Demonstration Artist – Thursday, May 9 from 6-8 pm. OILS
George Allen Durkee is a San Francisco street artist turned Northern California landscape painter. He is co-owner of The Art Gallery in Murphys, located in Murphys, California. Durkee has been a contributing writer for The Artist's Magazine and American Artist and is the author of Expressive Oil Painting - An Open Air Approach to Creative Landscapes.
George Allen Durkee was no child prodigy. "I didn’t get into painting until I was twenty-five" he says. There were no art schools where he lived, so George signed up for a mail order course in painting. "You're just kidding yourself," someone told him. "You'll have to wait till you're dead before your paintings will be worth anything." So began the unorthodox career of this accomplished California artist.
In 1975, at the age of 33, George quit his day job and began painting full-time. Within a few short years, painting in small towns and large from Canada to Mexico, he conjured up a striking series of paintings. "I was training to swim in a bigger pond," is how he puts it. Then he drove into San Francisco to paint on what he called, "...sidewalks stressed by pedestrians testing the San Andreas Fault."
In less than six months, his paintings appeared in a prominent gallery – between the works of Picasso and Miro! "I don’t know if that's any claim to fame," George remarks, "but I did outsell both Picasso and Miro." The late Herb Caen, writing in The San Francisco Chronicle, announced that George’s paintings were "…delightfully original…" San Francisco Magazine said his paintings were the "Best…" His work appeared in American Artist and The Artist’s Magazine, both national publications. Rex Lampman raved, "Durkee is the Coca Cola of urban painters – the real thing!"
One day an ambitious art dealer made George a highly unusual offer: a substantial guaranteed income. "It was an offer that was hard to turn down at the time," says George. "But it worked out that painting for that dealer isolated me from my collectors. It was like sending your kids out into the world and not knowing where they went. And I needed to connect with the people who took my work home." So George left the dealer’s gallery and set out on his own.
For the next ten years, he continued to paint in and around San Francisco, building a following of collectors from all over the world. "And I learned a lot about painting," he adds. (One collector has assembled over 30 Durkee paintings.)
Then, in 2001, George surprised his friends and followers alike. After nearly twenty years as a popular figure on the San Francisco art scene, he turned away from his familiar cityscape motif. "I read somewhere that an artist ought to risk his career about every two years just as a way of keeping his work fresh," he explains. "Well, it was time. I was hungry for a new challenge." So, at the age of 60, George moved to the legendary California Gold Country, applying his mature competence to the painting of landscapes. "I had some astounding successes in San Francisco," he says, "but that's finished. I've got to keep growing."
May Feature Artist(s) Stockton Art League
Reception: Saturday, May 11 4 -7
San Joaquin Potters Guild
A non-profit organization, the San Joaquin Potters Guild was founded in 1991 by a small group of clay artists who were interested in the camaraderie and inspiration that could be gained by association with other ceramic artists. Over the years the guild has grown and now includes glass artists.
A friendly, diverse and active group, the San Joaquin Potters Guild is committed to maintaining high standards of craftsmanship and design in clay and glass. The organization encourages innovation and professional growth in technical skills and aesthetics; promotes public appreciation and understanding of ceramic and glass art; and provides a medium for exchange of ideas and concerns within the field.
The members of the San Joaquin Potters Guild represent artists in San Joaquin and surrounding counties (Tuolumne, Calaveras, Mariposa, Stanislaus, Sacramento, Amador and Contra Costa). New members are welcome and are not limited to these counties. We welcome clay and glass artists from throughout Northern California.