Press Statement

Join Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch on Second Saturday, April 11th from 6–10pm for the opening reception of April Arts Showcase “Spring in SoCal2,” our annual group show featuring ArtHatch Artists. This event is part of Escondido’s Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month 2026. Activities will take place throughout the artist studios, including live painting.

The first 100 guests to RSVP will receive a free succulent and a hand-painted pot. To reserve yours, please RSVP to spring@arthatch.org. Pot painting will take place from 6-9pm. There will also be a preview of artwork from the upcoming all-teen exhibition, showcasing work created by students in the ArtHatch nonprofit’s free teen art program.

Live music will be performed by C-Barrgs from 6–8pm and Big Boss Bubeleh from 8–10pm.

Drinks will be available for purchase from LastSpot (21+).

This event is free and open to all ages.

Additionally, we will have live painting happening in the gallery on April 18th and 25th from 2-5pm.

“Spring in SoCal 2” Exhibition runs through May 2, 2026

Special thanks to the City of Escondido's Public Art Commission for their generous support.

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Join us for the opening reception of “Cross Currents,” a contemporary group exhibition bringing together artists from across the globe. Curated by Thumbprint Gallery and presented in Distinction Gallery’s main exhibition space, the show features painting, drawing, and mixed media. Many participating artists will be in attendance for the opening.

Thumbprint Gallery has supported artists since 2009, and Distinction Gallery— rooted on Grand Avenue in Escondido for over 20 years—continues its commitment to bringing exceptional art to the community.

The opening reception will feature live music, with drinks available for purchase from LastSpot (21+). This event is free and open to all ages.

“Cross Currents” opens March 14, from 6:00–10:00 p.m.

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Join us on Saturday, February 14 for the opening reception of “Love Letters 3,” featuring Divergence Art Collective. This show includes an international group of artists working across a wide range of mediums, all reflecting on the theme of love. From romantic and platonic connections to a deep affection for a genre or form, the works on view build on Divergence’s history of creating exciting and varied exhibitions. It’s the perfect way to spend a Valentine’s weekend surrounded by art, music, and community.

There will be live music, and drinks will be available for purchase from LastSpot (for guests 21+). This event is free and open to all ages.

“Love Letters” opens February 14, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.?Distinction Gallery, 317 East Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025

Press Statement

Our largest annual fundraiser, Art-AThon, is just around the corner. It features distinguished artists from around the world, dedicating 24 hours to create original works. These pieces are auctioned online to support our free teen art program. The auction also includes an exhibit with an opening reception, featuring live music.

Starting at noon on January 3rd, participating artists will create their works within 24 hours. The auction begins on Thursday, January 8th, 2026, with an all-ages opening reception from 6-10pm held on January 10, 2026. The auction and exhibit closes Feb 5, 2026 at 11am pst.

Special thanks to our sponsors Participating Artists, Robert Barry, Joanne Brey and Ron Fitzgerald, Escondido Rotary Foundation, Linda B Walker, Design Moe Kitchen & Bath, Joanne and Frank Volpe, Dinah Martin, John Purlia, and Roni Hebdon-Hallauer.

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Press Statement

Join us on Saturday night, November 8, from 6-10 p.m. at Distinction Gallery in Escondido, California, for the opening reception of "Seasons Changing," a group exhibition curated by ViralBoa. This free, all-ages event invites the public to experience an evening of art, live music, and community.

For more than 20 years, Distinction Gallery has been a beacon of the Southern California art scene, specializing in representational paintings ranging from surrealism and realism to figurative works. ViralBoa, one of the gallery's represented artists, has hand-selected an exceptional group of creators for this show, featuring Cherry Gunk, Kai Lun Qu, Ivan Flores, Kate Kennedy, Nonie Cruzado, Eric Johnson and Cole Mattingly.

Guests aged 21 and over can also enjoy drinks available for purchase from Last Spot Bar during the event. Last Spot Bar has a curated selection of wine, beer, sake, cider and non-alcoholic options. The rest of the gallery will be open for view during the reception and guests are encouraged to explore all of the exhibits.

"Seasons Changing"

Curated by ViralBoa

Saturday night, November 8, from 6-10 p.m. Distinction Gallery 317 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025

Press Statement

Step into the mysterious and unknown at The Veil Between, a group exhibition exploring the thinning of the veil between world's life and death, dreams and reality. Opening on October 11th from 6-10 PM at Distinction Gallery in Escondido, this event features original paintings, photography, drawings, and mixed media by visual artists from around the globe.

Distinction Gallery has been a beacon for contemporary art in Southern California for more than twenty years. The opening reception will include live music, artists in attendance, and drinks available for purchase (21+) from Last Spot Bar, which offers a curated selection of wine, beer and cocktails.

Artwork used in promotional image is by Kelly Clark, a toned cyanotype, "Il Corvo, Fiume Arno, Firenze"

'The Veil Between' Opens October 11th, 6-10 Pm atDistinction Gallery. 317 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025. Please come dressed in your Halloween costume for an early celebration!

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Press Statement

Join us Saturday August 9 from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. for the opening reception of "Concussion" curated by acclaimed painter Brady Willmott, hosted by Distinction Gallery. The artwork on show ranges from the off beat and unsettling to the sweet and surreal, though all are a showcase of skill, sophistication and artistic tenacity. Artists include Allois, Brandon Hurley, Sierra Colt, Jon Ching and more (full list below). Each artist brings their own unique sensibility to the pieces on show. There will be live music and drinks available for purchase by Last Spot.

"Concussion" featured artists:

Allois, Andrew Brando, Anthony Ausgang, Bill Brown, Bradford Schneider, Brandon Hurley,Charlene Mosley, Espana Garcia, Evgola, Frau Sakra, James McLeod, Jon Vaux, Jon Ching, Kate Joiner, Kelley Sutphin, L Croskey, Marion Willmott, Mark Covell, N. C. Winters, Peter Ferrel, Sean O?Neill, Sierra Colt, David Van Gough, Brady Willmott.

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Join us for the opening reception of "Rare Breed", a public event featuring new paintings by celebrated local artist, Kelly Vivanco. Vivanco’s dreamy, ethereal acrylic paintings have gained her fans from all over the world. While she is internationally acclaimed, this is a ‘hometown’ show as Vivanco lives in the Escondido.

The opening reception is a free, all-ages event with live music and the artist in attendance. Drinks will be available to purchase from Last Spot (21+). Additionally, Wien's Family Cellars will be in house serving samples of Crowded: Red, White, and Pink - all featuring Kelly't labels! Bottles will be available for purchase and Kelly will be signing!

‘Rare Breed’ paintings by Kelly Vivanco Saturday, May 10th from 6-10pm Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave, Escondido CA.

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Distinction Gallery proudly presents "ArtHatch Studio Artists: Spring in So Cal," a vibrant celebration of art, creativity, and community. To kick off the event, we’re offering a delightful giveaway: the first 60 attendees who RSVP will receive a complimentary mini succulent and pot, setting the tone for a fun and interactive evening.

The event will be held at the Distinction Gallery / ArtHatch building located at 317 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025 on April 12th, with festivities occurring from 6pm-9pm. The bar and gallery will remain open until 10pm.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit five different studios, each showcasing the work of talented professional artists.

As part of a unique collaboration, visitors can join in the artistic process by having the artists contribute to their personal pots.

The experience culminates in our teen studio, where everyone is invited to add their own artistic flair and finish off their pot with a splash of paint, while previewing the teens in progress artwork as part of their solo July exhibition.

As they exit, attendees can select a succulent to take home, completing the experience with a one-of-a-kind creation. Alongside the artistic activities, the event will feature live painting performances by several artists, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process.

The Escondido Music and Art Company has curated the musical lineup, with three diverse bands set to perform, ensuring a lively and engaging atmosphere throughout the evening. To round out the experience, Last Spot will be serving refreshing drinks, including a signature cocktail inspired by the spring theme.

Join us for an evening that celebrates both artistic expression and community spirit – it’s an event you won’t want to miss!

To reserve a pot please RSVP to Spring@arthatch.org. This event was made possible in part by The City of Escondido Public Arts Commission and The California Arts Council.

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Join us for Robert Barry: "Urban Landscape: An Intersection of Art, Architecture and Culture", opening March 8th at Distinction Gallery. Barry has been an artist for more than 40 years, and a retired professor at Palomar college swhere he taught starting in 1989. Urban landscape photography has been his primary area of interest. The reception is free and open to the public, all ages are welcome. The artist will be present and we will have live music, open studios, and drinks will be available for purchase from Last Spot (21+).

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Come join us Saturday, February 8th for the opening reception of "Love Letters" by Divergence Art Collective. This show features an international group of artists working across mediums, contemplating the theme of love. Romantic, platonic or simply revelling in the love of a genre or form - the pieces on show expand on Divergence's history of creating exciting and varied exhibits. There will be live music and drinks available for purchase from LastSpot (for guests 21+). This event is free and open to all ages.

Love Letters opens Feb 8th from 6-10pm Distinction Gallery, 317 East Grand Ave, Escondido CA 92025

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Distinction is proud to exhibit its 14th Annual Art-A-Thon, an auction style fundraiser to support ArtHatch's free teen program. Distinguished artists come together, dedicating 24 hours to create original works. Artworks will begin at just $100. The auction also includes an exhibit with an opening reception, featuring live music by Cbarrgs.

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present "Tarnished Emporium", an exhibition of new works by celebrated sculptor Valency Genis. She has created a melange of delightfully odd, offbeat creatures sculpted from clay, resin, glass and for the first time metallics! Longtime fans will see familiar Genis tropes such as mammalian eyes, amusing textiles and fantastical antlers. The works are a splendid expansion of her process and oeuvre.

The opening reception will be held from 6-10pm at Distinction Gallery in Escondido California. All ages. There will be live music and drinks available for purchase from LastSpot by Tortari(21 ).

"Tarnished Emporium" Opening Reception, December 14th from 6-10pm at Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave Escondido California 92025

Press Statement

"I've been involved in art with one media or another from an early age. Although I spent many hours sketching, drawing with pen and ink, and painting with acrylics and oils, my first love has always been sculpting and mixed media. I currently use both ceramic and oil based clays. It is the three-dimensional and textural qualities achievable through sculpture that satisfies me creatively. I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is most fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction...with "eye contact"."

"No heavy message or serious statement is intended in most of my figures. They are as simple as their little faces depict. My hope is that they will spark an emotion in the viewer...one of happiness, an understanding, a reminder of someone they know or even just a smile. Any kind of reaction, good or otherwise is my goal."

"My work can be found in galleries both internationally and across the US and has been shown in art publications and was the cover feature for the arts and entertainment magazine Pasatiempo. It is also in the private collections of several notable celebrities."

-Denise Bledsoe

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THIS OCTOBER, Distinction Gallery is proud to present "Pre-Apocalyptic Landscapes," an exhibition of new works by Gabe Leonard, a celebrated cinematic artist.

Known for narrative paintings with swashbuckling desperados and femme fatales, Leonard draws inspiration from many genres of film, such as westerns and noir. Leonard's brushwork is as electrifying as his subjects, and bold warm and cold colors denote the unfolding drama of his scenes. Longtime fans and newcomers alike will find fresh reason to delight in his new western genre compositions.

"Pre-Apocalyptic Landscapes" opens with a public reception with the artist from 6-10 p.m. on October 12th. Visitors are encouraged to dress up inspired by Gabe's art or in their own costumes. The "best dressed," as chosen by Gabe, will receive a full set of books with a custom slipcover valued at $1000. There will be live music and drinks available for purchase from Last Spot by Tortori.

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Join us on Saturday, September 14th for the unveiling of new paintings by celebrated pop surrealist Brady Willmott. "Change the Fucking Channel" will debut from 6-10pm with live music, drinks available for purchase (21 ) and the artist in attendance.

Brady Willmott is an artist based in Southern California who combines unique characters and situations with traditional surroundings, reflecting his unusual life experience.

Change The Fucking Channel: A reminder to not get stuck in the same routine, try to see things from a new perspective, get out and enjoy life. Every day it seams easier and easier for the problems of the world to weigh down our everyday lives and affect our mentality. Take the time to remember what makes you happy.

All exhibits will be open and on view during this reception and guests are welcome to explore our arts complex. "Change the Fucking Channel" debuts, Saturday, September 14th and ruins til October 5th.

Distinction Gallery 317 E Grand Ave suite A, Escondido, CA 92025

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Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present our Studio Artists Exhibition, featuring the collective art of our very own in-house artists. An exhibit representing a broad spectrum of current San Diego art community, the show features a wide range of mediums including drawing, photography, painting and mixed media. There will be a public opening reception on July 13th from 6-10pm, with live music and drinks available for purchase. Artists in attendance.

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Kelly Vivanco was born and raised in front of a sketchpad and a box of colors in Southern California. She later received her BFA with honors from LCAD in Laguna Beach. In 2004 Kelly became a Studio artist at Distinction and currently maintains a working studio there. Her work has shown in numerous galleries and is held in collections across the U.S. and abroad. Kelly enjoys setting whimsy to work in many mediums and pulls inspiration from the natural and imagined world, vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams.

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Mia Savage is a painter and art history enthusiast. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she studied ink painting before moving to Massachusetts to study art. After working in New York, she moved to Los Angeles for an artist residency and has lived in California ever since, persuing oil and watercolor. Mia teaches painting and art history to students of all ages.

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This December, sculptor Valency Genis presents "Feral Farm", an exhibition of new works hosted by Distinction Gallery. A chance childhood encounter with a dusty taxidermy shop initially inspired Genis' to start making her magical chimera sculptures. She lovingly crafts her critters using epoxy clay, wood, wire, and acrylic and oil paints. A fan of pop culture, Genis' whimsical creatures recall the works of Jim Henson and Tim Burton. Each creation is vibrantly colored with an exquisitely crafted facial expressions. Sometimes her creations are adorned with bows and ribbons. Grotesque, whimsical and humorous - the showcase is in every way a triumphant addition to Genis'ouvre.

"FERAL FARM" opens Saturday, Dec 9th from 6-10pm | Distinction Gallery, Escondido CA

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Distinction is pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition by fan favorite Denise Bledsoe with her solo show "Outlier". The opening reception with the artist, live music by the JourneyBirds, open studios, and drinks for sale by Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Sat Nov 12 from 6-10pm.

In the artist's words "I've been involved in art with one media or another from an early age. Although I spent many hours sketching, drawing with pen and ink, and painting with acrylics and oils, my first love has always been sculpting and mixed media. I currently use both ceramic and oil based clays. It is the three-dimensional and textural qualities achievable through sculpture that satisfies me creatively. I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is most fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction...with "eye contact"."

"No heavy message or serious statement is intended in most of my figures. They are as simple as their little faces depict. My hope is that they will spark an emotion in the viewer...one of happiness, an understanding, a reminder of someone they know or even just a smile. Any kind of reaction, good or otherwise is my goal."

"My work can be found in galleries both internationally and across the US and has been shown in art publications and was the cover feature for the arts and entertainment magazine Pasatiempo. It is also in the private collections of several notable celebrities."

The exhibition will run from November 12 - Dec 3

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THIS OCTOBER, Distinction Gallery is proud to present "Stay to the End" an exhibition of new works by Gabe Leonard, celebrated cinematic artist.

Known for narrative paintings with swashbuckling desperados and femme fatals, Leonard draws inspiration from many genres of film such as westerns and noir. Leonard's brushwork is as electrifying as his subjects, bold warm and cold colors denoting the unfolding drama of his scenes. Longtime fans and newcomers alike will find fresh reason to delight in his new filmic compositions.

"Stay to the End" opens with a public reception with the artist from 6-10pm on October 14th. There will be live music and drinks available for purchase from Last Spot by Hidden Hive.

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present ArtHatch Studio Artist, a annual exhibition featuring in house studio and exhibition artists. The show is comprised of 29 new works including paintings, photographs, and mixed media artworks.

Meet the artists, Saturday July 8th from 6-10pm. There will be live music and drinks for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive (21+). Come explore our gallery, visit studios and meet other art lovers!

The exhibition will run from July 8 - August 5, 2023.

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present WALLFLOWER, a new exhibition by celebrated painter Kelly Vivanco. Originally from Southern California, Vivanco has exhibited works across the U.S., including the Portsmouth Museum and Art Basel. Her playful paintings evoke children's literary illustration as well as vintage photography and dreamlike nostalgia. The new pieces balance familiar themes with new concepts, expanding her oeuvre in a manner sure to delight and intruige.

eet Kelly Vivanco at our opening reception, Saturday May 13th from 6-10pm. There will be live music and drinks for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive (21+). Come explore our gallery, visit studios and meet other art lovers!

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Shehas exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Kelly Vivanco's art is available for sale and is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

Vivanco has created 20 brand new whimsical paintings for the exhibition, many of which have custom frames made by her husband, Peter Hillier. The opening reception with the artist, open studios, live music, and drinks available from Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Saturday May 13, from 6-10pm.

