Violet Arana is a San Francisco native, moving to Gualala in 1998. She is a self-taught artist who has been drawing and painting most of her life. Her inspiration comes from studying the Masters, and she has a collection of art books which she refers to and uses for ideas and instruction. She paints for the love of painting and has never been interested in showing her work until moving to Gualala. She has entered her work in Gualala Arts’ Art in The Redwoods exhibits several times and has been very successful, often selling her pieces.

Violet had a show at Spindrift Gallery in Cypress Village. She had been  inspired by the beautiful mushrooms, so she painted one. Craig Gilliland, owner of the gallery, was impressed and invited her to have a Mushroom exhibit, her first and only gallery show.

As an artist, Violet does not limit herself to any one subject, and having no formal training she feels she is always learning.  Violet paints in all mediums, draws in pencil, charcoal and pastels and goes where ever the process takes her; she does what moves her at any given time, often painting late in the night or early in the morning, whenever the mood strikes. 

This collection shows a mix of subjects as well as mediums. “I hope you enjoy the show,” Violet says.