Gualala Arts Center is proud to present the art exhibition “Where the Journey Takes Us” in our Burnett Gallery, January 10 through February 2.

These 4 Northern California painters, known as Composition 4, have come together for this exhibit: Where the Journey Takes Us. The work focuses on exploring nature, both of our surroundings, as well as our human nature. Where the Journey Takes Usfeatures a variety of media and styles including oil paintings, cold-wax applications and a bold expression of color and place. Special attention is paid to waterways and Northern California’s areas of interest. Viewers may also recognize pieces of their own experiences in the art.

Michelle Andres is a Sacramento-based artist who has an affinity for California’s nature preserves, rivers and parklands. Inspired by the American River Parkway near her studio, Andres paints intimate, reductive landscapes focusing on the river bluff as well as other natural elements. She says, “The interplay with nature, sharing a space with the wildlife and foliage, recalibrates and resets what I innately know as truth.” Her work is available in galleries in California and Arizona, and is included in private and corporate collections internationally.

Abstraction is a natural language for Davis-based painter Sara Post. Originally a ceramicist, Post experienced a shift at a 2008 printmaking residency in Italy. Initial explorations were in encaustic – a beeswax medium, and led to cold wax techniques that are included in the recent book Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts and Conversations by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin. An avid painter and art instructor, her work can be found in California galleries and is collected throughout the world.

Victoria Veedell’s atmospheric landscapes capture the essence of nature through examining the effects of light. Drawing inspiration from her travels and frequent art residencies, she paints out of her San Francisco studio. Veedell says, “I want to share the way I see and feel when I’m out observing in nature. My fascination with the way light affects color and atmosphere keeps me excited to continue to explore and paint new landscapes.” Her work is collected internationally and available in many California galleries.

Jenny Wantuch is a San Francisco based painter who focuses on urban and rural landscapes. Inspired by the complexity and beauty of life and nature, and her own imagination, she enjoys exploring her inner and outer worlds. In her art, she seeks visual harmony while allowing a dynamic movement. Using her gift for design and color, she creates strong, balanced compositions that make an impact. Wantuch keeps a studio at Hunter’s Point in San Francisco and is collected throughout the U.S. and Europe.