The exhibition will run from May 13 - June 3, 2023.

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Distinction is pleased to announce a fine selection of some of our best pieces available from inventory.

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Distinction is pleased to announce a fine selection of some of our finest represented artists.

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Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch is pleased to announce our 12th Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 16 artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $100. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local teens. Participating artists this year are Kelly Vivanco and Peter Hillier, Victor Roman, Brady Willmott, Dinah Martin, Eusebio Travis Sevilla, Evgola, Jennifer Anichowski, Lindy Ivey, Martita, Megan Darrough, Nicole Mendez Waszak, Olga Tenyakova, and SonyArletta. Auction ends 1/28 at 2pm pst. Special thanks to our sponsors Christine Altmiller, Fusspot Charity Foundation, Joanne Brey & Ron Fitzgerald, Joanne Volpe, John Purlia, Lindy Ivey, Linda Walker, Martita and Robert Barry.

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Distinction is pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition by uniquely talented artist Valency Genis with her solo show "Feral Friends". The opening reception with live music, open studios, and drinks for sale by Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Sat December 10th from 6-10pm.

Genis is an artist with a head full of never ending creatures, who displays her ability to bring these vivid imaginations to life with her amazing sculptures of fanciful hybrid animals. A whimsical menagerie of imaginary taxidermy creatures, her work continues to catch the eyes and hearts of fans across the globe and of all age groups.

In her youth, she was utterly obsessed with television and video games, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana, in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise.

While studying for her BFA at the University of New Mexico, Valency discovered that she had the power to create creatures and control their aesthetics, while minimizing the tragedy associated with taxidermied animals. She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences such as Tim Burton, Jim Henson, and Dr. Seuss. With close attention to detail, her bizarre creations are adorned with bright colors and bows, striking the perfect balance between humorous and grotesque.

The exhibition will run from December 10 - January 2

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Distinction is pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition by fan favorite Denise Bledsoe with her solo show "Disorder". The opening reception with the artist, live music by Eric Brinker, open studios, and drinks for sale by Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Sat Nov 12 from 6-10pm.

In the artist's words "I've been involved in art with one media or another from an early age. Although I spent many hours sketching, drawing with pen and ink, and painting with acrylics and oils, my first love has always been sculpting and mixed media. I currently use both ceramic and oil based clays. It is the three-dimensional and textural qualities achievable through sculpture that satisfies me creatively. I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is most fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction...with "eye contact"."

"No heavy message or serious statement is intended in most of my figures. They are as simple as their little faces depict. My hope is that they will spark an emotion in the viewer...one of happiness, an understanding, a reminder of someone they know or even just a smile. Any kind of reaction, good or otherwise is my goal."

"My work can be found in galleries both internationally and across the US and has been shown in art publications and was the cover feature for the arts and entertainment magazine Pasatiempo. It is also in the private collections of several notable celebrities."

The exhibition will run from November 12 - Dec 3

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "In a Perfect World", a solo exhibition featuring artwork by world renown Gabe Leonard. The exhibition will include both new works and his greatest hits - many closet to sold out. The artist will be present and one lucky person will get to sit for a live painting. To enter come dressed up, influenced by Gabe's art, and get a free ticket. Get an additional ticket per $20 spent on Gabe's art. Drawing at 8pm. Additionally, we will have live music, open studios, and drinks for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive. Gabe Leonard spent his early years in rural Wyoming, sketching wildlife and selling his drawings for one dollar. After earning his BFA from Columbus College in Ohio, Leonard honed his talents on the ultra-competitive Venice Beach boardwalk.

Described as "Johnny Cash meets Quentin Tarantino," Gabe Leonard's original art and prints possess an intense cinematic quality combining the gestural brushwork of expressionism with the expert lighting and framing of a Hollywood cinematographer. His oils are cinematic, atmospheric and moody, revolving around outlaws, rugged Noir characters to create narratives full of dramatic possibility.

While his subjects and compositions belie a heavy influence of modern and contemporary cinema, Leonard's artistic style is rooted firmly in a European tradition. While he often breaks from academic restrictions with his loose brushwork and characteristic drips, he counts Rembrandt, Mucha, Klimt and Schiele as amongst his influences.

Following a string of sell-out shows and acquisitions by high-profile collectors, Leonard has quickly become one of the most sought-after artists in the world. Whenever his work is up for sale, galleries, art enthusiasts and high-profile celebrities rush to buy his admirable art and paintings. Recent celebrity collectors include Quentin Tarantino, Charlie Sheen, and Rueben Fleischer. Leonard currently resides in Los Angeles.

The exhibition will run from October 8 - November 5.

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "At Night", a solo exhibition featuring brand new artwork by long term ArtHatch artist Roel Jovellanos. The exhibition will include figurative paintings depicting women at night in precarious situations. The emotions of the women strongly come through in this new series of intriguing oil paintings. The artist will be present and we will have live music and drinks available for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive for the reception on September 10th from 6-10pm.

Roel's art focusses on various aspects of the human condition expressed through visual narratives and subtext. He uses cinematic framing, sequences, and multiple points of focus to fully capture the theme of a painting. His background includes a long stint in the video game industry where he worked as a concept artist and 3D modeler. He left all that behind to slow it down, to create meaningful and lasting work in an age where attention can be fickle and art disposable.

Roel earned his BFA in illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He was born in Chicago, raised in Southern California, and now resides in Phoenix.

The exhibition will run from September 10 - October 1.

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of our Annual ArtHatch Artist Exhibition, a group show featuring artwork by our in house studio and wall artists. The exhibition will include new paintings, photographs, and mixed media. The artists will be present and we will have live music by Good Vibes and drinks available for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive for the reception on July 9 from 6-10pm.

The exhibition will run from July 9 - August 6

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Press Statement Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "There's No Place Like Home", a solo show by San Francisco based fine art painter and muralist Amandalynn. Amandalynn painted a 140 foot long mural on the side of our building in 2016 and we are thrilled that she will be returning to paint a mural inside our on site art bar, Last Spot by Hidden Hive. The mural unveiling will be at the opening reception on June 11th from 6-10pm.

As a fine artist, Amandalynn is inspired by the female form and spirit. She is passionate about her illustrative depictions of strong, seductive women, capturing an alluring invitation to each viewer through strong line work and decorative patterning.

Amandalynn shows her artwork extensively throughout the world. Additionally, she is continually invited to create murals throughout the world. Amandalynn has welcomed a huge fan base through being the art director for Kaaboo Music and Art Festival. Her artworks and murals appeared throughout the festival's initial launch in Del Mar in 2015 and will again be featured in 2016 in Del Mar and additional upcoming festivals. The exposure has helped Amandalynn to further develop a strong collecting base.

Amandaynns has created 11 brand new whimsical paintings and custom wood sculptures for the exhibition. The opening reception with the artist, open studios, live music, and drinks for sale from Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Saturday June 11, from 6-10pm.

The exhibition will run from June 11 - July 2nd.

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "Resilient Edges", a solo show by Escondido beloeved artist Kelly Vivanco. Vivanco has become one of the most sought after and collected artists with a global collection base and following.

Vivanco, a native to Southern California, earned her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She works with a variety of media to create art with whimsy, nostalgia and a sense of child-like wonder.

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Shehas exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Kelly Vivanco's art is available for sale and is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

Vivanco has created 20 brand new whimsical paintings for the exhibition, many which were custom framed. The opening reception with the artist, open studios, live music, and drinks available from Last Spot will be held on Saturday May 14, from 6-10pm.

The exhibition will run from May 14 - June 4.

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "Metal Earth", a solo show by San Diego based oil painter and long term ArtHatch studio artist, Hoss Cruz.

Cruz is a self taught creator expressing elements of science fiction and dream inspired landscapes. Music brings creative journeys that bring out these worlds of madness. Aside from oil painting, he is also a music creator. Writing music ties his oil subjects to a unique experience. Currently, he is creating videos on YouTube (Metal Earth Studio). Hoss Cruz also has a long term career as a tattooer, his tattoo art contains a lot of oil painting techniques rendered in color and black and white.

Cruz will display a variety of paintings including portraits, full figure skulls, and fantasy style works with a dark flare. The opening reception with the artist, open studios, live music, and drinks available from Last Spot will be held on Saturday April 9, from 6-10pm.

The exhibition will run from April 9 - March 7.

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Distinction Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening reception of "Modern Tintypes", a solo show by Escondido based photographer and long term ArtHatch studio artist, Will Gibson.

Gibson produced 21 unique tintypes by hand including photographing the subject with various cameras - the full size of the image and developing images, often in his van/darkroom. The exhibition includes architecture, nature, skull still lives among other subject matter. Artworks range from 4x5 - 10 x 8 inches.

The opening reception with the artist, open studios, live music, and drinks available from Last Spot will be help on Saturday March 12th from 6-10pm. The exhibition will run from March 12th - April 2.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 185 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring 15 local artist, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 500 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to announce a new solo exhibition titles "Enchanted Lands" of artist Virginie Mazureau. Virginie is an artist originally from France and who now resides in Carlsbad. The exhibition titled will feature Virginie's newest whimsical mixed media paintings.

The Opening Reception with the artist will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2021 from 6-10pm.

Additionally we will have live music, open studios featuring 40+ local artists, and drinks available from Last Spot.

The exhibition will run from February 12 - March 5th.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 185 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring 15 local artist, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 500 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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ArtHatch is excited to announce our 11th Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 20+ artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $100. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the center's free art education program for local teens. The reception is Jan 8, 2022 from 6-10 p.m., but the exhibit runs through Feb 4 at Noon.

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ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are proud to present a solo exhibition by sculpturist, Valency Genis: Visceral Varmints

Valency Genis is and amazing sculpture artist that creates hybrid creatures of fancy. She hails from the Republic of Cascadia; she entered the world as a 12-pound baby born in Portland, Oregon, and was then raised in Seattle, Washington. She was utterly obsessed with television and video games for most of her life, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise...

The exhibition will run from Dec 11 - January 8. The opening reception with live music, open studios, and drinks for sale at Last Spot will be held Dec 11 from 6-10pm.

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"Bizarre Bazaar" Hello from Denise's adorably bizarre creatures! The solo exhibition will be on view at Distinction Art Gallery from 11/13 to 12/4 The opening reception is November 13th: 6pm-10pm, tomorrow! Come by to greet these little cuties, see you all then!

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by our best selling artist Gabe Leonard. The exhibition titled "Totally Under Control" will include several new oil paintings, many inspired by the ongoing pandemic. The reception with live music by Amanda Portela and Kenny Hill, open studios, and drinks for sale from Last Spot Art Bar will be held Oct 9th from 6-10pm.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 185 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring 15 local artist, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 500 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by long time veteran artist Caia Koopman. The exhibition will include several new originals and framed limited edition prints. The reception with live music and open studios will be held Sept 11 from 6-10pm.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 185 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring 15 local artist, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 500 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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Never short on inspiration, if you're looking for an artistic boost to lift your spirits you've come to the right place. Distinction Gallery is celebrating their 11th Annual Palomar College Scholarship Auction, in memory of Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker. Featuring a wonderful selection of artwork, this highly anticipated exhibition event lets you honor the creative voice of each artist as well as a worthy cause. All artwork starts at just $100! From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2021/08/10/palomar-auction-distinction-gallery/

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ArtHatch is thrilled to announce our annual studio artist show. We have so many talented artists in the exhibition. It will be an honor to present this exhibition with an opening reception for the first time since March of 2020! Please join the artists on Jul. 10 from 6 - 10 p.m. along with live music by Amanda Portela and Kenny Hill as well as a special fire dancing performance by the incredibly talented Melanie Atesalp. Last Spot will be open and drinks will be available for purchase.
Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 180 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.
ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley" featuring 15 local artists, the teen room featuring artwork by local teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 400 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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Due to current state mandate we are not allowed to hold receptions until after June 15th. However, Jennifer's show will be viewable during gallery hours Tues - Fri 11-5 and Sat 12-5. The exhibition will be on display through July 3rd.

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About Shane Paxton

Shane Paxton is a 40 year old Escondido native, musician, and self-taught sculptor of goblins, monsters, and absurdities. His work is playful and evocative, and loved by fans of all ages.

Gallery Hours:

Distinction Gallery / ArtHatch Hours:

Tuesday - Friday: 11 am - 5 pm

Saturday: 12 pm - 5 pm

Second Saturday Receptions: 6 pm - 10 pm (starting back up in July)

About Distinction Gallery / ArtHatch:

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 180 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring 15 local artist, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 400 sq ft, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and Last Spot Art Bar.

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Wanderer. Traveler. Drifter. Immerse your gypsy soul in the beautifully surreal work of Dinah Martin's "Nomad" solo exhibition, opening this weekend at Distinction Gallery! Texture, form and fluidity, the stunning use of color and abstract design will captivate your imagination. Discover the forest of her magical painted trees; let each piece inspire your creative spirit and join Distinction Gallery in celebration Dinah Martin's "Nomad". "I'm a bit of a Nomad Artist who grew up in the UK and spent a couple of years in Norway before moving to Albuquerque, San Diego, Pasadena and then settling in Seattle. Now I've returned to Southern California to paint and create my experiences of traveling the world and exploring other fascinating cultures. I love color and patterns and using my imagination to create my art. I use all kinds of medium but mostly acrylics and lots of intuition." From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2021/03/10/dinah-martin-distinction-gallery/

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A Self taught artist from Escondido, California. Edwin Vasquez expresses through vibrant colors the everyday life of Mexico and its people.

In his mid-twenties, he began traveling to parts of Mexico routinely; exploring the culture and landscape. His style expresses the vibrancy of life he found there despite the poverty and struggle faced by many. His work celebrates the unique heritage of the areas he has visited, portraying the pieces of old culture that still exist today. Edwin Vasquez continues to express his emotions through art, and is pushing himself more than ever before to get his message to the public and solidify his aesthetic and tone.

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The surreal sculpture work of Valency Genis is nothing short of magical. Ambling about bubblegum colors and otherworldly animal spirits, if imaginative hybrid creatures are your passion then Valency Genis' creative calling has just the thing to fill your heart (and your art collection) with endless amounts of joy. Join Distinction Gallery this weekend as they proudly celebrate the opening of her new solo exhibition, "Animalia". Her incredible work sparks nostalgia and will not disappoint. View the entire collection by visiting Distinction Gallery or pop over to their website for further details and purchase availability. From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2020/12/08/valency-genis-animalia-distinction/

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If you're familiar with the work of Gabe Leonard then you already know how his rugged outlaws and empowering female characters nourish our imaginations with their wild sensibilities and trailblazing spirit. Pulsing with western heartbeats, Distinction Gallery is pleased to present Gabe Leonard's solo exhibition, "The Bitter End", featuring new oil on canvas paintings and limited edition hand-embellished Giclee prints. Join them in celebration this weekend! *Due to regulated covid restrictions on space, a very limited number of guests will be allowed to attend in person. Please contact the gallery for details.* From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2020/10/07/gabe-leonard-exhibition-distinction-gallery/

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to present: COME WITH ME a solo exhibition featuring the paintings by Tel Aviv based artist Julie Filipenko.

The exhibition will run virtually from September 12th - October 10th. Gallery hours are currently Tues, Wed, & Fri. 11am-3pm, Thurs. 2pm-5pm, Sat. 12pm-5pm

Arthatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, the "Micro Gallery" featuring artworks under 10x8 inches, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, and 18 studios featuring local artists, ArtHatch Escape, and multiple creative small businesses.

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Distinction Gallery is proud to present our solo exhibition featuring the artwork of local artist Eusebio Travis Sevilla.

From the director Melissa Inez Walker: "I have been working with Travis for years through ArtHatch and I am a big fan of his work. I am so honored to host his first solo show at the gallery."

Due to Covid mandates there will not be an opening reception.

Travis Sevilla is an artist and arts educator currently working in North County. A recent transplant from LA, Travis has attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and received his BFA from OTIS College Art and Design in Los Angeles. He has an MFA in Studio Art from the University of California, Irvine and has been teaching art for the past six years. Travis is enthusiastic about art, art education, and working with young artists.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 16 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens, 2 escape rooms, and our newest addition Last Spot Art Bar.

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Distinction, ArtHatch, and The San Diego Foundation are pleased to announce "Save the Artists - a Covid Buster Fundraiser". Proceeds of the exhibition will benefit both the artists and our Annual Palomar College Scholarship Fund in honor of Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker.

Due to Covid restrictions we will not be hosting an opening reception. However, we encourage you to view the works in person during our temporary hours. Tues/Wed/Fri 11-3, Thurs 2-5, Sat 12-5. All bidding will take place online.

If you are outbid you will automatically receive an email (unless the piece sells for the buy now price). Bidding ends at 1pm pst sharp on 8/1/20. Good Luck!

