Awards reception for annual
Klement Friends & Artists exhibit October 3
September 23, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A tribute, art show and community favorite are blended into an upcoming awards ceremony and reception for the 11th Annual Judy Klement Friends & Artists Art Show at Blanchard Community Library.
The public will be able to vote on a wide range of paintings by professional, semi-pro and artists of all persuasions for the artists’ reception and awards to be held Saturday, October 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the library, 119 N. 8th Street. Awards will be announced at noon.
An acclaimed artist and teacher, Klement is an art instructor for Ventura Adult Continuing Education. She also offers art instruction at her Santa Paula studio.
The show debuted September 22 and can be viewed through October 29; the fine art is available for sale with a percentage of the purchase price benefiting the Santa Paula Society of the Arts.
Klement said “Our esteemed overall judge is award winning fine artist Meli Calkins, president of the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast,” and whose own art specialties includes horses, koi, landscapes and custom commissions.
The show said Klement, is special on several levels from its inception and name to its artists.
“Instead of just saying artists I wanted to say friends…they do become friends,” she said of her students.
And her late husband Walt Klement as well as Judy herself, “Loved the work of the students…Walt is the one that said we had to show them off.”
The show remains a family affair: “Rhodes, Walt’s son, flies in every year from San Francisco and buys the rolled sandwiches that Walt always made. And Walt’s daughter Genie Klement comes in also with the grandchildren…they’re honoring their dear father,” and his devotion to art.
“Walt used to help me hang the show,” before his health started to fail but friends were able to get the show staged.
Klement said the annual show “Is a tribute and a beautiful show…a lot of my beginning students have become professionals,” selling their artwork.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see people go as far as they want to with their creativity,” said Klement, herself an award-winning artist in various mediums whose work is featured in numerous private, public and corporate collections.
There are more than 40 paintings on display: “Come enjoy our show and perhaps make a fine art purchase…prices are very reasonable and your purchase for a new artist might launch a professional career!”
Blanchard Community Library is open noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The library is closed Friday, Sunday and holidays.
For more information, call Klement at 805-330-7782.
RIGHT: An oil by Lorene Solis, “Father & Daughter” is among dozens of works now on display in the 11th Annual Judy Klement Friends & Artists at Blanchard Community Library. A reception and awards ceremony will be held October 3.
