Coast Highway Art Collective welcomes two new collections by River Wilder & Bea Acosta

Acosta uses a variety of colored wax linen, beads, cabochons, and recycled jewelry her baskets can bloom into normal form baskets or creations (non-baskets) incorporating geometric shapes, angles and negative space.  Acosta says her creations talk to her and soon, the artist and the materials meld, glide and flow into the existence of a pleasing form.  “I have the knack of combining colors that entice and stimulate the brain,” says Acosta.

“Forms From Nature” will exhibit new work using cordage Acosta has made from local Watsonia leaves, Amaryllis leaves, sea grass, and sweet grass.   Making cordage is a many step process from gathering and drying the leaves to mellowing, splitting to finally wrapping.  A neutral or brown wax lined thread is used to weave the baskets.  She then incorporates buttons, abalone shell, pottery beads and stones into the basket forms. “These small baskets embody the organic natural life surrounding our coast communicating and giving homage to Mother Earth,” concludes Acosta.

River Wilder, born in San Francisco and now residing on the Mendocino Coast, has been a fine art and commercial photographer since 1988. Fusing narrative portraits and still-life with coastal environments far and near, her work aims to capture the transitory landscape between memory and the moment.

“In Limbic Color” is a self-curated series of images chosen from over 30-years of archives for the purpose of exploring and examining her complex relationship with color. Using various photographic techniques, including film, darkroom, and digital capture to first create monochromatic images, Wilder carefully paints in specific colors selected for their emotional impact or narrative qualities.