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Distinction Gallery is pleased to announce a bonus 2020 show featuring Gabe Leonard's Legacy Giclees. All pieces on display are extremely low stock. All pieces are sold out as oils, Hand Embellished Giclees, and Artist Proofs. This is a great time to own one of Gabe's most well sought after images before they are completely sold out.

Each giclee is printed, signed, and numbered from an edition of 100 by Gabe. They are stretched around wood stretcher bars, gallery wrapped, wired, and ready to hang. No framing necessary.

Due to state mandates (art galleries are classified as entertainment) our retail storefront is still closed. However, you can make an appointment to view the show along with Gabe's additional full room or purchase online.

All purchases made throughout the month of June include a free book of your choice, signed by Gabe or a paintbrush used by Gabe.

Be sure to get on the preview list for Gabe's next solo show in October, which will include new Giclee editions and many new oil paintings.

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Distinction Gallery Presents: "Pastime" New works by Kelly Vivanco

Kelly's exhibition will run from May 9 through June 6, 2020.

Online only exhibition featuring small scale paintings with custom frames crafted by Kelly's husband, Peter Hillier, and then painted by Kelly.

About the artist: Kelly Vivanco, a native to Southern California, earned her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She works with a variety of media to create art with whimsy, nostalgia and a sense of child-like wonder.

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Vivanco has exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Her work is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 18 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 600 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, "Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge.

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Distinction Gallery Presents: "Awkward" New works by Jamie Kanes The exhibition will be available online only. You can see works in person on view in the front window at the gallery. Jamie's exhibition will run from April 11 through May 2, 2020. About the artist: Jamie has been a creative professional in the skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding industries since the 80's. With jobs ranging from marketing, and graphic and product design, to being art director for Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, she has spent years creating commercially appealing imagery. Jamie's unique perspective will take you to a different place after taking the moment to absorb her creative paintings. Her art allows you to get an idea of her interest ranging from animals to capturing thoughtful moments.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge.

The Last Spot was created in the last possible spot to fit another business inside of Distinction Gallery/ArtHatch. The Owner always loves the bustling activity inside the space and felt the only thing truly missing was an Art Bar. Last Spot is a creative space designed with visual art at its core including sculpture, 2D wall art, and a large scale media wall/lighting display designed to serve as a visual feast during your visit. Last Spot is proud to feature local wineries, local craft brews, hard kombucha, and custom mocktails created to satisfy both non drinkers and designated drivers.While we do not serve food on site you are welcome to bring your own or order from one of our many neighbors.

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Join Distinction Gallery this weekend as they present the solo exhibition of Nataliya Derevyanko. Immerse yourself in her delightfully tiny paintings that capture the essence of her enthralling animal subjects. Each bursting with personality and charm, the compositional elegance and brushwork of Nataliya Derevyanko's creative vision sparks curiosity as if turning the pages of a children's book filled with wonder. Bears, mice, dogs, cats and unicorns invite you into their story while letting you create their imaginative journey. View the full exhibition and add to your collection! "I paint from my childhood always and everywhere. I am inspired by the surrounding world, children, people, animals and nature." Nataliya Derevyanko 'No Angry Birds' unicorn painting at Distinction Gallery Words from the Artist: I paint from my childhood always and everywhere. I am inspired by the surrounding world, children, people, animals and nature. I like to travel and take paint with me always. I like oil and acrylic painting. That's what I do not get tired ever. I was born in Ukraine, studied fine art. I am a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. I teach painting at the Academy of Arts. Students make me constantly improve. I try to paint every day. It can be a small fruit sketch or a big children illustration, but the main thing is to paint every day. My love of painting makes new pictures. These pictures I want to share with you in my store. I have two children Nastya and Demid. I have painted children's illustrations for them, which later became books. My children help me to paint and interfere with me at the same time. But it's wonderful! I hope they learn from me something beautiful. From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2020/03/11/nataliya-derevyanko-distinction-gallery/

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Distinction Gallery Presents: "Censor Art" New works by Joka

The opening reception with JoKa, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Lagunitas beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, February 8 from 6 -10 p.m.

JoKa's exhibition will run from Feb. 8 through March 7, 2019.

About the artist: Humor is the basis for the work of Philadelphia artist JoKa. Though his paintings aren't explicitly funny, there is a skewed sense of reality that can give one the chuckles, if not cause just a little bit of discomfort.

That's because JoKa's work doesn't say anything outright; it consists of multiple layers of meaning, some absurd, some to be taken a little more seriously. That same balance exists in JoKa's process.

Though he doesn't define the work by the way he works, he does pride himself on the technique he employs, namely hyperpointillism. JoKa likens his hours spent dotting the canvas using toothpicks to a kind of meditation, where the process takes over. However, the finished product is just as important, and its a high priority that the work feel well executed.

In his paintings, JoKa often draws from nostalgic imagery. He then skews and distorts, often times obscuring faces and presenting us with depersonalized, symbolic versions of a humanity which, though markedly different from our own, are also disarmingly familiar.

Certainly, there is a point to be made, but JoKa does not content himself with prodding the observer in any specific direction, instead allowing the piece to slowly seep into the surreal corners of our unconscious, reminding us that a singularity of meaning isn't always possible in the complex world we inhabit.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon - "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

Distinction Gallery 317 E Grand Ave Escondido, CA 92025 www.distinctionart.com

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Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch Present 9th Annual Art-A-Thon - 20+ local artists creating for 24 hours straight Saturday, Jan. 4th at 12pm - Sunday, Jan. 5th, 2020 at 12pm | Opening Reception: January 11, 2020 from 6-10pm Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $50. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local teens. The Opening Reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 11th, 2020 from 6-10 pm with open studios, Beer from Lagunitas and Wine from BK Cellars Urban Winery & Tasting Lounge ($2) and live music. Sponsors include: Artist & Craftsman, BLICK art materials, and Jimbo's, more to come. From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2019/12/13/valency-genis-distinction-gallery/

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Immersed in undeniable whimsicality, the hybrid creations of Valency Genis have an obvious way of making you smile. Each quirky character, seemingly more than just a sculpture, ignites curiosity for every animal lover and art collector alike. Join Distinction Gallery as they proudly present Valency Genis' solo exhibition, "Mental Menagerie", and watch as these unique works of art fill your heart with joy. The opening reception with Valency includes live music, ArtHatch open studios, Laganitas beer, and BK Cellars wine. Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization. ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" (a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks), the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon "The Last Spot" a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

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Mark your calendars because this weekend Distinction Gallery presents "Pigments of Imagination", featuring all new works from Heather McKey and Virginie Mazereau. Never short on inspiration, these two new bodies of work captivate and intrigue your artistic whiles. Abundant in magical narratives and brimming with all the wistful ingredients of childhood reverie, join Distinction Gallery in the celebration of "Pigments of Imagination" this Saturday, November 9th. The opening reception with Heather and Virginie will include live music, ArtHatch open studios, Laguanitas beer, and BK Cellars wine. Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization. ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building, which houses the front gallery; exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon "The Last Spot" a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon. From https://beautifulbizarre.net/2019/11/06/pigments-of-imagination-distinction-gallery/

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Opening Reception with the artist: October 12th, 6pm to 10pm

Exhibition: October 12th - November 2nd Gabe Leonard is an internationally acclaimed California-based artist, best known for his cinematically staged paintings of sharpshooters, gangsters, gamblers, and musicians. His aesthetic and subject matter have been described as a melding of Johnny Cash and Quentin Tarantino. Meet the artist and watch as he demonstrates his painting technique live in the gallery. Original oils, hand-embellished artist proofs, and limited edition giclees on canvas will be available for collection with signing and dedication by the artist. Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "Every year I look forward to this show! Gabe never disappoints. The quality and subject matter of his new work will definately make you a fan! Gabe has some suprises planned for the evening you don't want to miss."

One lucky audience member will be chosen to model for a live portrait by Gabe Leonard at this event, and will get to keep the painting!

To Enter the Drawing:
* RSVP on Distinction's Facebook event and check in at the door before the drawing begins (1 raffle ticket)
* Increase your chances by dressing in costume (5 additional raffle tickets)
* Purchase any Gabe Leonard artwork before 7:45pm the night of the show (1 additional raffle ticket per $100 spent)

RSVP on Distinction Gallery's Facebook event to earn your first raffle ticket!

Gabe's exhibition will run from October 12th through November 2nd, 2019. The opening reception with Gabe, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Laguanitas beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, October 12th from 6 -10pm.

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon - "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

September 2019 will be the grand opening for the newest addition to the building - "Micro Gallery". This is a min room - just 40 sq ft with concrete walls, a shag carpet, min gallery bench, and crystal lights. It features all mini artworks - just 8 x 8 and under. Rather than changing shows monthly artwork will be replaced as it sells. This room may be small, but it can hold over 50 mini artworks!

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon - "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon - "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

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ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a Studio Artists Exhibition featuring the collective art of their very own in-house ArtHatch Studio Artists. Highlighting a wide range of work from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Over 30 emerging and accomplished artists will come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations and give rise to a diverse and creative show. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, July 13th, 2019 from 6-10pm. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. The exhibition will run from July 13th through August 3rd, 2019. The opening reception with the artists, live music, open studios, Craft Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday July 13th, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

The opening reception with the artist, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Lost Abbey Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, June 8 from 6-10 p.m. In The Artist's Own Words: Victor Roman As a young child, Victor would receive art pieces through the mail from his uncle. Each drawing was in pen but the surface would vary. Victor later discovered that his uncle was sending these to him from San Quentin. The drawings helped ground his uncle and keep him connected to life outside prison throughout his long years of confinement. It was the beautiful craftsmanship and extreme detail of these pieces that inspired Victor's love of art and which you can see echoed in the art Victor produces. Victor Roman's passion for expressing himself through art motivates him to sketch and paint whenever he can. On most days, you will find him painting in his studio until late into the night. Painting at night after work shows his dedication to his craft, and after three years of study at Palomar College, his talent has grown exponentially. The subjects he paints evoke complex emotions in the viewer, who are challenged to consider their feelings and develop their own interpretation of his art. Music is a large part of Roman's life. Throughout the day he listens to a variety of music but finds himself drawn to artists such as Aesop Rock, J. Cole and Led Zeppelin on his personal time. "Spirit Awaken" by Victor Roman. Roman's art is influenced by music, but of a different kind. While he is working, Roman listens to music from areas of the world he is unfamiliar with. The culturally indigenous sounds inspire and inform his work. He researches their area of origin and learns about the traditions and culture of the people who live there. The artwork showing at Distinction presents a snapshot into this journey that Victor Roman has traveled over the last three years. We begin with his "Nebulous" series where we see a duality of color in each portrait. The blue represents the side of us that we show to the world; a more professional, less intimate shield that protects us. The orange represents the inner self; those transitional moments when the public shield comes down and we are vulnerable and our raw emotions are exposed with those we love and trust. Throughout his work Roman is constantly refining and becoming more intentional with his use of symbolism. His journey is now reaching a transition of sorts as in the fully developed pieces for his "Celestial Awakenings" series. One piece in particular, The Gift, the Curse, tells the story of a celestial being giving the gift of time to humanity. But we must acknowledge its duality in that as much as we are given time to measure progress, healing, and create organization, our individual time is finite. As we move continually forward, we are aware of how little time we have left to live, create, and love. Each art piece is painted on wood; a craft taken on by few artists. If you have the opportunity to visit him in his studio, he will be happy to turn up the volume for you on his wall of sound and introduce you to the sounds that inspire him. From https://www.times-advocate.com/articles/distinction-gallery-to-host-victor-roman-celestial-awakenings/

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery presents:

Kelly Vivanco: Thorn and Balm

Distinction Gallery is proud to present acrylic paintings by Kelly Vivanco. The opening reception will be held on Saturday May 11th, from 6-10pm. We will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Lost Abbey Beer.

Kelly Vivanco, a native to Southern Californian, earned her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She works with a variety of media to create art with whimsy, nostalgia and a sense of child-like wonder.

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Vivanco has exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Her work is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "I am always happy to be hosting another solo show of Kelly's work. She is one of my all time favorite artists and graces many of the walls in my own home".

Opening Reception with Kelly, Saturday, May 11th, 2019 (6-10pm)
Distinction Gallery | 317 E Grand Ave. Escondido, CA 92025

The exhibition will run from May 11th - June 2nd, 2019

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present: Evgeniya Golik: "Song Of The Sea"

Evgeniya Golik
(aka Evgola) is a Russian born pop-surrealist based in San Diego, California. She graduated Art School at the age of 17, and then went on to study at the Far Eastern State Technical University in Vladivostok, Russia. Evgeniya earned her degree in Design and Architecture. She is currently a full time fine artist, illustrator, and art teacher.

She is inspired by the European Renaissance, Russian Orthodox icons, Slavic folklore, fairy tales and modern pop culture (fashion, photography, cinematography, music), Evgola's art combines a classic sensibility within a contemporary setting, something which artist-self defines as 'Neo Renaissance'. Using a variety of media, her work joins real world portraiture with imaginative and often surreal narratives to highlight and reveal her subject's personalities.

Evgola's haunting paintings and drawings are doors to a mystical realm, one which showcases a myriad of beautiful human faces and fantastical creatures, that seek to express their secret through esoteric language. "Deep gazes, halos, long necks, blossoming skins, gold leaves, secrets and stars..."

In the artist's own words: "I was born and raised in a city by the sea - The Russian port Vladivostok. I was lucky enough to start my life all over again in a beautiful city on the ocean coast - San Diego. I can't imagine my life without spending time by the water, hearing waves crushing, feeling clearing breeze on my face. All troubles seem so small and the happiness is even brighter.

The water itself is a greatest power. It can give and it can take away, it can cleanse, heal and it can kill at the same time. Always changing, yet always beautiful. I can identify water with the power of music or the power human feelings as I dive into these series.

I'm presenting new emotional pieces that are within a range between musical and marine themes, or a twist of both. In these works I'm challenging myself to create a melody or a sea sound through the painting, I am also trying to bring more dynamic elements into my style."

Gallery Director - Melissa Walker:
"I have been following Evgeniya's for several years. Her artwork makes me smile, especially as she continues to push her figurative work, while equally creating surreal, powerful environments for them to thrive in".

Her exhibition will run from April 13th through May 4th, 2019. The opening reception with Evgeniya, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Lost Abbey Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, April 13th from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present: Elena Karavodin: "Renegade"

Elena Karavodin was born in Los Angeles, CA, and raised in Encinitas, CA. Elena is a second-generation U.S. citizen tracing her roots back to the 19th century Russian sculptor M.O. Mikeshin. Surrounded by a family of artists, scientists and engineers, her interests always remained toward the arts. Elena studied classical piano and writing before committing herself to painting. She began her formal art education at Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA receiving her B.F.A. with an emphasis in Illustration. Soon after college, she apprenticed with several local artists, eventually leaving to pursue her own artistic path. In 2010, Elena joined the collective of ArtHatch's Studio Artists in Escondido, CA, and contributed as ArtHatch's Gallery Manager for almost 5 years. Elena now works in her home studio, which her and her family built together from the ground up. Her work has been shown in various group exhibitions throughout the United States. Elena lives in San Diego with her family and young son, who's daily discoveries and growth inspire her to push her creative process even further.

In the artist's words:
My show highlights a variety of vignettes focusing on women in control, going against the grain, and exposing their own desires and vulnerabilities. I paint loose with bright colors. I love telling stories with all my paintings. This show will challenge the stereotypes of women portrayed in art. My aim is to make people laugh and feel empowered. I will be donating a portion of the proceeds to The Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that aims to provide education to girls around the world in impoverished, prejudiced, and war-torn areas.

Gallery Director - Melissa Walker: "I have been watching Elena's work evolve for many years. She has seamlessly transitioned from painting beautiful flowers to taking on some of today's darkest world events. I can truly see her indomitable passion come through these works. I recently acquired a very different piece by her - titled "Change My Mind" . It's of a pissed off bride smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of champagne in a graffiti filled bathroom. Everyday I look at this piece and smile. Elena created a show of these 'aha' moments, ones that make us smile, laugh, scream, or cry. So far, I am thrilled with the emotional body of work she has created."

Her exhibition will run from March 9th through April 6th, 2019. The opening reception with Elena, live music by Amanda Portela and Kenny Hill, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, March 9th from 6-10pm.

Gallery Director - Melissa Walker: "I have been watching Elena's work evolve for many years. She has seamlessly transitioned from painting beautiful flowers to taking on some of today's darkest world events. I can truly see her indomitable passion come through these works. I recently acquired a very different piece by her - titled "Change My Mind" . It's of a pissed off bride smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of champagne in a graffiti filled bathroom. Everyday I look at this piece and smile. Elena created a show of these 'aha' moments, ones that make us smile, laugh, scream, or cry. So far, I am thrilled with the emotional body of work she has created."

