San Diego's Original Fine Art Festival

MEDIA CONTACTS: Citrus PR
Lauren Walsh Forgione or Jennifer Ireland
858-720-0910
lauren@citruspublicrelations.com
jennifer@citruspublicrelations.com

Mission Federal ArtWalk Announces 2012 Featured Artists

The 2012 class of Featured Artists is made up of 12 talented painters, sculptors and photographers who have been selected for their exceptional fine art skills

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 19, 2012) – Mission Federal ArtWalk, the largest open-air fine art festival on the West Coast, officially announced its featured artist roster for 2012. The roster recognizes artists who have distinguished their work in painting, sculpture, glasswork, photography and other mediums. This year's class of featured artists will have a prominent booth display at Mission Federal ArtWalk and will be recognized at surrounding VIP events, in a special section of the festival magazine and on the website, as well as in media and exposure-related activities.

Mission Federal ArtWalk is held during the last weekend of April – on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 in San Diego, Calif. In its 28th year, the festival stands apart from other art shows and events as it allows a chance for attendees to meet and get inspired by the participating artists while augmenting their experience with live musical performances and delicious cuisine from one of the area's outstanding eateries. The festival fills approximately 17 blocks (closed off to vehicle access) in the walkable Little Italy community, located in downtown San Diego with fantastic views of the bay.

"This year's featured artists showcase the breadth of skill, creativity and style that is found at ArtWalk events," said Sandi Cottrell, managing director of Mission Federal ArtWalk and ArtWalk on the Bay. "Vivid colors, art that conveys spirit, asks questions…as we head into 2012, we believe these pieces bring a welcomed energy to the viewer or art buyer. As managing director of ArtWalk, we get the unique opportunity to get to know the artists personally, and the stories behind their artwork are part of what sets them apart."

The featured artists for Mission Federal ArtWalk 2012 include:

Liz Abeyta, www.lizabeyta.com
Abeyta seeks to capture the light and the landscape in her artwork. Her work entails a delicate balance of providing just enough information so that a viewer understands a painting, while also leaving suggested features to the imagination. She strives to be efficient with brushstrokes yet still convey the essence of the location. Her art education consists of ongoing study at Watts Atelier and numerous workshops. She has recently had paintings accepted into both the Oil Painters of America (OPA) National Exhibition of Traditional Oils, as well as the OPA Western Regional Exhibition. Abeyta lives in San Diego.

Rey Alfonso, www.reyalfonsostudio.com
Born in Matanzas, Cuba as Rey Alfonso Santana in 1974, Alfonso exhibited artistic promise early on. His memories of Cuba's rhythm, sensuality and contrasts – colors, pre 1959 cars and the surging Communist government – were forever imprinted on his young imagination. Forced into Castro's Army at age 16, Alfonso served for several months until he gambled on a chance for freedom. After weeks of preparation, he set out in a rustic boat and made the treacherous journey to the United States. He settled in San Francisco in 1991 and became a full-time artist. Several of his public works and sculptural signs remain visible in San Francisco. It was his work with aluminum on a large-scale commission that first intrigued Alfonso and led him to his present style. Alfonso never ceases to explore new ways to express his ideas and evolving vision. He has created works for individuals and organizations ranging from the San Francisco Opera House to the Mayo Clinic, and his work can be found in over 40 countries. Alfonso lives in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Mario Cespedes, www.amazonfinearts.net
The splendor of the Andes and the luster of the Amazon Rainforest provide inspiration for Cespedes. From pretty Indian ladies selling their goods surrounded by pots, papayas and parrots, to old missions and darker subjects, his work reflects his roots in Latin America. Cespedes work explores both the dark and light side - he notes, "The Rainforest is not the sacred land it once was, tricky politicians, pollution, and deforestation have left their fingerprints. Beauty and chaos are the local mixed media." Mario uses brushes, canvas and watercolors to describe both sides of the forest. He uses bright colors and well-balanced tones and subjects in each of his paintings. This translates into work that is always fresh and light with many textures. Mario uses a variety of materials including acrylic, colored pencils, wood, pieces of paper, gold and silver leaf, currency, silkscreen, inks, and more. Cespedes work has been exhibited around the world and has earned national and international awards. He lives and works in La Quinta, California.

Patricia DeLeon, www.patricia-deleon.com
For DeLeon, painting is equal parts questioning, searching and expression, with as much discipline and honesty as possible. With an imaginative spirit, DeLeon earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Fibers. After graduating, she worked for several galleries and spent over five years grinding metal, welding and assisting her partner in his studio, but she soon realized she really yearned to paint. She turned to encaustic. DeLeon lives and works in Santa Barbara, Calif. DeLeon's work was chosen as the cover image for this year's Mission Federal ArtWalk magazine.

