Irene Nelson and Chris Harvey, married longtime Piedmont artists, will be participating in the East Bay Open Studios event on Saturday and Sunday, May 31 and June 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 49 York Drive.
East Bay Open Studios (EBOS) is a free community event where artists across the East Bay open their studios to the public for the community to meet artists, find inspiration, support the arts, and celebrate a vibrant arts community. The EBOS website, eastbayopenstudios.com/artist-directory, shows sample work for all artists who will have their studios open to the public.
Nelson moved to the Bay Area from New York in the 1970’s where she pursued photography, documentary filmmaking and acting. After returning to art school, she went on to establish a successful thirty year career as the founder of a boutique graphic design firm. Irene has engaged in a dedicated painting practice since 2012. Her abstract paintings have been shown at the deYoung Museum, the SF Contemporary Jewish Museum, Crocker Art Museum and numerous galleries. Her work appears in public and private collections nationally and internationally.
“I create impressions constructed from the thin line between memory and imagination. My gestural marks are organic and free from formula and conscious constraint. My process is guided by a mix of intuition and tenacious experimentation. Compositions evolve as acts of discovery rather than having a planned destination,” said Nelson.
Harvey moved to the Bay Area from Southern California in 1980. He was the Director of Planning, Design and Construction for the UC Berkeley Dining, Childcare and Housing Departments. Harvey’s figurative oil paintings are informed by the Bay Area figurative movement, with everyday scenes portrayed in poignant color and light. He too has shown at the de Young as well as numerous galleries. In addition to being a visual artist, he is also a songwriter.
“Creating art for me is about feeling the relaxed mood altering exhilaration of discovery with nothing to lose,” said Harvey. Their home studio has a high ceiling and is filled with light, serving as both a playground and a sanctuary for the creation of art.
Nelson’s work can be seen at www.irenenelson.com.
Harvey’s work can be found at chrisharveypainter.com. His songs can be heard at chrisharveysongwriter.com.