Her exhibition will run from March 9th through April 6th, 2019. The opening reception with Elena, live music by Amanda Portela and Kenny Hill, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday, March 9th from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present June Stratton's "Modern Dryads". The opening reception will be February 9, 2019 from 6-10 p.m. The exhibition runs from February 9 through March 2, 2019.

June Stratton is a native of Northern California's Bay Area where she attended the College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Oakland until 1979. She currently lives and works in both Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. With a 25-year span of successful exhibitions across the globe, her works have been acquired by many major collections including Bank of America, US Department of State, The Mayo Clinic and Texaco Incorporated.

In the artist's words: "My paintings are imagined blends of beauty and nature. These paintings are often intentionally idealized representations of emotional impressions from my dreams - entwined with elements of the earth, sky and water that surround my real world. I use symbols and my feminine viewpoint to tell a very loose, abstracted narrative. As in my dreams, my muses cannot see all things, are sometimes unable to speak and frequently appear to be floating."

Gallery Director - Melissa Walker: "From the moment I first saw June's artwork, I was transcended into the environments of her dreamy scenes, typically feminine subjects juxtaposed with elements of nature. June is masterful at capturing the emotion and tranquility of a moment frozen in time. Her subjects often have a beautiful innocence about them further seducing viewers into their intriguing surroundings. I have no less than shear excitement to exhibit her breathtaking works in the gallery."

Dr. Brian Redmond's words: "It is a pleasure to say how much I have enjoyed experiencing June Stratton's creativity since the day I first discovered her talent. Ask anyone who knows her work and they will urge you to reward yourself for years to come with art that communicates with and evokes a response from the observer." The opening reception with June, live music, ArtHatch open studios and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday February 9, 2019 from 6-10 p.m.

Press Statement

ArtHatch is excited to announce our 8th Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 20+ artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $50. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the center's free art education program for local teens.

The Opening Reception for the exhibition, with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 12th, 2018 from 6-10 pm with open studios, beer from Stone Brewery, wine from BK Cellars ($2) and live music.

Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process behind the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, and jewelry will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from emerging to seasoned professionals.

The Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch from 12pm on Saturday, January 5th through Sunday, January 6th, 2018 at 12pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Ustream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 12th from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 2, 2018 at 2pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are proud to present a solo exhibition by sculpturist, Valency Genis: Animal Masquerade

Valency Genis is and amazing sculpture artist that creates hybrid creatures of fancy. She hails from the Republic of Cascadia; she entered the world as a 12-pound baby born in Portland, Oregon, and was then raised in Seattle, Washington. She was utterly obsessed with television and video games for most of her life, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise...

The exhibition will run from December 8th 2018 through January 5th, 2019. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday December 8th, from 6pm -10pm.

Press Statement

Press Statement

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
Distinction Gallery presents

Ross Jaylo: Blinding Darkness

September 8 - October 6, 2018
Opening Reception with Live Music: Saturday, September 8, 2017 from 6-10pm

Distinction Gallery is proud to present oil paintings by Ross Jaylo. The opening reception will be held on Saturday September 8, from 6-10pm. We will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

Ross Jaylo, a New York based Filipino Painter and multi-media artist renders onto canvas his conception of an ideal love. A symbolic and passionate visualization of love that transcends beyond social norms and breaks the illusion that love must heed society's expectation of belief, social status, age, creed, race, gender and stereotypes. Love in its purest form.

At the young age of only 23 Ross has a promising career ahead of him. He has had several solo and group exhibitions throughout the Philippines and has participated in several group shows in the United States and Australia. Ross has received several awards including Cocolife "Colors of Life" National Painting Competition Grand Prize in 2006, University of Santo Tomas Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award in 2006, and Maningning Miclat National Painting Competition People's Choice Award in 2007. Ross's first solo exhibition with Distinction Gallery sold out before the opening reception.

Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "Ross is an incredibly driven and skilled artist. At just 22 years of age literally every painting he has created has sold. His demand far out reaches the amount of paintings he can create. He is one of the kindest, most genuine artists I have worked with and I am thrilled to see what he creates for his upcoming show".

The exhibition will run from September 8 - October 6, 2017. The opening reception with Ross, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday September 8, from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery presents

BUA: Sites&Sounds October 8 - November 5, 2016

Opening Reception with BUA: Saturday, October 8, 2016 from 6-10pm

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to host a solo featuring world renown artist the one and only BUA. Justin BUA is an award-winning artist, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and the only artist to sit on the United States Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee. Groundbreaking in his field, BUA is internationally known for his best-selling collection of fine art posters The DJ being one of the most popular prints of all time.

Bua will be present for the opening reception on Oct 8, 6-10pm. Many originals painted specifically for the exhibition will be available along with unique hand embellished prints on canvas, embellished limited edition prints, and signed, personalized books. The reception will also include live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists,"The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 additional local artists, a teen studio featuring the work of up to 40 local teens. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork, primarily figurative, by highly skilled artists.

Press Statement

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present:

John Ball "Beware the Void"

June 9 - July 7, 2018

Distinction Gallery is proud to present "Beware the Void", a solo show by John Ball. The opening reception will be held on Saturday June 9th, from 6-10pm. Reception with the artist will include live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

From the director Melissa Inez Walker "I became aware of John Ball's paintings as he was on "Sky Arts Landscape Artist Of The Year 2017 of which he was a finalist. His paintings of desolate buildings and landscapes have both an eerie quality while evoking a sense of serene calm. It is an honor to bring him from the UK for his first US exhibition".

The exhibition will run from June 9 - July 7. The opening reception with many artists, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday June 9, 2018 from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

Distinction's Awwt Gallery is proud to present "Depth and Dimensionsss", a solo show by Michael Manares.

The opening reception will be held on Saturday May 12, from 6-10pm. Reception with the artist will include live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

From the director Melissa Inez Walker "When I first met Michael he showed me works on his phone and I was immediately intrigued. Once I saw them in person I was blown away. He has a fresh style and technique that incorporates 3D depth and layered dimension, a fitting title for his first solo exhibit with Distinction."

The full exhibition dates will run from May 12 - June 2.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
Distinction Gallery is pleased to present:

Linnea Strid "Resurrection"

April 14-May 5, 2018

Distinction Gallery is proud to present "Resurrection", a solo show by Linnea Strid. The opening reception will be held on Saturday April 14, from 6-10pm. Reception with the artist will include live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

Linnea Strid is a young, Sweden based Artist who is making her mark in the fine art community. Her hyper-realistic oil paintings are most identifiable by her intriguing use of water in portraiture. This reflective, beautifully haunting application captures intimate moments of self-examination, fear and loneliness. With extreme realistic detail, the eye is often fooled to believing it is a photograph.

Come experience this limited engagement to view the exquisite brushwork and talent of Linnea Strid.

From the director "From the moment I first saw Linnea's works I fell in love. Then, I met her in person and knew I needed I needed to work with her again. It is an absolute pleasure to host her solo exhibition at Distinction Gallery. I cannot wait to see what she creates."

The exhibition will run from April 14 - May 5. The opening reception with Linnea, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday April 14, 2018 from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present:

"In The Shadows of Dreams" Solo show featuring Daniel Dust

March 10 - April 7, 2018

Distinction Gallery is proud to present "In The Shadows of Dreams" a solo exhibition featuring hyper-realism paintings by Seattle based artist Daniel Dust. The exhibition will include a variety of paintings including figurative works and his gun/flower works ranging in size from 12 x 12 inches to large scale works as large as 6 feet across. The opening reception with Dust will be held on Saturday March 10, from 6-10pm. The reception will include live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Brewery Beer.

Gallery Director Melissa Inez Walker "Daniel Dust is one of the artists I am most excited about working with in 2018. His works are thought provoking and his skill level for such a young artist is mind blowing. Being in front of one of his works is comparable to starting into a photograph, only far more complex".

The exhibition will run from March 10 - April 7, 2018. The opening reception with the artist, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday March 10, from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists, and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch Present our 7th Annual Art-A-Thon featuring 24 adult and teen local artists creating for 24 hours straight Saturday, Jan. 6th at 12pm - Sunday, Jan. 7th, 2018 at 12pm Opening Reception: January 13, 2018 from 6-10pm.

. The marathon of artistic creation will benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 24 artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $50. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the center's free art education program for local teens. The Opening Reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 13th, 2018 from 6-10 pm with open studios, beer from Stone Brewery, wine from BK Cellars ($2) and live music. Auction ends 2/3 at 2pm pst.

. Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, and jewelry will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from program teens to seasoned professionals. Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch from 12pm on Saturday, January 6th through Sunday, January 7th, 2018 at 12pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via youtube. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 13th from 6-10pm.

. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 3, 2018 at 2pm.

. Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 both to fill a void in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. ArtHatch, a 501 3 organization was founded in 2010. Together they employ 7,000 sq ft of space to focus on cutting-edge artwork by over 35 national and international established artists, 45 local artists - over 15 of whom work in studios within the gallery. Resident artists are a combination of college arts professors, emerging and mid-career artists, and fine-artists with arts-related day jobs looking for a stimulating, community-based environment in which to create. Together they host an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. CEO and Founder, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.

. Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique.

. The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking.

. This event would not be possible without our generous sponsors. Some of them include Artist & Craftsman Supply, BLICK art Materials, BK Cellars, Chad Beggs, Guayaki, Jimbo's, Naturally, Joanne Brey and Ron Fitzgerald, John Purlia, Linda B Walker, Servpro, San Diego County Supervisors, Stone Brewing, and Tina Walker.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
Distinction Gallery is pleased to present:
Denise Bledsoe and Valency Genis "Comfort Creatures"

December 9 - January 5
Distinction Gallery is proud to present two of our most loveable artists: Denise Bledsoe and Valency Genis "Comfort Creatures". The opening reception will be held on Saturday December 9, from 6-10pm. Both artists will be present for the reception and we will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.
"I've been involved in art with one media or another since I was a child. Although I spent many hours sketching, drawing with pen and ink, and painting with acrylics and oils, my first love has always been sculpting and mixed media. I currently use both ceramic and oil based clays. It is the three-dimensional and textural qualities achievable through sculpture that satisfies me creatively. I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is more fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction with "eye contact". My work can be found in galleries both internationally and across the US and has been shown in art publications and was the cover feature for the arts and entertainment magazine Pasatiempo. It is also in the private collections of several notable celebrities." -Denise Bledsoe
Valency Genis is an amazing sculpture artist that creates hybrid creatures of fancy. Valency Genis hails from the Republic of Cascadia; she entered the world as a 12-pound baby born in Portland, Oregon, and was then raised in Seattle, Washington. She was utterly obsessed with television and video games for most of her life, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise... While studying for her BFA at the University of New Mexico, Valency discovered that she had the power to create creatures and control their aesthetics, while minimizing the tragedy associated with taxidermied animals. She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences ranging from Dr. Seuss to Natural History Museum dioramas. Her first solo show, Heterodoxy, was at the John Sommers Gallery (UNM) in November 2011, and it garnered Ms. Genis summa cum laude honors from The UNM Department of Art and Art History (which she proudly added to her summa cum laude baccalaureate honors). She describes her current living situation as "life in a farmhouse" as she raises her 2 teenage sons alongside her husband of 20+ years, Shane, who is a CV-22 Osprey flight engineer in the U.S. Air Force.
Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "Denise Bledsoe and Valency Genis are two of the most passionate, imaginative, and fun artists I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Everyone cannot help, but grin from ear to ear upon seeing their creatures. As a lover and collector of both artist's works it only seemed natural to pair up these two women for a truly epic show".

The exhibition will include 20-30 new sculptures created specifically for the exhibition.

The exhibition will run from December 9 - January 6th. The opening reception with the artists, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday December 9, from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

If Our Days Won't Last, curated by Jon Jaylo, will feature 21 artists from around the globe, many of who will be present at the opening. All works will be 14 x 14 inches in size. The exhibition includes a combination of highly skilled, fine oil painters and sculptors. Several artists from around the United States and abroad will be attending the opening reception. Featured artists include: Eric Lacombe, Alessandro Sicioldr Bianchi, Alfredo Esquillo, Chris Leib, Ben Howe, Michael Reedy, Matthew Bone, Corey Oda, Henry Royales, Jon Jaylo, Ross Jaylo, Pamela Wilson, Catherine Coan, June Stratton, Sandy Yagi, Linnea Strid, Caitlin Karolczak, Shana Levenson, Courtney Brown, Rain Delmar, and Hideo Tanaka. The exhibition will run from November 11 through December 2, 2017.

The Opening Reception on November 11 will feature live music, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 75 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 25+ teen artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, and walls featuring the work of over 28 local artists.

Press Statement

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
Distinction Gallery presents

Ross Jaylo: Fall to Rise

September 9 - October 7, 2017
Opening Reception with Live Music: Saturday, September 9, 2017 from 6-10pm

Distinction Gallery is proud to present oil paintings by Ross Jaylo. The opening reception will be held on Saturday September 9, from 6-10pm. We will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

Ross Jaylo, a New York based Filipino Painter and multi-media artist renders onto canvas his conception of an ideal love. A symbolic and passionate visualization of love that transcends beyond social norms and breaks the illusion that love must heed society's expectation of belief, social status, age, creed, race, gender and stereotypes. Love in its purest form.

At the young age of only 23 Ross has a promising career ahead of him. He has had several solo and group exhibitions throughout the Philippines and has participated in several group shows in the United States and Australia. Ross has received several awards including Cocolife "Colors of Life" National Painting Competition Grand Prize in 2006, University of Santo Tomas Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award in 2006, and Maningning Miclat National Painting Competition People's Choice Award in 2007. Ross's first solo exhibition with Distinction Gallery sold out before the opening reception.

Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "Ross is an incredibly driven and skilled artist. At just 22 years of age literally every painting he has created has sold. His demand far out reaches the amount of paintings he can create. He is one of the kindest, most genuine artists I have worked with and I am thrilled to see what he creates for his upcoming show".

The exhibition will run from September 9 - October 7, 2017. The opening reception with Ross, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday September 9, from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
Distinction Gallery is pleased to present:
7th Annual Immortalized: Lipstick and Chrome


August 11 - August 25, 2017

Distinction Gallery is proud to present our 7th Annual Immortalized: Lipstick and Chrome. The opening reception will be held in conjunction with Cruisin Grand on Friday August 11, from 6-9pm. We will be having a VIP reception with food from Vinz Wine Bar, treats from EscoGelato, Beer from Stone Brewery, and wine from BK Cellars from 5-6pm. VIP tickets cost $20 and benefit Cruisin Grand. A suggested $5 donation is requested from 6-9pm, also to benefit Cruisin Grand. There will also be a pinup contest with trophy awards at 8pm. Artworks will be available via auction starting at $100 to benefit our annual Palomar College Scholarship fund in honor of Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker.

Featured artists include both emerging and seasoned artists from around California and Florida. Featured artists are Victor Roman, Scott Rohlfs, Virginie Mazureau, Mike Bell, Brianna Angelakis, Brett Crawford, Steve Waldron, Andy Meeh, Nicole Waszak, Amanda Lynn, Elena Karavodin, Armando Gonzalez, Jennifer Anichowski, Brady Wilmott, and Olga Tenyakova.

Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "Immortalized is one of our most exciting shows of the year. Crusin Grand organizes to have our block closed to traffic and Chick Koszis lines it with some of the most impressive custom, unique, and original hot rods in all of Southern California. The pinup contest ads to the fun and the best part is that funds raised benefit both Palomar College Scholarships and Cruisin Grand".

The exhibition would not be possible without our partners, which include Chick Koszis, Steve Waldron, Shannon Itzaina, King's Pawn, Ford of Escondido, Mercedes-Benz of Escondido, BK Cellars, Stone Brewery, JD Built, EscoGelato, and Vinz Wine Bar.

The exhibition will include oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media paintings as well as photography. Online bidding will begin Wednesday August 9.

The exhibition will run from August 11 August 25, 2017. People can bid both online and in person. The opening reception with the artists, sponsors, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Friday August 11 from 6-9pm (VIP tickets $20 from 5-6pm). Pinup contest and awards will be at 8pm. Auction ends at noon on August 25th.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is proud to present Andreas Englund who is most well know for his hilarious photo realistic paintings featuring an anonymous superhero and every day human struggles. The opening reception will be held on Saturday July 8 from 6-10pm. We will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer.

Andreas has quickly become one of the most well loved and collected artists. He has been featured in dozens of art fairs, magazines, books, and news stories. In addition to his paintings and prints being shown around the world, Andreas has created large-scale murals in many places including Berlin, Norway, New York, and Grand Central in Stockholm. He has also created many commissions for high profile businesses including Sony Playstation. In addition to paintings, lithographs, and prints Andreas is also a recognized filmmaker. Andreas Englund was born in Falun in 1974, Sweden. He is based in Stockholm.

