In March 2020, Arts Visalia will display a Women?s History Month Exhibition. In honor of Women's History Month, Christina Brunk & Abby Rubinstein's artwork will be on the gallery walls of Arts Visalia to tell the stories of their lives through their art. Abby and Christina have vastly different work with a commonalty of representation through expression. Abby Rubinstein: In 1943, at the age of fifteen, Abby Rubinstein began her studies at the art school of the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York. Having won a scholarship after her first year, she continued her studies with Rufina Tomayo, Josephy Presser, George Pippin, Francis Chris and the watercolorist, John Bindrum. While studying paintings at the New York Museum of Modern Art, she was moved by the color of the Impressionists and the emotion and movement of the Expressionists like Soutine, Nolde, Roualt and Hyman Bloom. She says, "I seek a configuration of movement, color or atmosphere that corresponds with my innermost feelings. I use this as my vehicle, bending it, and developing it until it speaks for me and meets others with whom it can have a conversation." Christina Brunk: Christina Brunk is a native Californian. In college she studied art with an emphasis in photography at San Jose State University, where she explored personal themes surrounding her trauma and losses. She feels it's important to bring these topics out of the dark. Many people suffer in silence with these issues and those that speak out are confronted with awkward confusion. Her photography offers an opportunity to be introspective and invite other people dealing with these issues to the photography to begin a dialogue with others. She feels confident that her perspective and artistic voice can make a difference in the lives of others, but is happy just to be able to find peace in herself through this expression. The exhibition of Abby and Christina's work will be displayed March 4th through March 27th, with an opening reception on First Friday, March 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. There will also be an artist talk on March 7th at 2pm. The exhibition is sponsored in part by Jack & Charlie's, the Vintage Press Restaurante, and the Southern Pacific Depot Restaurant. In April 2020, Arts Visalia is pleased to exhibit the Biennial Baskets and Gourds Show & Workshop. The exhibition is entitled Containers of Our Culture and is a culmination of basket, gourd, and handweaving artists. This is their 8th Biennial Conference, held at the Elks Lodge Mill Creek Conference Center on April 25th-26th. The exhibition runs from April 1st ? 24th. There will be two receptions held for the exhibition: an opening reception on First Friday, April 3rd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and a closing reception on Friday, April 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Arts Visalia will host an Artist Talk on Saturday, April 4th at 2:00 p.m. with some of the featured artists. There will also be an opportunity to meet all of the artists and learn more about their work, on the day of the closing reception. The exhibition is sponsored in part by Jack & Charlie's, the Vintage Press Restaurante, and the Southern Pacific Depot Restaurant. Arts Visalia?s Young Imaginations Gallery will display the artworks of 5-17 year old participants of our children?s classes from February?s session of Art in Painting. Arts Visalia?s spring class enrollment forms are available at Arts Visalia and online. Spring classes will be offered until May. There is a wide range of classes offered for both adults and children. Arts Visalia Visual Art Gallery and gift shop is open from noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and is located at 214 East Oak Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291. For more information on all Arts Visalia events and available classes, visit our website at www.artsvisalia.org or call the gallery at (559) 739-0905.