California Girls 2
In 1971, I organized an exhibition called California Girls at Richmond Art Center in Richmond, California. At the time I was curator there, but shortly after the opening of that show on February 11, I was forced to resign.
This year is the 50th anniversary of California Girls and I am organizing California Girls 2. Because of the coronavirus pandemic it is an online exhibition. The original title was suggested by Janet Webb, an LA artist in the exhibition. It is based on the song by the Beach Boys from the 1960s. The original exhibition included women from Los Angeles and San Francisco. California Girls 2 includes women only from the Bay Area.
There are a dozen women in this show. Two sculptors, three photographers, and seven painters. They are all older than 50. The original California Girls were all under 50, mostly in their twenties and did not include any photographers. In 1971 photography was not recognized as art as much as it is today and was not exhibited in the same exhibitions as painting and sculpture.
The women in this show are important artists.
– Tom Marioni
CLICK HERE to read a new interview with Tom Marioni by Shaelyn Hanes.
ARTWORKS
Catherine Wagner, Artemis/Diana, From Rome Works, 2014
Archival pigment print (edition 3 of 3), 45" x 60”
Courtesy of Jessica Silverman Gallery and Gallery Luisotti
Diane Roby, Untitled, 2019
Watercolor on paper, 10" x 15"
Courtesy of the Artist
Cheryl Meeker, Untitled, 2021
Watercolor and acrylic on found paper, 11" x 17"
Courtesy of the Artist
Frances Valesco, Legends and Legacies #1, 2021
Mixed print on paper (archival pigment, toned cyanotype), 15" x 11"
Courtesy of the Artist
Diane Andrews Hall, Robin with Red Squares, 2012
Oil on wood, 20" x 20"
Courtesy of the Artist and Rena Bransten Gallery
Flicka McGurrin, Herd Community Green, from MOO series, 2020/2021
Oil on canvas, 84" x 60"
Courtesy of the Artist
Gay Outlaw, New Crate Wave, 2010-2020
Cast paper, inkjet on rice paper, wheat paste, cardboard, wood, "91 x 52.5 x 52.5”
Courtesy of the Artist
Mary Ijichi, Assemblage #3, 2020
Mixed media, 12" x 12"
Courtesy of Brian Gross Fine Art and the Artist. Photo by Kaz Tsuruta
Mildred Howard, Movement IV: Sonata in Eight Notes, 2021
Glass bottles, wood, glue, 26" x 25" x 22"
Courtesy of the Artist and Franklin Parrasch Gallery
Mitra N Forouhar, Untitled, 2019
Acrylic on canvas, 14" x 11"
Courtesy of the Artist
Susan Middleton, Black-Eyed Squid, 2015
Photograph, 30” x 40”
Courtesy of the Artist. ©Susan Middleton 2015
Susan Backman, Woman Looking toward the Pacific, 2021
Digital photograph, Printed 8" x 10” - 11" x 14”
Courtesy of the Artist