In the artist's words: "Working with communication became a natural choice for me since I've always wanted to share my thoughts with others. Either through conversation or visual media I want to share insights and thoughts, experience and humor. My foundation is based on storytelling and communicating." - Andreas Englund

Gallery Director - Melissa Inez Walker: "It was love at first sight when I saw a handful of prints by Andreas as part of the "My Hero" exhibition held at the California Center for the Arts. I thought Andreas would be the perfect artist to exhibit during the month of Comic Con. It is truly an honor that he accepted my request to exhibit at Distinction Gallery".

The exhibition will include oil paintings, lithographs, aquarelles, and collectors, premium, and very affordable classic prints.

The exhibition will run from July 8 through August 5, 2017. The opening reception with Andreas via skype, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday July 8, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a Studio Artists Exhibition featuring the collective art of their very own in-house ArtHatch Studio Artists. Highlighting a wide range of work from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Over 30 emerging and accomplished artists will come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations in the spirit of "Animals" to give rise to a diverse and creative show. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017 from 6-10pm. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well.

The exhibition will run from June 10 through July 1, 2017. The opening reception with the artists, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday June 10, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE: Distinction Gallery is pleased to present: Linda Adair: Echoes May 13- June 3, 2017 Distinction Gallery is proud to present Linda Adair's first solo exhibition. She recently moved from Australia to Europe and will be traveling to attend the opening reception which will be held on Saturday May 13 from 6-10pm. We will also have live music, ArtHatch open studios, BK Cellars Wine, and Stone Beer. The exhibition will run from May 13 through June 3, 2017. The opening reception with Linda, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday May 13, from 6-10pm. ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists, "The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring local artists and the ArtHatch teens.

Press Statement

June Stratton is a native of Northern California's Bay Area where she attended the College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Oakland until 1979. She currently lives and works in both Atlanta and Savannah Georgia. With a 25-year span of successful exhibitions, her works have been acquired by many major collections including Bank of America, US Department of State, The Mayo Clinic and Texaco Incorporated.

In the artist's words:
"My paintings are imagined blends of beauty and nature. These paintings are often intentionally idealized representations of emotional impressions from my dreams - entwined with elements of the earth, sky and water that surround my real world. I use symbols and my feminine viewpoint to tell a very loose, abstracted narrative. As in my dreams, my muses cannot see all things, are sometimes unable to speak and frequently appear to be floating.

I add silver to my paintings because the finished image reflects the ambient light that surrounds it. This makes the artwork change visually depending on the perspective of the viewer. This, I think, adds to the ethereal quality of my subjects' stories."

Gallery Director - Melissa Walker:
"From the moment I first saw June's artwork I was transcended into the environments of her dreamy scenes, typically feminine subjects juxtaposed with elements of nature, enveloped on cool silver backgrounds. June is masterful at capturing the emotion and tranquility of a moment frozen in time.

Her subjects often have a beautiful innocence about them further seducing viewers into their intriguing surroundings. I have no less than shear excitement to exhibit her breathtaking works in the gallery."

Dr. Brian Redmond Quote:
"It is a pleasure to say how much I have enjoyed experiencing June Stratton's creativity since the day I first discovered her talent. Ask anyone who knows her work and they will urge you to reward yourself for years to come with art that communicates with and evokes a response from the observer."

Her exhibition will run from April 8 through May 6, 2017. The opening reception with June, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday April 8 from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery Presents "Natural Beauty", a solo show featuring local Escondido artist Heather McKey.

The exhibition will include 10-15 new Acrylic paintings featuring Heather's pain staking rendering technique. The paintings will be of creatures McKey dreams up using beautiful elements from mature to creative birds, seahorses, and other fantastical creatures. Distinction Gallery has represented McKey for 3 years and is proud to have sold every painting McKey has created. Her paintings breathe love and life into homes throughout the world.

Heather's Bio:

Heather McKey is a traditional acrylic painter, blending her lifelong love of birds with unexpected and striking features.

These fanciful birds are embellished with a variety of shells and botanicals intermingling with feathers and patterns found in nature. Strange and familiar at the same time, the birds are playful and exotic as they strike a pose in their world of dreamy landscapes and seascapes, peering back at their viewers with large, expressive eyes.

Each of Heather's paintings begin on a raw wood panel, the individual grain pattern inspiring the design composition of the plants, water, sky, and land. Her admiration of Martin Johnson Heade and James Audubon continue to influence her vision through every painting, as well as her deep love of The Hudson River School painters.

Although no formal degree, Heather was professionally trained from an early age through longstanding art mentorships. Her childhood was spent under the instruction of artist Judy Nachazel and her adult study followed under the mentorship of Christopher Polentz. Both have had a profound impact on her imagination, technique, and artistic pursuits.

Every fantasy bird is patiently and thoughtfully planned and painted with sensitive detail. There is something to look at in every square inch of Heather's paintings. After years exhibiting her award-winning colored pencil art, she now works exclusively in acrylic and paints daily in her home studio in North County San Diego where she lives with her husband, Nick. It gives her much joy to create beauty for collectors to enjoy in homes across the world.

Her exhibition will run from March 11 through April 1, 2017. The opening reception with Heather, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday March 11, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery Presents "Made You Look", a solo show featuring San Diego based artist Scott Rohlfs.

The exhibition will include 10-15 new medium and large scale Acrylic paintings, as well as mini collectors paintings created specifically for the exhibition. The paintings will be Rohlfs most well known subject: women depicted in a variety of styles from high fashion to experimental. Distinction Gallery has represented Rohlfs for over 10 years and is proud to have witnessed his career develop into an internationally acclaimed and exhibited artist. We have sold his paintings to collectors throughout the world and he continues to gain momentum.

In the words of the artist:

"My acrylic paintings are a combination of classical realistic rendering with a personal element of distortion. This distortion comes from my innate desire to transform my emotions into tangible planes that express what I feel, not what I see. I believe this can be seen through my subject's eyes.

Painting has always been a means of self-expression for me. Therefore, I paint because I have to and need to, not necessarily because I want to. Subconsciously or not, the figures I paint are a reflection of myself and whatever mood I am in at the time. Each mood is distinct, ranging from subliminal, cryptic expressions to more cognitive states of being and the eyes of my subjects are often the primary focus of expression. Although these surreal paintings are direct reflections of my own emotions and feelings, this style of painting also allows viewers to enjoy the freedom of determining their own interpretations of the subjects.

My work is a fusion of personal experiences and influences- moody atmospheres, tattoo-inspired couture, and timeless elements all laced with clandestine symbolism. The figures I paint exist in their own mysterious realm and time, and each painting offers a glimpse into their atypical world."

His exhibition will run from February 11 through March 4, 2017. The opening reception with Scott, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday February 11 from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch are excited to announce our Sixth Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 25 local and ArtHatch teen program artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $50. Artworks will also have a "buy now" retail price. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local teens. The opening reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 14th from 6-10 pm with beer compliments of Stone Brewery, wine compliments of BK Cellars, treats compliments of Jimbo's, Naturally, and live music. Artists who are able to create for the full 24 hours will receive a $25 gift certificate donated by Artist & Craftsman Supply or BLICK Art Materials.

Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, collage, print and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from teen artists, emerging, and professional. Artists participating include Kelly Vivanco and Peter Hillier, Lindy Ivey, Victor Roman, Ashley Gallagher, Jennifer Anichowski, Nicole Waszak, Martita, Travis Sevilla, Jenny Barber, Evgeniya Golik, and many others.

Art-A-Thon will be held at Distinction Gallery and throughout the ArtHatch building from 12pm on Saturday, January 7th through Sunday, January 8th at 12pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Ustream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 14th from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding in the gallery and on distinctionart.com through February 4, 2017 at 2pm.

Distinction Gallery was opened in 2004 both to fill a void in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. In 2011 ArtHatch was added to the complex, which rents affordable studio and exhibition space to 45 local artists. Distinction Gallery has an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. Director, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.

Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing studio space, art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique.

The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking.

All donors will receive a tax receipt. Donors with donations over $500 will have a permanent plaque on display in the gallery.

Exhibition and Auction will run from January 14, 2017 - February 4, 2017. Auction ends at 2pm PST on Saturday, February 4, 2017.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery presents

Mike Bell: Of Gals & Monsters
December 10 - January 7, 2017
Opening Reception with Live Music: Saturday, December 10, 2016 from 6-10pm

Distinction Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibit by painter, Mike Bell, entitled "Of Gals & Monsters".

Born and raised at the Jersey Shore - Mike Bell's art blends an aura of nostalgia and humor, combined with vivid color and a combination of influences. Japanese cartoons, classic monsters, vintage toys, punk rock, carnivalesque images, MAD magazine and Big Daddy Roth are among the cultural forces that have shaped his art. The juxtaposition of counter culture imagery with modern day influences are the blueprint for Mike's canvases. Mike's art has received global acclaim including Ripley's Believe It Or Not purchasing twenty of his matchbooks to include in various museums.

This exhibition will focus on some of Mike's favorite subjects including Frankenstein and his Bride in a series of hysterical modern day situations as well as some of our favorite pinups including Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page juxtaposed in equally peculiar settings. The show will also include some of Mike's popular matchbooks, which are clever collectibles.

His exhibition will run from December 10 through January 7, 2017. The opening reception with Mike, live music, ArtHatch open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday December 10, from 6-10pm.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists,"The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 additional local artists, a teen studio featuring the work of up to 40 local teens. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork, primarily figurative, by highly skilled artists.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are proud to present a solo exhibition by sculpturist, Valency Genis, entitled "Spirit Guides".

Valency Genis is and amazing sculpture artist that creates hybrid creatures of fancy. She hails from the Republic of Cascadia; she entered the world as a 12-pound baby born in Portland, Oregon, and was then raised in Seattle, Washington. She was utterly obsessed with television and video games for most of her life, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise...

While studying for her BFA at the University of New Mexico, Valency discovered that she had the power to create creatures and control their aesthetics, while minimizing the tragedy associated with taxidermied animals. She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences ranging from Dr. Seuss to Natural History Museum dioramas. Her first solo show, Heterodoxy, was at the John Sommers Gallery (UNM) in November 2011, and it garnered Ms. Genis summa cum laude honors from The UNM Department of Art and Art History (which she proudly added to her summa cum laude baccalaureate honors). She describes her current living situation as "life in a farmhouse" as she raises her 2 teenage sons alongside her husband of 20+ years, Shane, who is a CV-22 Osprey flight engineer in the U.S. Air Force.

The exhibition will run from November 12 through December 3, 2016. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday November 12, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery presents

BUA: Sites&Sounds October 8 - November 5, 2016

Opening Reception with BUA: Saturday, October 8, 2016 from 6-10pm

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to host a solo featuring world renown artist the one and only BUA. Justin BUA is an award-winning artist, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and the only artist to sit on the United States Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee. Groundbreaking in his field, BUA is internationally known for his best-selling collection of fine art posters The DJ being one of the most popular prints of all time.

Bua will be present for the opening reception on Oct 8, 6-10pm. Many originals painted specifically for the exhibition will be available along with unique hand embellished prints on canvas, embellished limited edition prints, and signed, personalized books. The reception will also include live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses Distinction Gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces featuring work by represented artists,"The Alley" featuring over 20 local artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 additional local artists, a teen studio featuring the work of up to 40 local teens. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork, primarily figurative, by highly skilled artists.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery, in collaboration with the California Center for the Arts, Escondido are excited to present Filipino artist Jon Jaylo's solo exhibition entitled "All These Answers That May Never Come Our Way". This exhibit will showcase 11 new paintings and several drawings Jaylo created specifically for this exhibition. Jon Jaylo's art has received global acclaim for his contemporary surrealist style. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, September 23, 2016 from 5:30-7:30 (free for CCAE members) and 7:30-9:30pm ($10 for general public) in Gallery One at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Jaylo will be in attendance to meet, greet, and answer questions for guests. Light refreshments and drinks will be served.

Jaylos show will run in conjunction with the Heated Exchange: Contemporary Encaustics exhibition. Please visit artcenter.org for tickets and information. Guests may also pay at the door.

Jaylo's artworks play around a parallel dream world in where everything is floating surreal and dancing in a contained universe inspired by poetry. His technical depictions are often varying in display and style, as if he himself is never contented with the present stature of his works. They are constantly evolving in both idea and form, gradually maturing together with the artist himself. Scaling this balance, narrating a massively deep philosophy of thought through a theatrical rendition of intensely brilliant colors that seem to amuse its audience and present a status of intellectual complacency. Like dreams that reflect a reversed mirror of man's desires, fantasies, his works are merely manifestations of knowledge, the metaphysics of his own philosophy and the resolving of experiences behind and even far beyond it.

On the full picture of it, Jaylo's works are masked and laced with a dream-like feel, very inviting, yet when you go inside, there's always a puzzle to be solved. Jaylo's works are not just depictions of visual aesthetics. His works are a research on life itself, and the enigma of thought beneath it. What captures the viewers attention, are his works that are astounding, contemplative, glimpses into someone else's psyche. This is the wonder of his art, like any good story, he allows everyone to bring his or her own self to the painting. Jon is great at opening up the viewer's 'soul' so to speak.

Jon Jaylo has exhibited his works extensively throughout the world in, galleries, museums, and auction houses. Literally every work he has created has sold and they reside in collections throughout the world. Distinction Gallery is proud to be representing Jaylo in California.

The exhibition will run from September 23 through November 13, 2016.

For more information visit distinctionart.com or call (760) 707-2770 or visit artcenter.org or call (760) 839-4138.

Press Statement

PRESS RELEASE:
ArtHatch & Distinction Gallery present

Ross Jaylo: Transition

September 10 - October 1, 2016
Opening Reception with Live Music: Saturday, September 24, 2016 from 6-10pm

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to host the debut U.S. solo exhibition of artist Ross Jaylo. At just 21 years of age Ross has already begun to conquer the art world with a bang. It is truly an honor to host his first solo US exhibition.

Ross Jaylo, a New York based Filipino Painter and multi-media artist renders onto canvas his conception of an ideal love. A symbolic and passionate visualization of love that transcends beyond social norms and breaks the illusion that love must heed society's expectation of belief, social status, age, creed, race, gender and stereotypes. Love in its purest form.

Ross has a promising career ahead of him. He has had several solo and group exhibitions throughout the Philippines and has participated in several group shows in the United States. Ross has received several awards including Cocolife "Colors of Life" National Painting Competition Grand Prize in 2006, University of Santo Tomas Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award in 2006, and Maningning Miclat National Painting Competition People's Choice Award in 2007.

The exhibition will run from September 10 through October 1, 2016.

The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2016 from 6-10pm and will feature live music, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, multiple exhibition spaces, "The Alley," featuring work by 20+ juried local artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 25+ teen artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, and an escape room, which serves as a fundraiser for ArtHatch. Distinction Gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce their 6th annual art exhibit devoted to hot rods and customs of distinction entitled "IMMORTALIZED: Sometimes Beauty Never Fades". In addition to wall art this year's event includes 10 hand painted fedoras curated by Gregorio Escalante. This event is an art auction charity benefit that will feature a group of nationally recognized artists where all artworks will be auctioned off starting at only $100. This exhibition funds Distinction's annual art and photography scholarship fund for Palomar College students in honor of Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker.

A special lineup of custom cars, including cars built by Hot Rods and Custom Stuff and Super Rides by Jordan, will be hand selected by Chick Koszis and displayed in front of the gallery. The overall event will run in conjunction with Escondido's famous "Cruisin Grand" which will have an incredible line-up of the finest and most unique customs and hot rods.

This event is free to the public, but a suggested donation of $5 to benefit Cruisin Grand would be appreciated. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, August 12, 2016 from 6-9pm with Live Music by Duo with Buddy Dughi from (Hot Rod Trio) and Jonny Bowler (Guana Batz). VIP Pre-Party tickets ($20) from 5-6pm include Stone Beer, wine and food from Vinz Wine Bar, Wine from BK Cellars, treats from EscoGelato and conversation with the artists, sponsors and car owners.

There will be awards for artists, cars and also a Pinup contest with a Special Guest Judge, Gregorio Escalante, so come dressed in your best vintage outfit! Judging and awards begin at 8.

This year's Sponsors include King's Pawn, Ford of Escondido, Hyundai of Escondido, Mercedes-Benz of Escondido, Cruisin Grand, Valley View Casino, BK Cellars, Stone Brewing Co., Shannon Itzaina, EscoGelato, and Vinz Wine Bar.

The Exhibition will run from August 12th - September 3rd The Silent Auction will end September 3rd at 2pm sharp, PST.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a Studio Artists Exhibition, featuring the collective art of their very own in-house ArtHatch Studio Artists. Highlighting a wide range of work from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Side by side emerging and accomplished artists come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations, giving rise to a diverse and creative show; representing over 30 artists total. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2016 from 6-10pm. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well.

