Belle Yang is probably the finest writer among today’s leading American artists. She has written two acclaimed novels (``Baba’’ and ``Odyssey of a Manchurian’’), a graphic novel which was praised by the Wall Street Journal (``Forget Sorrow’’), and several honored children’s books, including ``My Name Is Hannah’’. ``My Name Is Belle’’ is a documentary on her life which has been telecast on PBS. Her gouache landscapes are of her California home and her Chinese roots.
There is currently a national touring exhibition, curated in Washington, D.C., of her work through 2017, ``Crossing Cultures: Belle Yang, A Story of Immigration.’’
William Keland is equally skilled at oils as well as oil pastels. What much of his work has in common, whatever the medium, is the very strong, sometimes jarring imagery he creates of man interacting with nature, particularly water – in realistic, symbolic and mystical ways. His watery scenes range from the rivers and sloughs of California to the lakes of his native Wisconsin to the quiet fjords of Norway, the birthplace of his ancestors. It is powerful work with an intentional primal touch. Much of it can be seen in the book ``William Keland: Paintings and Drawings.’’
Joseph Yang walked out of China during the tumultuous days leading up to World War II. His astounding story of survival and strength led to his daughters acclaimed novels ``Baba’’ and ``Odyssey of a Manchurian.’’ Joseph Yang is a poet as well as an artist and his exquisite watercolors are created from his youthful memories of a pastoral China of farmers and villages, writing a brief narrative or poem – in Chinese and English – to accompany each painting.
De Brito, who was born on the Azores off the coast of Portugal, came to the United States with his family in 1958. He has been not only important as an artist, but in enriching Portuguese-American relations. He was the impetus behind a book,
“Ashes to Life: A Portuguese American Story in Art’’, that also includes the prominent artists Mel Ramos, John Mattos and the late Nathan Oilveira. A colorist and creator of strong compositions, whether landscapes or figurative work, de Brito has been influenced by the French fauve painters, as well as the California artists represented by The Society of Six and E. Charlton Fortune.
Nancy Burtch Hauk studied art history at Connecticut College. Over the years, she studied art with Pacific Grove’s Sam Colburn, a leading California watercolorist, and also with two National Academicians: Californian Gregory Kondos and Don Nice of New York. Jann Pollard, Gerald Brommer and Claire Verbiest were also among her instructors. The unveiling of the Pacific Grove Public Library’s exhibition gallery space showcased a solo exhibit of Hauk’s work, and dedicated the gallery space inside the historic Carnegie building in the names of Nancy and Steve Hauk for their contributions to the arts.
Warren Chang is a realist of the first rank. He had a very successful career as an illustrator, creating dozens of book covers while living in New York. When he returned to his native California, he turned back to landscape and, more specifically, agricultural scenes, much of the work inspired by the writings of John Steinbeck. His ``Monterey Now: Warren Chang’’ exhibition last year at the Monterey Museum of Art proved exceed-
ingly popular, and his work continues to exhibit around the country, including the Butler Institute of American Art and the Salmagundi Art Club. The book ``Warren Chang: Narrative Paintings’’ is published by Flesk Publications.
Michael Katakis is a photographer and writer, and also rep resents the Ernest Hemingway literary estate. His photography has hung in many museums and his work, both photography and journals, are held by the British Library. He co-authored “Michael Katakis: Photographs and Words’’ with his late wife, cultural anthropologist Dr. Kris L. Hardin. Other books include; “Traveller: Observations from an American in Exile’’
and “A Thousand Shards of Glass’’, published by Simon and Schuster.
Caroline Kline is a native of Ohio, where she received a Ford Foundation grant to study at the Columbus College of Art and Design; that led to exhibiting her work in Texas, Japan and Spain before settling on the Monterey Peninsula. Here she
painted with almost legendary artists such as Sam Colburn and Joan Savo. Kline, who works in watercolor, pastels, oils and acrylics, continually experiments with her art. Recently she has also shown a considerable talent for illustrating stories, creating evocative, moving, sometimes startling images.
Hauk Fine Arts is proud to showcase these important Contemporary Artists.....
