Calendar / Demos

January 24, 2026, Installation/Awards Luncheon:  The back “Trophy Room” at Harry’s Hofbrau has been reserved for 11:30am.  When you arrive, nail down a seat, then go order and pick up your lunch.  The annual Popular Vote winners are listed in the chart below to ensure your presence (this used to be a secret).  Members may bring spouses or guests as this is our only annual social get-together.  We hope to have a good turnout for this event as we must pay a fee to reserve this room.  After installing our 2026 Officers, we will also present our Popular Vote and Sable Brush Awards.  Congratulations to all of you and thanks for submitting entries month after month.  Our monthly demonstrators always enjoy viewing our members’ work.

February 25, 2026, Bryan Beck (photography): SAG photography member Bryan Beck will present a program on his nature photography and panoramics telling the stories behind them, how he came across the opportunity to take the picture, or how he created the opportunity to make the picture.  He has been nearly a life-long photographer, having his first camera when he was about seven years old.  He has been able to combine photography with many of his activities and interests over the years to gain experience with a variety of subjects, including travel photography, architecture and historical sites, bicycling, and auto racing.  He has a degree in architecture, although he went into a career in computer programming. In recent years he began getting more involved in environmental and conservation issues, to help protect the places he enjoys photographing and bicycling.  He served on the Board of Directors of Green Foothills, a local conservation advocacy group, until he termed out in 2021.  Now retired from his “day job,” he has recently been working on several personal photographic projects of natural subjects, such as birds and wildlife, poppies, and redwood trees.

March 25, 2026, Linda Manes Goodwin (oil female portraits): Former classical pianist turned artist will present her distinctive oil painting technique which celebrates the grace and confidence of the feminine spirit. Her paintings feature women adorned in lustrous dresses, an excuse to create colorful, elaborate patterns influenced by her time in Italy. Linda’s work is imbued with the grander and richness of renaissance art.  Her musical background is evident in the harmonious interplay of color, texture, and pattern. Her paintings are characterized by Luminous Color palettes, Intricate Detail, Playful Architecture and Devine Light.  She has a studio at ART BIAS in San Carlos and her website.

April 22, 2026, John Spotorno (watercolor waterfall): John will be demonstrating painting waterfalls.  He believes watercolor is a wonderful way to capture the power and beauty of nature on paper.  “Water simply mixed with pigment applied with the brush becomes the medium to transform a whole surface into a compelling composition quickly compared to other media.”  John is a fourth generation Californian residing in Redwood City for the past 40 years. He discovered his passion for drawing and watercolor painting while attending Cal Poly School of Architecture.  A recipient of a national design award allowed John nine months of travel honing his skills in sketching and painting.  He is a licensed architect practicing commercial architecture in Palo Alto.  John joined the Pacific Art League in 2021 and often has his paintings on display there and at University Art in Redwood City.  He routinely leads a summer watercolor camp for youth and teens and “Introduction to Watercolor” courses throughout the rest of the year for adults. He is also scheduled to lead “Watercolor Outdoors” at the SFSU High Sierra Field Campus this coming August.

May 27, 2026, Edna Acri (a distinct approach to displaying watercolors): Edna loves painting. She enjoys starting with a fresh piece of watercolor paper or canvas and bringing a painting to life from start to finish.  Her inspiration comes from photographs she has taken and different places experienced.  She also loves seeing how each piece comes together and the story it tells. Each new painting is a chance for her to learn something new to challenge herself creatively and to learn more about her craft.   She finds joy in the creative process and in sharing it with others.  It is one of the most rewarding parts of the process.  Painting is a never-ending adventure, and Edna is grateful for every movement of it.  

June 24, 2026, Lisa Hughes (oil animal portraits), in-person at the VMB Bluestar Room, 7:00pm:  Lisa Hughes and L Hughes Dog Studio are based in Redwood Shores, CA. After a career in finance, Lisa returned to her love of art and dog training in 2010.  Inspired by all of the beauty in nature and its amazing creatures, Lisa’s oil paintings often include rich colors, impressionist backgrounds contrasted with sharply-focused subjects, and a touch of whimsy.  Her artwork focuses on commissioned pet portraits, animals and San Francisco Bay and California landscapes.  She donates all of the profits from her artwork to charities that support causes that advocate for animals and the human-animal bond. She will be giving us an animal portrait demonstration in oils.  Visit her website for more information.