The exhibition will run from July 9 through August 6, 2016. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday July 9, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce the solo exhibition of Washington based artist Aaron Jasinski entitled "Hearsee". Aaron celebrates the act of creating and listening to music in this collection of paintings. Using surreal humor, contrast, color, and texture he seeks to evoke the expression and experience of sounds.

The exhibition will run from June 11 through July 2, 2016. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday June 11, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce a new solo exhibition of fine artist and muralist Amandalynn entitled "Seasons of Change".

Amandalynn is a fine artist and muralist, whom is continually inspired by the beauty of nature and the characters found within. She is fascinated by the seasonal changes that occur not only within the flora and fauna of the world, but also that happen within a personal life cycle. She has created a new series of paintings and murals, illustrating the different moods, emotions, and energies that occur during different cycles of life and nature. Over the course of this past year, she has been able to witness the delicate beauty of new life, the calm still of passing life, and the joyous passion received from living an inspired life.

Amandalynn intends to capture the beauty of nature's cyclical change within this newest series of work.

ArtHatch Mural Installation: May 4 - 14, 2016
To coincide with her exhibition, Amandalynn will be painting a mural along the side of ArtHatch's 140 ft long building from May 4- 14. The original painting will be part of her exhibition.

The exhibition will run from May 14 through June 4, 2016. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday May 14, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are proud to present the second solo exhibition of veteran represented artist, Casey Weldon. The exhibition, "Stray Voltage", will include 20 of Weldon's newest acrylic paintings. The series will include Weldon's latest phenomenon depicting mysterious settings with glowing highlights.

Born in Southern California, Casey Weldon spent the majority of his formative years there graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. After operating a studio out of Las Vegas, Weldon relocated to New York, then California, and now Portland where he works as a full time artist. His fine art, imbued with a sumptuous illustrative quality, is indicative of his profession. Weldon mixes iconography of today and the past to evoke a sense of humor, nostalgia, fantasy and even melancholy within the viewer. His pallet and haunting subjects recall the Surrealist masters like Breton and de Chirico.

Weldon has exhibited and sold his work in galleries across the United States and his pieces now reside in collections across the world.

The exhibition will run from April 9 through May 7, 2016. The opening reception with the artist, live music, open studios, Stone Beer, and BK Cellars wine will be on Saturday April 9, from 6-10pm.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to be hosting an exhibition of one of Escondido's most beloved artists, Kelly Vivanco. This exhibit, entitled "Tendrils", will feature Vivanco's newest creations. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Vivanco will be in attendance at the opening reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary BK Cellars wine and Stone Beer will be served to guests.

Kelly Vivanco, a native to Southern California, earned her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She works with a variety of media to create art with whimsy, nostalgia and a sense of child-like wonder.

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Vivanco has exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Her work is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. Kelly's first illustrated children's book Snow White & Rose Red was just released. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

The exhibition will run from March 12 - April 2, 2016.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 25 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 15 local teens, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of 20 local artists.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to announce the upcoming exhibition of Tennessee based Michael Aaron Williams. The artwork will consist of paintings created with coffee and ink applied to joined ledger paper from the late 1800's and early 1900's. The Opening Reception will be on Saturday, February 13th from 6 to 10pm. The show will continue through March 5th.

In the artists words...
"Through my paintings and drawings, I attempt to represent the fragile nature of life, purity, and culture. Paint and ink are the vehicles by which movement and conflict are expressed. The beauty and pain of human nature are represented by necessitating beauty, I portray the human soul as complete despite the fractures.As such, the artwork becomes more relatable to the viewer and consequently more impacting."

In 2011 Williams attended school at Samford University in Alabama earning a degree in art. In 2015 he earned his MFA in studio art from Washington University in St. Louis. He has received numerous awards for his artworks and has been invited to speak on many occasions regarding his artwork. He has traveled to Europe, Asia, Egypt, and America to paint and install commissions and participate in exhibitions.

Michael is a full time artist and lives and works in TN with his wife Molly and their newborn son, Bear.

Press Statement

The LA Art Show, the 200,000 square foot art fair that welcomed more than 50,000 art enthusiasts to the Los Angeles Convention Center this past year, will launch its newly curated art show experience at the upcoming 2016 event. Looking back on the 20 year history of the LA Art Show, one can't help noticing how it has evolved, changing locations and growing in diversity to reflect the trajectory of the burgeoning Los Angeles art scene. For the 2016 show, we want to offer visitors and collectors a new hosted art experience which will entail a fair devoted to only Modern and Contemporary art. Located next door, the Los Angeles Fine Art Show will exhibit works of Historic and Traditional Contemporary Art.

Distinction Gallery will be featuring new artworks created by represented artists just for the show. We will feature 2 large scale works by artist Jon Jaylo, large scale works by artists Gabe Leonard, Paul Normansell, Pamela Wilson, and Scott Rohlfs, and 12 x 12 inch works by artists Kelly Vivanco, Casey Weldon, Michael Aaron Williams, Amanda Lynn, Heather McKey, Jana Brike, Victor Roman, Linda Herzog, Virginie Mazureau, and Bryan Steward.

Distinction Gallery will be in booth 635.

Thursday Jan. 28, 2016
11am - 7pm


Friday Jan. 29, 2016
11am - 7pm

Saturday Jan. 30, 2016
11am - 7pm

Sunday Jan. 31, 2016
11am - 5pm

LOCATION
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street West Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90015 (Distinction booth 635)

Press Statement

ArtHatch is excited to announce their 5th Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 25 artists from San Diego County will seek donations to create artwork for up to 24 straight hours. As works are finished, they will be added to the ArtHatch gallery space and auctioned off for a one-month period following the event. Proceeds from donations and art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local at risk teens. There will also be prizes for the artists who raise the most in pledges and for the artists that make it through the full 24 hours. The opening reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 9, 2016 from 6-10pm with beer compliments of Stone Brewery, wine and live music.

Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, jewelry, and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from emerging to seasoned professionals.

Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch from 12pm on Saturday, January 2nd through Sunday, January 3rd, 2016 at 12pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Livestream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 9 from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 6, 2016 at 2pm PST. All artworks will start at $50 for the bidding and bids can be placed online, in person, and via phone.

ArtHatch was created in 2004 both to fill avoid in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. ArtHatch employs its 7,000 sq ft of space to focus on cutting-edge artwork by over 50 national and international emerging artists, featuring 35 local artists - over 20 of whom work in studios within the gallery. Resident artists are a combination of college arts professors, emerging and mid-career artists, and fine-artists with arts-related day jobs looking for a stimulating, community-based environment in which to create. ArtHatch boasts an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. CEO and Founder, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.

Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique.

The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking. All donors will receive a tax receipt. Donors with donations over $500 will have a permanent plaque on display in the gallery.

Exhibition and Auction will run from January 6, 2016 - February 6, 2016. Auction ends at 2pm PST on Saturday, February 6, 2016.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to announce the first United States solo exhibition of artist Virginie Mazureau. Virginie is an artist from France who recently moved to Carlsbad, CA. The exhibition titled "Free Souls" will feature 18 of Virginie's newest whimsical mixed media paintings.

The Opening Reception with the artist will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2015 from 6-10pm.

Additionally we will have live music, open studios featuring 40+ local artists, and complimentary Stone Beer compliments of Stone and wine compliments of BK Cellars for guests 21+. We are proud to serve both of these outstanding beverages that are headquartered in Escondido.

The exhibition will run from December 12 - January 2, 2016.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring over 20 local artists, the teen lounge featuring artwork by 20+ teen artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of 20 additional local artists. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork - primarily figurative oil and acrylic paintings by mid-career artists.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to partner with Prints on Wood for a special exhibition just in time for the holidays. All artworks are beautifully reproduced as small limited editions by the popular printing giant, Prints on Wood/Monster Media Inc. The show will highlight a collection of Distinction's top represented artists alongside select invited artists from Prints on Wood featured artists.

The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will also have their studios open to the public. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests 21+.

The exhibition will run from November 14 - December 5, 2015.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring over 20 local artists, the teen lounge featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 28 local artists. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork - primarily figurative oil and acrylic paintings by mid-career artists.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to present "No More Bullshit", an epic new collection of badass paintings by artist Gabe Leonard. This exhibition will feature new paintings from Gabe's highly sought after "Desperado" series as well as some bonus eye-candy from his past series. Gabe Leonard's art has received global acclaim for his "cinematic" style and has quickly become one of the most sought-after artists in the world. Recent celebrity collectors of Leonard's work include Quentin Tarantino, Charlie Sheen, and Rueben Fleischer. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Leonard will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests.

Gabe Leonard spent his early years in rural Wyoming, sketching wildlife and selling his drawings for one dollar. After earning his BFA from Columbus College in Ohio, Leonard honed his talents on the ultra-competitive Venice Beach boardwalk. Described as "Johnny Cash meets Quentin Tarantino", Leonard's work possesses an intense cinematic quality combining the gestural brushwork of expressionism with the expert lighting and framing of a Hollywood cinematographer. His oils are cinematic, atmospheric and moody, revolving around outlaws, rugged noir characters to create narratives full of dramatic possibility. While his subjects and compositions belie a heavy influence of modern and contemporary cinema, Leonard's artistic style is rooted firmly in a European tradition. While he often breaks from academic restrictions with his loose brushwork and characteristic drips, he counts Rembrandt, Mucha, Klimt and Schiele as amongst his influences.

The exhibition will run from October 10 - November 7, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to announce and present Filipino artist, Jon Jaylo's solo exhibition entitled "As The Moon Draws Water". This exhibit will showcase Jaylo's most current paintings created specifically for the exhibition. Jon Jaylo's art has received global acclaim for his contemporary surrealist style. We are proud to be one of the first galleries in the United States exhibiting his artwork, which has gained huge traction with collectors and auction houses throughout Asia. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Jaylo will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. There will be a book signing at 8pm and books will be available for purchase. Books include an essay by esteemed writer Robert Pincus. The gallery space will be transformed to go along with Jaylo's surreal body of artwork. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests.

Jon Jaylo's artworks play around a parallel dream world in where everything is floating surreal and dancing in a contained universe inspired by poetry. His technical depictions are often varying in display and style, as if he himself is never contented with the present stature of his works. They are constantly evolving in both idea and form, gradually maturing together with the artist himself. Scaling this balance, narrating a massively deep philosophy of thought through a theatrical rendition of intensely brilliant colors that seem to amuse its audience and present a status of intellectual complacency. Like dreams that reflect a reversed mirror of man's desires, fantasies, his works are merely manifestations of knowledge, the metaphysics of his own philosophy and the resolving of experiences behind and even far beyond it.

On the full picture of it, Jaylo's works are masked and laced with a dream-like feel, very inviting, yet when you go inside, there's always a puzzle to be solved. Jaylo's works are not just depictions of visual aesthetics. His works are a research on life itself, and the enigma of thought beneath it. What captures the viewers attention, are his works that are astounding, contemplative, glimpses into someone else's psyche. This is the wonder of his art, like any good story, he allows everyone to bring his or her own self to the painting. Jon is great at opening up the viewer's 'soul' so to speak.

The exhibition will run from September 12 - October 3, 2015.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 75 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 28 local artists, and "The Lounge", containing 8 walls featuring local artists. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce their 5th annual art exhibit devoted to hot rods and customs of distinction, "IMMORTALIZED: The One That Got Away", an art auction charity benefit that will feature a group of nationally recognized artists. All Artworks will be auctioned off starting at only $100, gallery proceeds going to Distinction's annual art scholarship donation for Palomar College students in honor of Charles "Chuck" Leslie Walker.

In conjunction, Chick Koszis and Steve Waldron have lined up 40 unique hot rods and customs that are "a cut above" to be parked just outside the gallery. The event will be in conjunction with Escondido's famous "Cruisin' Grand".

This event is free to the public, but a suggested donation of $5 to benefit Cruisin' Grand would be appreciated. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, August 7, 2015 from 7-9pm with Live Music by Gino and the Lone Gunmen. VIP Pre-Party tickets ($20 in advance, $25 at the door) from 5-7pm include Stone Beer, wine and food from Vinz Wine Bar, treats from EscoGelato and conversation with the artists, sponsors and car owners.

There will be awards for artists, cars and also a Pinup contest with a Special Guest Judge, so come dressed in your best vintage outfit! Judging and awards begin at 8.

This year's Sponsors include King's Pawn, Brandy Sebastian Photography, Ford of Escondido, Hyundai of Escondido, Mercedes-Benz of Escondido, Pin-Up Culture, Cruisin' Grand, Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, Stone Brewing Co., JD Built, Shannon Itzaina, Valley View Casino, EscoGelato, and Vinz Wine Bar.

The Exhibition will run from August 7th - August 29th The Silent Auction will end August 29th at 2pm sharp, PST.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present their annual ArtHatch Studio Artists Group Exhibition, featuring the collective art of their very own in-house ArtHatch Studio Artists. This year the theme of the exhibition focuses on "Superheroes, Graphic Novels, & Pop Culture". Highlighting a wide range of artwork from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Including artwork by professional artists such as Victor Roman, Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze, and more. Side by side emerging and accomplished artists come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations, giving rise to a diverse and creative show; representing over 30 artists total. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2015 from 6-10pm. All guests are invited to dress up as their favorite Superhero or Character. A Costume Contest will be held during the Opening Reception, judging and prizes start at 8pm. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Beer and Wine will be served to guests.

The exhibition will run from July 11 - August 1, 2015.

Opening Reception with Costume Contest & Live Music: Saturday, July 11, 2015 from 6-10pm

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery is excited to announce and present British artist, Paul Normansell's first United States solo exhibition entitled "Eye of the Beholder". The exhibit will feature 7 incredible new dot paintings alongside figurative works, and prints on aluminum.

Normansell's art has received global acclaim from critics and collectors in the fashion and music industries, being hailed as some of the most style-conscious imagery to define the shifting trends of popular culture. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2015 from 6-10pm. Normansell will be joining us from the UK for the opening reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the building will have their studios open with many painting and creating for the public to view. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests (21+) and the Green Machine "Ciao Cupcake" truck will be parked out front along side Americana Music.

The exhibition will run from June 13 - July 4, 2015

THE TECHNIQUES

"The foundation of my work originates from the relationship between art and music."From experimenting with color Normansell began to create the illusion of movement, stimulating the eye into seeing things which may or may not be there - utilizing our inclination to see patterns in randomness like looking for shapes in clouds. The more one studies the image the more one finds.

"My abstract paintings are based on color studies exploring how it can stimulate feelings, emotions within a person, the different meanings each color has, and its power to evoke a certain response from the viewer."

First producing abstract works from patterns of dots and circles, the natural progression of his style led him to incorporate images within them. As he experimented more with imagery, Paul moved from creating subtle shapes and hidden images within patterns to full portraits made up of fragments of color, similar to in execution to large scale pointillist paintings.

In order to implement greater detail and tonal variation into his work, Paul's workload took a dramatic hit. The time required to execute a full painting increased from days to weeks, to the point where hundreds of hours were needed to paint a full image made up of individual dots.

"To paint each dot individually takes as long as it takes - they're all different in size, shape and color, and all applied freehand using a fine brush. There's no shortcut for that unfortunately."

GLOSS "I wanted to paint famous iconic figures known for their beauty. To achieve a more synthetic, polished feel to the media-friendly portraits, I moved away from the natural organic look of acrylic and canvas, to high gloss enamel paint on sheet aluminium. It gave me the flawless reflective quality the portraits needed, as if they were literally in a glossy magazine."

It was this move that brought the arresting visual impact that Paul's work now has.

The combination of paint and background heightened the dynamic visual aspect of his work through the optical effect and overwhelming impact. As one looks at an image directly, depending on how the light falls, the variety and definition of color and tone is lost and the portrait almost becomes a silhouette. It is only when viewed off-centre that the image comes alive and the portrait appears.

GRAVITY

The great drawback with the technique, one which is a constant detriment to Paul's health, lies with simple physics - the paintings have to be produced horizontally. In order for the paint to stay still long enough to dry where it should, Paul's aluminum 'canvas' cannot be positioned upright on a traditional easel, as gravity causes the paint to sag and run.

"I have tried several devices over the years to allow me to paint horizontally - from laying on a plank supported on 2 chairs, to a hammock suspended above the floor. None of them have been perfect, and none have permanently removed my need for weekly sessions at the osteopath. My back is messed up, it hurts pretty much all of the time - I suppose it's 'suffering for my art' in true form."

FASHION

Normansell's imagery evolved from dot portraits into a new style as he became interested in a broader scope of fashion images. He began to focus on certain areas of the figure, and by exploring the optical aspect of the portrait, the focus was once again on color.

"The images I use are based on the fashion world's portrayal of perfection - flawless images of women, completely unrealistic and synthetic, yet ultimately desirable."

