Weathers has a simple reason for selling her art to help benefit Friends of the Atascadero Library.

  “I just love libraries,” she said. No surprise, as the artist majored in English in college in Oregon, primarily because she loved to read.

  When she and her husband moved to Durango, Colo., to a country home with a 360-degree view she let loose with the artistic drive she’d kept under wraps since childhood.

• Distinctive marks

  Distinctive marks

  Modern generations may think that printmaking means making photo copies on a printer, but it is a well established art that results in one-of-a-kind work. They are not reproductions; each is unique. China began woodblock printing in the third century.

  The diversity of later methods includes etching, solar plates, lithographs, linoleum cuts, and a dozen more.

  Juror Sandow Birk selected a monotype for the Best of Show for the Central Coast Printmakers’ exhibit at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Show organizers — who invited artists statewide — decided to bestow only one award, so there are no honors for first, second or third place, nor any honorable mentions.

• 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.

• 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.