Chris Honeysett, www.chrishoneysett.com
An extraordinary photographer known for taking a meditative approach to his work, Honeysett uses a broad landscape as a starting point, slowly minimizing his angle of view over the years. He has shown his work at nationally recognized art festivals and won dozens of awards. Honeysett co-owned Two Visions Gallery for six years and his photographs have appeared in many publications, including Black and White Magazine and View Camera. He lives in the Bay area.

Jon Koehler, www.jonkoehler.com
A native San Diegan, Koehler creates one-of-a-kind kinetic sculptures ranging in size from 30 inches to 30 feet tall. He is the son of a successful boat designer/builder and craftsman and had the opportunity to work side-by-side with his father in his boatyard. Koehler's passion evolved into his current path of kinetic sculpture. He still resides in San Diego, focusing on his artistic works.   His sculptures incorporate a unique sense of fluidity and kinetic elements.  They appear to have a life of their own as they move in a slow, tranquil motion. Koehler has been exhibiting his work throughout his local community as well as internationally. He has had many public art exhibits in San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York.

Hasuyo Miller, www.hasuyo.com
Miller has been a full-time studio artist for many years and is constantly exploring new ideas and developing techniques to create different styles of work. She has been honored with awards from many shows, but at the heart of her quest is "to be in love with the work that goes into each piece." Miller's work continues to change and the challenge is "a constant play and interaction of ideas, color, texture and one thought leading to another." She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii and moved to San Jose to complete her Master of Arts in Ceramics. She taught ceramics at the University of Hawaii, Palomar College and Mt. San Jacinto College in Menifee, Calif.

Harold Pickern, www.haroldpickern.com
An award-winning artist, Pickern studied art and art education at Phoenix City College and Arizona State University. His work has appeared in exhibitions throughout the country and has earned numerous awards. Pickern lives in San Diego.

Hugo Rivera, www.hugorivera.com
Rivera is the world's first post-modern fresco artist.  Although he gained prominence as an interpretive modern artist, Rivera felt that much of the modern art world had lost sight of paintings' roots in the classical arts. In his move to post-modernism, Rivera sought to marry classical techniques with modern interpretations. Thus was born the art style of post-modern fresco – fusing of the old and the new. In 1994, Rivera began working as a muralist. By 2000, he had opened up a painting studio in Huntington Beach, but it wasn't until 2008 that he decided to focus more time on his painting career. Currently, Rivera lives and exhibits in Laguna Beach where he also has a studio.

Susanne Slater, www.slaterwatercolors.com
An award winning artist, Slater is known for her artistic expression with watercolor. After years working as a nurse, she pursued her true passion as a full-time artist in 2000. In 2001, she became a member of the San Diego Watercolor Society where she studied under internationally known artists such as Alvaro Castagnet, Frank Web, Don Andrews, Frank Francese and Eric Wiegardt. Though Slater has traveled to France, England and Italy to work, her favorite place to paint is San Diego.

Mark Stephenson, www.markstephensonart.info
A photographer, Stephenson's prints his images over metallic grounds, giving them an amazingly brilliant luminescence. He earned a second Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooks Institute of Photographic Arts and Sciences in Santa Barbara. Stephenson lives in the small rural community of Sky Valley, and his home and studio sit on six acres of pristine desert with lots of wildlife and stunning views of the two tallest peaks in southern California, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto.

Marcus Thesing, www.marcusthesing.com
Thesing was born and raised in southern California and first became interested in art at a young age.  His father, who sculpted as a young man, always had figurative sculptures around when Thesing was growing up. This influenced him and motivated him to create sculpture and three-dimensional art. Thesing's love for nature very much influences his artwork and informs his color patterns and shapes. After nine years of working for his father, it was time to move on. In 2003 Thesing's dream of having his own glassblowing studio came true. He now turns his time and focus into creating new designs with the molten media he loves.

At Mission Federal ArtWalk, attendees have the opportunity to get to know more about what inspires these featured artists as well as the hundreds who round out what's set to be an extraordinary year for the annual Mission Federal ArtWalk. Visitors are encouraged to visit the event's online gallery to peruse the artists' work, biographies and accolades to get to know them to make the very most out of their experience at the festival.

About Mission Federal ArtWalk
In its 28th year, Mission Federal ArtWalk brings more than 350 artists, dozens of musical performances, more than 120,000 spectators, and art buyers to enjoy 17 blocks full of art available for display and purchase. The two-day fine art festival is well-known for bringing together all facets of the arts, while promoting the opportunity for individuals to fall in love with and purchase their own original pieces of art. Mission Federal ArtWalk is held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a packed schedule of opportunities for individuals and families to engage in, create and purchase art. This free event features thousands of pieces of artwork created by artists from California, neighboring states, and Mexico. All must be accepted into the event to ensure attendees experience a range of fine visual and performing art including painting, sculpture, glasswork, photography, select jewelry, and other artisan work. For more information, visit www.missionfederalartwalk.org, Twitter: @ArtWalkSD, or Facebook: ArtWalkSD.

###