With a distinct 'pop art' influence, Normansell's figurative style combines intense saturated color and flat, graphic execution. By removing almost all suggestion of shade and tone, the images become less connected with the real world, and allude to the 'unrealistic' nature of fashion media imagery.

"Aiming for this look allows me to create an unusual parallel, and because of the plastic-like finish of gloss and the meticulous execution, the paintings are almost doll-like in appearance. Just as the media manufacture their airbrushed images, all flaws are discarded, the skin and hair are impossibly perfect."

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce a new solo exhibition of San Diego artist Denise Bledsoe entitled "Woolgathering". This exhibit will showcase Bledsoe's most current mixed media sculptures and art figures. Her creations are best described as playful and whimsical. Each character and creature has it's own story to tell. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Bledsoe will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests.

"I've been involved in art with one media or another since I was a child. Although I spent many hours sketching, drawing with pen and ink, and painting with acrylics and oils, my first love has always been sculpting and mixed media. I currently use both ceramic and oil based clays. It is the three-dimensional and textural qualities achievable through sculpture that satisfies me creatively. I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is more fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction with "eye contact". My work can be found in galleries both internationally and across the US and has been shown in art publications and was the cover feature for the arts and entertainment magazine Pasatiempo. It is also in the private collections of several notable celebrities." -Denise Bledsoe

The exhibition will run from May 9 - June 6, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a group exhibition curated by Italian artist, Ixie Darkonn entitled "The Nightmare in Wonderland, Part II", which will feature works by many top pop-surrealist artists from around the globe, all paying silent tribute to one of the darkest film directors of our time. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will also have their studios open to the public. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

"A nightmare is a broken dream, reckless and untamed, bringing hidden thoughts to light. It is possible to feed nightmares with inner beauty and energy. In the beginning, a nightmare sneaks in, is born secretly, colorless... (Part 0 - the colorless show, Rotofugi Gallery Chicago) then gains momentum, growing, (Part I Ayden Gallery... the start of an evolution) blooming into colors (Part II Distinction Gallery the colorful show) next changing into vivid visions and impossible dreams... (Part III the digital show Pink Zeppelin gallery Berlin) and then becomes reborn to a new reality... or will expire forever. A Nightmare is a misunderstood dream we may not share, out of fear of ruining it. This project pays tribute to the creative process of bringing beauty out from our nightmares. The artists in this project have paid a silent tribute to one of the greatest directors of our time, who has embodied and embraced the beauty of the nightmare on screen. Their work speaks of this visionary artist secretly, just as nightmares are spoken of silently in wonder and awe." -Ixie Darkonn

The exhibition will run from April 11 - May 2, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to announce a new solo exhibition of San Diego artist Scott Rohlfs entitled "In Vogue". This exhibit will showcase Rohlfs' most current paintings. As of February 2015, Scott Rohlfs' art and limited editions will be showcased in galleries around the world. This will be the world premier of Scott Rohlfs' new work under the representation of the renowned, international art agency, Whitefield Art Management. His art is best described as playful and seductive with a focus on the female figure. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music by Boogie Speak. Scott will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Wine, and Stone Beer will be severed to guests.

A childhood compulsion to draw led Scott Rohlfs into the world of art, where his unique take on 21st century womanhood has given art collectors some of the most cutting-edge depictions of females on canvas in recent years. Born in Alaska but raised in the very contrasting landscapes of California, Scott sketched throughout his teens, feeling the natural pull of contemporary portraiture, which included supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. The latest fashion trends, as well as the human body and a sense of dynamic movement, were important in Scott's output even then. Today, Scott's work celebrates both the voluptuousness and the vulnerability of the human form, as well as its continuing odyssey across modes of representation, from our real-world existence right through to the virtual life, where the portrayal of femininity has evolved dramatically, taking in the idealized womanhood and a more global visual parlance (drawn from sources as diverse as news reportage, film noir and the graphic novel) as well as postmodern influences from multiple modes of being. A major thrill across Scott's work is that it immediately invites personal narrative dawn from public, or shared, consciousness and visual language. Scott's distinctively assured brush stroke and his innate understanding of contemporary notions of beauty and style have seen him tipped to become one of the great artists of our time. Scott produces a great amount of work and has sold hundreds of paintings throughout the US and abroad.

The exhibition will run from March 14 - April 4, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are delighted to present a solo exhibition of artist Kari-Lise Alexander entitled "Inflorescence". This exhibit will showcase Alexander's most current paintings and artworks. Her art is best described as dreamy and surreal with a figurative focus and nature themes. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2015 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Alexander will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Bring your Valentine for a Date Night and enjoy complimentary Chocolate, Red & White Wine, and Stone Beer! Free flower given to the first 50 women after 6pm!

Kari-Lise Alexander's expressive work explores themes rooted in her Scandinavian heritage. Innocent maidens float in worlds of their own making, oftentimes losing themselves in their daydreams. At a young age Kari-Lise was always experimenting with paints, pencils, pastels and anything else she could get her hands on. In 2000 she studied fine art for two semesters but left college to pursue other interests. It wasn't until spring of 2009 that her heart led her back to painting and she hasn't stopped since. Working from her home studio in Seattle, Kari-Lise creates paintings that captivate the viewer. Her work often reflects the Norwegian folk art of rosemaling. This traditional art is given a contemporary feel in many of Kari-Lise's paintings as it wraps and entwines itself within the composition, sometimes floating as a ghost as if it were an ancestral reminder.

The exhibition will run from February 14 - March 7, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch is excited to announce their Fourth Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 25 artists from San Diego County will seek donations to create artwork for up to 24 straight hours. As works are finished, they will be added to the ArtHatch gallery space and auctioned off for a one-month period following the event. Proceeds from donations and art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local at risk teens. There will also be prizes for the artists who raise the most in pledges and for the artists that make it through the full 24 hours. The opening reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 10th, 2015 from 6-10pm with beer compliments of Stone Brewery, wine and live music.

Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, jewelry, and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from emerging to seasoned professionals.

Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch from 12pm on Saturday, January 3rd through Sunday, January 4th, 2015 at 12pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Livestream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 10 from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 7, 2015 at 2pm PST. All artworks will start at $50 for the bidding and bids can be placed online, in person, and via phone.

ArtHatch was created in 2004 both to fill avoid in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. ArtHatch employs its 7,000 sq ft of space to focus on cutting-edge artwork by over 50 national and international emerging artists, featuring 35 local artists - over 20 of whom work in studios within the gallery. Resident artists are a combination of college arts professors, emerging and mid-career artists, and fine-artists with arts-related day jobs looking for a stimulating, community-based environment in which to create. ArtHatch boasts an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. CEO and Founder, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.

Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique.

The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking. All donors will receive a tax receipt. Donors with donations over $500 will have a permanent plaque on display in the gallery.

Exhibition and Auction will run from January 10, 2015 - February 7, 2015. Auction ends at 2pm PST on Saturday, February 7, 2015.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to present a debut solo exhibition of local artist Heather McKey. This exhibit will showcase McKey's most current paintings and drawing. Her art is best described as whimsical and surreal in an illustrative style. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2014 from 6-10pm with Live Music. McKey will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Inspired by her lifelong love for birds and the paintings of Martin Johnson Heade and James Audubon, Heather's artwork is an intriguing blend of nature and avian surprise. Mixing shells with botanicals, her imaginary birdlife leaves the viewer smiling at the creature gazing back. Her acrylic paintings begin with a simple piece of wood. The natural grain of the wood coaxes the design of the composition and Heather often follows the patterns in the wood as she creates trees, water and other plants in the scene. Her extensive shell and feather collection offer constant visuals of how to fashion her birds in their magical world of dreamy landscapes. Playing with nature, she often titles her artwork with scientific sounding names, as if it were a documented specimen in the real world. Heather's training began with private art lessons as a young girl with pastel artist Judy Nachazel in the countryside of Ramona, California. Hour after hour, Heather would soak up every minute of learning in Judy's studio, in the turret of a Victorian home nestled in a quiet property surrounded by trees, birds and other wildlife. Her earliest project was drawing an owl and she has kept coming back to birds ever since. Although no formal degree, years of practice and input from faithful art mentors helped guide Heather in her skill and grow. After years exhibiting her award winning colored pencil works locally and internationally, she recently shifted focus to working solely in acrylic. Often working with a size 00 brush and smaller allows her to capture the details she loves most. Heather lives in Escondido, California with her husband Nick and paints daily, always planning out her next fanciful bird concept in her home studio. Her endearing bird creations are enjoyed in homes across the U.S. as far as Cornwall, England.

The exhibition will run from December 11, 2014 - January 3, 2015

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a group exhibition curated by June Leeloo entitled "A Few Small Nips", a tribute to Frida Kahlo. This exhibit will highlight art by figurative and urban-surrealists such as Aaron Jasinski, Edith Lebeau, Brianna Angelakis, and more. All artwork will be inspired by or pay tribute to the late Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

"Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacan. Perhaps best known for her self-portraits, Kahlo's work is remembered for its 'pain and passion', and its intense, vibrant colors. Her work has been celebrated in Mexico as emblematic of national and indigenous tradition, and by feminists for its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form. Frida has been described as: '...one of history's grand divas, a tequila-slamming, dirty joke-telling smoker, bi-sexual that hobbled about her bohemian barrio in lavish indigenous dress and threw festive dinner parties for the likes of Leon Trotsky, poet Pablo Neruda, Nelson Rockefeller, and her on-again, off-again husband, muralist Diego Rivera.'"

The exhibition will run from November 4 - December 6, 2014

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to present a solo exhibition featuring the art of Caia Koopman. This exhibit will showcase Koopman's most current paintings focusing on figurative and pop surrealist subjects presented in an urban-illustrative style. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2014 from 6-10pm with Live Music. Koopman will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Caia Koopman is a preeminent pop surrealism artist who has been featured in prominent galleries from California to Canada and France. Over the years, her paintings have graced the walls of Thinkspace, Spacejunk, and La Luz De Jesus Galleries as well as the pages of numerous books and magazines. The appealing symbols in her work evoke fundamental human emotions in exquisite, surreal detail making them well received in the action sports industry as well as the fine art world. Signature series Oakley sunglasses and goggles are adorned with her designs while her illustrations gild designer Rossignol snowboards, skis and more.

While attaining her BA in Fine Arts from the University of California in Santa Cruz, Caia was a skateboard enthusiast immersed in the punk rock scene of the '80s. She continues to live in Santa Cruz where the youthful vitality of a college town is an ever-present, pulsating force. Her professional career began by creating designs for skateboards and snowboards. Enchantingly beautiful female characters in her paintings are imbued with this fearless sense of defiance. As a second-generation conservationist, loving the environment and acutely aware that humanity is dangling our planet over a dangerous flame of pollution, nature is often woven into the haunting fabric of her images. Birds, flowers, plants, butterflies, animals and mythical creatures are interlaced with iconic symbols of love, mystery, soul searching and timeless values. Lurking throughout these visual fantasies are "Dia de los Muertos" skulls, cute yet macabre reminders of the interlocking yin and yang of life and death.

Koopman's popularity stems from the dazzling, intricate dreamscapes that depict deeply-rooted subconscious themes flavored with contemporary culture. Feminine energy infused with power and daring is blended with delicate elegance. An edgy juxtaposition of seemingly contrary ideas and emotions is persistent, and reflects the uneasy balance we maintain with our 21st century lifestyles. Technology coexisting with nature. Vulnerability accompanied by strength. Streetwise sensibility embodied in dainty, tattooed nymphs. Whimsy in spite of pathos. Vibrant life hand in hand with death. These fundamental aspects of the human condition, surrounded by the elements of modern life, all flowing through gorgeous imagery, are the essence of Koopman's masterpieces.

The exhibition will run from October 7th - November 1st, 2014

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a debut solo exhibition featuring the art of Victor Roman. This exhibit will showcase Roman's most current paintings focusing on figurative subjects presented with a mix of classical perspective and urban technique. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 6-10pm with Live Music by Viva Apollo. Roman will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet, and answer questions. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Victor Roman's passion for expressing himself through art motivates him to sketch and paint whenever he can. Sometimes, you can find him sketching people on the train or in a casino but on most days, you will find him painting in his studio until the early hours of the morning. Painting in the night after work, shows dedication and after 3 years of study at Palomar College, Victor's talent has grown exponentially. The emotions that his art evoke have developed in complexity and because of this, the viewer must think twice about what they are looking at to figure out their own interpretation of his art. Art pieces include depictions of artillery, child soldiers and portraits of mankind in various states of mind. The art is masterfully painted on wood, a feat accomplished by few artists. Victor draws from life with swift and graceful movements, to witness this phenomenon for yourself just stop by his studio in the ArtHatch building. He will be happy to turn up the bass for you on his sound system or play a timeless record on his record player.

The exhibition will run from September 9th - October 4th, 2014.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce their 4th annual art exhibit devoted to hot rods and customs of distinction, "IMMORTALIZED: Timeless Idols: Pinups and Pin Stripes", an art exhibit and auction that will feature a group of nationally recognized artists. All Artworks will be auctioned off starting at only $100, with a portion of the proceeds going to Distinction's annual art scholarship donation for Palomar College students. In conjunction, Escondido's famous "Cruisin Grand" will have an incredible line-up of the finest and most unique customs and hot rods covered with pin stripes, flames, and similar exciting elements. Cars that will be on display have been invited by Chick Kosziz and Steve Waldron. This event is free to the public, but a suggested donation of $5 to benefit Cruisin Grand would be appreciated. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, August 8, 2014 from 6-9pm with Live Music by Gino and the Lone Gunmen. Pre-Party tickets ($25) from 4-6pm include Stone Beer, wine and food from Vinz Wine Bar, treats from EscoGelato and conversation with the artists, sponsors and car owners. We encourage ladies to come dressed in PinUp style. There will be a contest judged by the owners of Grand Ave's newest clothing store Pin-Up Culture. They will be giving two $125 gift certificates for "best dressed" and "most authentic".

This year's Sponsors include Ford of Escondido, Hyundai of Escondido, Mercedes-Benz of Escondido, King's Pawn, Hot Rods & Customs Stuff, Vinz Wine Bar, EscoGelato, Cruisin Grand, Valley View Casino, Joseph Bellows Gallery, JD Built, Cuties for a Cause, Stone Brewery, Pin-Up Culture, Brandy Sebastian, and Lauren Kwapis. Additional sponsorships are still available.

The exhibition will run from August 6th - September 6th, 2014 The Silent Auction will end September 6th at 2pm sharp, PST

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are excited to present a Studio Artists Exhibition, featuring the collective art of their very own in-house ArtHatch Studio Artists. Highlighting a wide range of work from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Including artwork by professional artists such as Victor Roman, Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze, and more. Side by side emerging and accomplished artists come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations, giving rise to a diverse and creative show; representing over 30 artists total. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2014 from 6-10pm. Studio artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Beer and Wine will be served to guests.

The exhibition will run from July 9 - August 2, 2014

Press Statement

We are thrilled to reach our 10 year anniversary this year! To celebrate we will present an extraordinary exhibition featuring the artwork of 25 influential Artists from Distinction's Past, Present, and Future. This exhibit will highlight current artwork focusing on figurative and urban art. The Opening Reception with Super Sonic Samba School performing will be held on Saturday, June 14 from 6-10pm. Local artists within the building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests. The exhibition will run from June 11 - July 3, 2014.

Press Statement

We are excited to present an extraordinary solo exhibition featuring the artwork of Linda Herzog. This exhibit titled "Beyond Reality Lies Reason" will highlight Herzog's most current paintings, which are meticulously painted with a single hair brush. Herzog will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, May 10 from 6-10pm. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

The exhibition will run from May 8 - June 7, 2014.

Press Statement

We are excited to present an extraordinary solo exhibition featuring the artwork of Casey Weldon. This exhibit titled "Subnatural" will highlight Weldon's most current paintings. Weldon will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, April 12 from 6-10pm. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Born in Southern California, Casey Weldon spent the majority of his formative years there graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. After operating a studio out of Las Vegas, Weldon relocated to New York, then California, and now Portland where he works as a full time artist. His fine art, imbued with a sumptuous illustrative quality, is indicative of his profession. Weldon mixes iconography of today and the past to evoke a sense of humor, nostalgia, fantasy and even melancholy within the viewer. His pallet and haunting subjects recall the Surrealist masters like Breton and de Chirico.

Weldon has exhibited and sold his work in galleries across the United States and his pieces now reside in collections across the world.

The exhibition will run from April 9 - May 3, 2014.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 25 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 15 local teens, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of 20 local artists.

Press Statement

We are thrilled to be hosting an exhibition of one of Escondido's most beloved artists, Kelly Vivanco. This exhibit titled "Curious Gardens" will feature Vivanco's newest creations typically revolving around young, innocent girls, boys, and animals in "Curious" settings. Vivanco will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, March 8 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Kelly Vivanco, a native to Southern California, earned her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She works with a variety of media to create art with whimsy, nostalgia and a sense of child-like wonder.

