June 11, 2008 > Best of Show Best of Show By Brittney Hansen Photos By courtesy of Irene Jordahl and Sandra Hemsworth Every year, Olive Hyde Art Gallery exhibits seven themed exhibits sponsored by the City of Fremont's Recreation Services Department and the Olive Hyde Art Guild. The Gallery features a wide variety of fine arts ranging from fragile works of glass and exclusive small paintings, to photographs and textile arts. On Friday, June 13 through Saturday, July 12, the "Best of Show" exhibit features animal portraits created out of various mediums of the artists' preference. The new show and reception are free and open to the public, giving visitors a chance to experience over 100 works of art from many different local and regional artists. The animal portraits on display will include a variety of techniques, mediums, and perspectives; portraits of bears, horses, llamas, cats and lizards - dozens of species shown in creative ways. "I have a passion for painting living creatures," said participating artist Donald Brown. "I love the faces of people and animals. The eyes tell us nearly everything about the mood of the subject, and I tend to focus my painting on them." His painting, "On Cloud Nine," depicts the smiling face of a dog, painted in vibrant colors. Another artist, Tamar Assaf, submitted three paintings, all of duck feet. "In research for my paintings I visit zoos worldwide to get a first hand impression of the animals and photograph them from different angles and perspectives," she said. "Going through hundreds of photographs, I look for the unique qualities of the animal. I try to extract the essence that distinguishes it, distil the minimal properties that identify it. My paintings are my interpretation of these distilled qualities of the animals." From surreal and photorealistic to abstract and downright quirky, this exhibit has it all. Anyone who is an animal lover or just appreciates good artwork will take pleasure in the array of displays that the gallery has to offer. The "Best of Show" exhibit only lasts a few weeks and there is plenty to see, so be sure to stop by and enjoy the talents of many gifted artists. For more information about the exhibit or about the Olive Hyde Art Gallery, contact Arts and Recreation Supervisor Irene Jordahl at ijordahl@ci.fremont.ca.us, or call the gallery at (510) 791-4357. Best of Show Exhibit Friday, June 13 - Saturday, July 12 Reception: Friday, June 13 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Olive Hyde Art Gallery 123 Washington Blvd., Fremont Thursday through Sunday Noon to 5 p.m. (510) 791-4357 www.olivehydeartguild.org www.fremont.gov/community/olivehyde