August 26, 2026, Kim Holl (mono prints), in-person at the VMB Bluestar Room, 7:00pm: Kim’s work revolves around creating unique monoprints using acrylic paint and a Gelli plate, emphasizing spontaneity and the interplay of color, shape, texture, and value.  Guided by creativity and imagination, her process embraces imperfection and allows for instinctive responses.  Layers, mark-making, and the organic interaction of paint and pressure bring each piece to life, blending control with surrender and intention with chance.  The result is unique artwork that celebrates movement, freedom, and the beauty of impermanence, inviting viewers to connect with the immediacy of the creative process. 

September 23, 2026, Rafael DeSoto, Jr. (watercolor) in-person at the VMB Bluestar Room, 7:00pm: Rafael, a lifelong artist, was fortunate to have his father, a renowned New York illustrator, as his mentor. This provided a unique learning experience that no art school could offer. To complement his fine art pursuits, Rafael obtained a degree in advertising art and illustration, which paved the way for a lucrative career in graphic design. In the mid-1970s, Rafael decided to take a prolonged summer vacation and embarked on a journey westward. He arrived in Santa Cruz, CA, and was fortunate to share studio space with a collective known as Rubberbandland. This expanded his creative horizons into encompass music, poetry and photography into multimedia events. During the mid 1980s Rafael further extended his creative pursuits to local community television where he served as Art Director for CBS affiliate in Monterey transitioning the station from analog to digital production. In 1990 he established his own company, Vital Visions in Monterey, specializing in broadcast and print design. Rafael became an early adopter of Adobe Photoshop where he held a position as an artist. He moved to Silicon Valley in the mid-1990s where he was employed as Art Director and Senior Designer for notable high-tech companies. He is now retired from commercial art and enjoys painting in watercolor and acrylics. Rafael conducts public art classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area including private classes in his San Carlos studio. He is a member of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society, the Pacific Art League, the Society of West Coast Artists, and the California Watercolor Association. Visit his website for more information.

October 28, 2026, Deborah Shea (Pastel), in-person at the VMB Bluestar Room, 7:00pm: Deborah grew up in San Francisco and always loved art. She studied in a summer course with Ruth Asawa, plus with Wayne Theibaud and Roland Peterson at UC Davis. She is currently working on an MFA with Academy of Art in San Francisco. Her favorite medium is pastels because they are wonderful to use and the colors are so beautiful. Her art inspiration comes from the natural world, especially beautiful flowers. She says pastels are best at conveying their beauty and their wonderful vibrant colors. Please visit her website for more information.

November 18, 2026, Bob Hills (photography), in-person at the VMB Bluestar Room, 7:00pm: Whenever I look through the lens of my camera, I see a creative opportunity. I discovered my passion for photography late in life in my early seventies. My son’s fiancé was graduating from college and I wanted to take pictures of the event. Unfortunately, the only camera I had was the same film camera I taken his baby pictures with. Time to upgrade. I went to Best Buy and purchased my first electronic camera that included kit lenses. After recording the graduation, I thought photography could be an ongoing interest. I started by taking a basic camera course through Redwood City Adult Education program and moved on to taking additional courses at Foothill College leading to AA Degrees in both Photography and Art History. In the ensuing years my interest in photography has taken me to many parts of the United States and the world. I have photographed the Pacific Northwest including eastern Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and northern California. The state of Maine has also seen my camera in action. Cuba, Iceland, Penang, and Thailand are other parts of the world I have visited thanks to my interest in photography. My style. I have searched for a “style” several times in my photography career and have never found one. I depend on the creative opportunity that presents itself when I look through the lens. I take black and white and color pictures of scenes and people that interest me. I hope they interest you as well.