Vivanco draws from the real and imagined world to populate her works with a host of playful and curious characters. She takes inspiration from vintage photographs, children's literature and the oddness of her dreams. Vivanco has exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. including California Center for the Arts Museum, The Portsmouth Museum of Art, Thinkspace, SURU, Gallery 1988, Subtext, Rotofugi, Flatcolor, 323 East, London Miles, Art Basel and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Her work is collected in the U.S. and abroad; and her daily comic, Patches, has a world-wide following. Kelly's first illustrated children's book Snow White & Rose Red was just released. She currently resides in Escondido, California.

The exhibition will run from March 5 - April 5, 2014.

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 25 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 15 local teens, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of 20 local artists.

Press Statement

We are excited to present an extraordinary solo exhibition featuring the artwork of Scott Rohlfs. This exhibit will highlight Rohlfs' most current paintings focusing on surreal imagery and the female figure. Rohlfs will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, February 8 from 6-10pm. Local artists within the ArtHatch building will have their studios open to the public as well. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

The women who populate Scott Rohlfs' acrylic paintings are a fusion of the artist's personal experiences and influences. His women exist in a realm of moody atmospheres, tattoo-inspired couture and pop cultural elements. Rohlfs combines classic realism with an element of distortion when painting, resulting in surreal imagery. The eyes of his subjects are often the focal points of his work, imbued with an arresting quality. Rohlfs describes his figures as, "a reflection of myself and whatever mood I am in at the time." Rohlfs produces a great amount of work and has sold hundreds of paintings throughout the US and abroad.

The exhibition will run from February 4 - March 1, 2013.

Press Statement

Art-A-Thon: 20+ local artists creating for 24 hours straight

Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2pm - Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014 at 2pm

Opening Reception: January 11, 2014 from 6-10pm

ArtHatch is excited to announce their Third Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 20+ artists from San Diego County will seek donations to create artwork for up to 24 straight hours. As works are finished, they will be added to the ArtHatch gallery space and auctioned off for a one-month period following the event. Proceeds from donations and art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the center's free art education program for local teens. There will also be prizes for the artist who raises the most in donations and for the artists that make it through the full 24 hours. The Opening Reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 11th, 2014 from 6-10 pm with beer, compliments of Stone Brewery, wine and live music.

Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, collage, print and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from emerging to seasoned professionals.

Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch gallery and studios from 2pm on Saturday, January 4 through Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 2pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Livestream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 11 from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 1, 2013 at 2pm. All artworks will start at $50 for the bidding.

ArtHatch was created in 2004 both to fill a void in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. ArtHatch employs its 7,000 sq ft of space to focus on cutting-edge artwork by over 50 national and international emerging artists, featuring 35 local artists - over 20 of whom work in studios within the gallery. Resident artists are a combination of college arts professors, emerging and mid-career artists, and fine-artists with arts-related day jobs looking for a stimulating, community-based environment in which to create. ArtHatch has an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. CEO and Founder, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.

Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique. The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking.

All donors will receive a tax receipt. Donors with donations over $500 will have a permanent plaque on display in the gallery.

Exhibition and Auction will run from January 11, 2014 - February 1, 2014. Auction ends at 2pm pst on Saturday, February 1, 2014.

Press Statement

"Home" Featuring the Art of Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze

December 11, 2013 - January 4, 2014
Reception: Saturday, December 14, 2013 from 6-10pm

We are excited to present a stunning Solo Exhibition featuring the artwork of Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze. This exhibit will highlight Cathrine's most current paintings focused on the human figure and images of fairground scenes. Cathrine will be in attendance at the Opening Reception to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, December 14 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

Born and raised in Germany, Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze moved to the United States in 1994 where she works as a full time artist. She credits her father for inspiring her love of painting. "Sitting side by side with my father, I learned very early what painting meant to me, and it became a special bond to my father and me."

Edlinger-Kunze devotes most of her time to sketching and painting the figure, explaining "the human face and body always fascinated me...the body is the perfection of form, movement and nature." Much of the artist's recent subject matter revolves around performers and dancers, recalling the delicacy of Degas' ballerinas and the quietude of Picasso's saltimbanques.

Edlinger-Kunze has shown her work since 1985 and has exhibited in Germany, Italy and the United States; and counts collectors from Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. She currently resides in Carlsbad, California.

The exhibition will run from December 11 - January 4, 2013

Press Statement

"Put A Bird On It" Curated by Aaron Jasinski

November 6 - December 7
Reception: Saturday, November 9 from 6-10pm

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are delighted to present "Put A Bird On It", curated by Aaron Jasinski, featuring a collection of art by 30 artists from around the globe. Artists include Edith Lebeau, Dave MacDowell, Matt Linares, JoKa, Aaron Jasinski and more. Using the ever popular and comical expression "Put A Bird on It" a spin-off of IFC's Portlandia episode, artists will interpret this theme in their own style of art. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, November 9 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests.

See the "Put A Bird On It" skit from Portlandia here: http://youtu.be/0XM3vWJmpfo

Aaron Jasinski's (artist and curator) paintings have shown across the US, and internationally. He also illustrates children's books, album covers, and creates electronic music. Aaron grew up in in a family of musicians and the love of music is a major influence in his visual art. His paintings often features musical, pop-culture, and nostalgic references peppered with social commentary and whimsical creatures (think morose hipsters mingling with monkeys in space suits), utilizing a Technicolor palette. Aaron resides near Seattle Washington with his wife and 4 children.

The exhibition will run from November 6 - December 7, 2013

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 75 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 6 local teens, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 28 local artists, and "The Lounge", containing 8 walls featuring local artists. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork.

A variety of art books, prints, and collectors dolls are now available as well as an in-house art supply store.

ArtHatch
317 East Grand Avenue
Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 781-5779

http://distinctionart.com
http://arthatch.org

Press Statement

"Luck"
Worldwide Premier with Gabe Leonard
Saturday, October 12, 2013

Distinction Gallery is excited to present LUCK, a new collection of paintings focusing on the thrill of fate, chance and fortune by artist Gabe Leonard to be unveiled at SHe by Morton's in Las Vegas.

Leonard's LUCK series will consist of 20 original oil paintings and 10 sketches comprised of dramatic, slice-of-life captures of games of chance, and the tempting of fortune. Says Leonard, "The Oxford Dictionary states that 'luck is success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.' In this collection I would like viewers to draw their own conclusions." He adds that LUCK is the most exciting series he has produced to date. Giclee prints will also be available at the event only, and will include a signed edition of the LUCK book created to commemorate the collection.

Gabe Leonard spent his early years in rural Wyoming, sketching wildlife and selling his drawings for one dollar. After earning his BFA from Columbus College in Ohio, Leonard honed his talents on the ultra-competitive Venice Beach boardwalk.

Described as "Johnny Cash meets Quentin Tarantino", Leonard's work possesses an intense cinematic quality combining the gestural brushwork of expressionism with the expert lighting and framing of a Hollywood cinematographer. His oils are cinematic, atmospheric and moody, revolving around outlaws and rugged noir characters to create narratives full of dramatic possibility.

While his subjects and compositions belie a heavy influence of modern and contemporary cinema, Leonard's artistic style is rooted firmly in a European tradition. While he often breaks from academic restrictions with his loose brushwork and characteristic drips, he counts Rembrandt, Mucha, Klimt and Schiele as amongst his influences.

Following a string of sell-out shows and acquisitions by high profile collectors, Leonard has quickly become one of the most sought-after artists in the world. Recent celebrity collectors include Quentin Tarantino, John Travolta, Arnold Shwarzenegger, and Eli Broad-whose painted portrait appeared on the cover of C-Suite Quarterly. Leonard currently resides in Los Angeles.

LUCK will be held at SHe by Morton's nightclub located in The Crystals at City Center Las Vegas at 3720 South Las Vegas Blvd., #260. The public reception with the artist will run from 8 pm - 10 pm on Saturday, October 12, 2013. A cash bar will be available.

A second reception will be held at Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave. Escondido, CA following Escondido's Wedge event on Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 6-9pm. The show will then continue at Distinction Gallery from October 16 - November 2. For more information, high res images, or to set up an interview with the artist, contact Melissa Walker or Beth Kwapis at 760-707-2770

SHe by Morton's , 3720 South Las Vegas Blvd., #260, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present an exciting new exhibition featuring new collaboration works from the PRISMA Artist Collective. PRISMA is an international artist collective founded by painter and curator Kaspian Shore in November 2011. The group currently supports 30 talented creatives, working in the fields of traditional and digital painting, drawing, illustration, sculpting, and collage. Artists include, Kelly Vivanco, Sarah Joncas, Casey Weldon, Edith Lebaeu, and more. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, September 14 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone beer and wine will be served to guests, and Ciao Cupcake Truck will be parked out front to satisfy guest's sweet cravings.

The exhibition will run from September 11 - October 5, 2013

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to announce their 3rd annual art exhibit devoted to hot rods and customs of Distinction, "IMMORTALIZED: Together Forever: Hot Rods, Pinups, and Body Art", an art exhibit and auction that will feature artists from around the globe.

All Artworks will be auctioned off starting at only $100, with proceeds going to Distinction's annual art scholarship donation for Palomar College students. In conjunction with Escondido's famous "Cruisin' Grand" our block will be closed off and an incredible line-up of the finest and most unique rat rods and customs from all over the So Cal region. Cars that will be on display have been invited by Chick Kosziz, Steve Waldron, Hot Rods and Custom Stuff, and Super Rides by Jordan.

This event is free to the public, but a suggested donation of $5 to benefit Crusin Grand would be appreciated.

The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, August 9, 2013 from 6-9pm with Live Music by Johnny and the Deadly Trio. VIP tickets are $25 and include Stone Beer, wine, food from Vinz Wine Bar, treats from EscoGelato and conversation with the artists, sponsors and car owners. There will be awards for featured artists and also a Pinup contest. Winners will be awarded trophies chosen and handed out by the infamous Natalia Fabia, Los Angeles CA artist. Awards to be handed out at 8pm

This year's Sponsors include Heller Ford, King's Pawn, DeJa Vu Photo Services, JD Built, Lauren Kwapis, Vinz Wine Bar, EscoGelato and Kurt Lightfoot (Co-Conceptural Producer).

The exhibition will run from August 7 - September 7, 2013. Bidding ends at 2pm pst on September 7.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are celebrating their 9th Anniversary with a Studio Artists Exhibition, featuring the collective art of their very own in-house Studio Artists. Highlighting a wide range of work from original paintings, photography, and other mixed media, this exhibit is a representation of the broad spectrum of current local San Diego artists. Including artwork by professional artists such as Victor Roman, Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze, and more. Side by side emerging and accomplished artists come together to present their artistic voices and inspirations, giving rise to a diverse and creative show; representing over 30 artists total. The Opening Reception with Live Music will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2013 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older.
The exhibition will run from July 10 - August 3, 2013

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present a debut Solo Exhibition featuring the artwork of San Diego artist Nicole Wazsak. This exhibit will highlight Waszak's most current paintings and drawings. She will also be there to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with live music will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone Brewery Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older.

The exhibition will run from June 5 - July 6, 2013

ArtHatch is a 7000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley," featuring new and previous works from over 75 artists, the teen room featuring artwork by 12 local teens, 14 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 28 local artists, and "The Lounge", containing 8 walls featuring local artists. The front gallery features contemporary and cutting edge artwork.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are thrilled to present an exciting Solo Exhibition featuring the artwork of Latvian artist Jana Brike. This exhibit will highlight Brike's most current paintings and drawings. Jana Brike will be traveling all the way from Lativia to attend the show's Opening Reception. She will also be there to meet, greet and answer questions. The Opening Reception with live music will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone Brewery Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older.

Jana Brike was born in Latvia in 1980. Growing up under Soviet occupation had a profound effect on everything from Brike's work ethic to her subject matter and aesthetic sensibilities. A self-described "reclusive and dreamy child," Brike showed burgeoning talent at a very young age. At ten she was enrolled in Latvia's most prestigious arts elementary school where she spent at least 5 hours of each day painting. By 15 years old she was participating in international exhibitions.

Brike's surreal and haunting imagery is informed by everything from Russian Realism and Soviet animation to her grandmother's religious postcards featuring biblical works of the European masters. Her subject matter is culled from folklore, fairytales and children's book illustrations. The subjects of her oil paintings embody a fantastical quality, illustrating what Brike viewed as the "forbidden...imagery of Western pop culture" which took on a "mystical, almost religious tone for Soviet children."

Brike has exhibited and sold her work in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Russia, Finland, Belorussia, Switzerland, Australia and several parts of the United States. She currently lives in Riga, Latvia.

The exhibition will run from May 8 - June 1, 2013

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present an exciting Group Exhibition featuring cellphone photography entitled "The Prodigy Show: Hipstamatic Addict Insane" curated and juried by the notable Joseph Bellows. This exhibit features cellphone photographs, some of these photographs using filters from Apps such as Instagram and Hipstamatic. The show highlights the evolving and accessible new craft of cellphone photography as a serious art form. The Opening Reception with live music will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2013 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone Brewery Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older. This exhibit is juried by Joseph Bellows whose gallery was established in 1998. The Gallery features rotating exhibitions of both historic and contemporary works drawn from the gallery's collection, with a special emphasis on American work. Joseph Bellows is a member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), and served on the Board of Directors from 2005 until 2012. The exhibition will run from April 10 - May 4, 2013.

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present an exciting Group Exhibition entitled "One Plus Six Equals Seven" curated by artist Christopher Polentz. This exhibit features the collective art of current emerging artists: Nathan DeYoung, Heather Hogan, Michael Lockwood, Joseph Gerges, Michelle Gerich, Victor Roman, and Christopher Polentz. Highlighting a wide range of original art, this exhibit is a representation of the students of Christopher Polentz who learned his masterful technique of rendering. All original artwork with be rendered pieces influenced by Polentz's technique. The Opening Reception with live music by Nick & Mel will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2013 from 6-10pm. Complimentary Stone Brewery Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older. The exhibition will run from March 9 - April 6, 2013.

Press Statement

ArtHatch is excited to announce their second annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 25 artists from San Diego County will seek pledges to create artwork for up to 24 straight hours. As works are finished, they will be added to the ArtHatch gallery space and auctioned off for a one month period following the event. Proceeds from pledges and art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the center's free art education program for local teens. There will also be prizes for the artist who raises the most and for the artists who make it the full 24 hours The reception for the exhibition with the artists will be held at the end of the event on January 12th, 2013 from 6-10 pm with beer, compliments of Stone Brewery. Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance. Coinciding with Escondido's Second Saturday art walk on Grand Avenue. This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand. Painting, drawing, collage, print and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from emerging to seasoned professionals. In addition we will be featuring live music. Art-A-Thon will be held at ArtHatch gallery and studios from 6pm on Friday, January 11 through Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 6pm. The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Livestream. The Opening Reception will be held following the event on Saturday, January 12 from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding through February 2, 2013 at 3pm. All artworks will start at $100 for the bidding. ArtHatch was created in 2004 both to fill a void in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego. ArtHatch employs its 7,000 sq ft of space to focus on cutting-edge artwork by over 50 national and international emerging artists, featuring 35 local artists - over 20 of whom work in studios within the gallery. Resident artists are a combination of college arts professors, emerging and mid-career artists, and fine-artists with arts-related day jobs looking for a stimulating, community-based environment in which to create. ArtHatch has an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. CEO and Founder, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually. Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge. The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals. Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice. The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique. The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program. Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking. All donors will receive a tax receipt and their names will be included on the ArtHatch donor wall. Exhibition and Auction will run from January 12, 2012 - February 2, 2013. Auction ends at 3pm pst.

Press Statement

"From Figment to Fruition" a solo show by long time exhibiting artist, Denise Bledsoe. Denise brings her characters to life through clay and mixed media and viewers cannot help but react strongly upon seeing them. Whether the reaction is to laugh, oo and ah, or cry Denise's figures are never ignored. The opening reception with the artist will be on Saturday Dec 8th from 6-10 pm and will be accompanied by live music, open studios, and Stone beer and wine for those 21+. Denise has been involved in various forms of art since she was a child, but she has always found that her true calling was working with sculpture and mixed media to create three three-dimensional artworks. In the artist's words " I feel that being able to experience a piece by holding it in one's hand is more fulfilling. In the case of my figurative pieces, it becomes an interaction...with eye contact" Denise's works have been collected and exhibited throughout the world and her collectors include several notable celebrities. The exhibition will run from December 8 - January 5, 2012

Press Statement

ArtHatch and Distinction Gallery are pleased to present a new exhibit featuring the art of Casey Weldon and Andrew Shondrick, entitled "In the Fold". The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2012 from 6-10pm with complimentary Wine and Stone Brewery Beer for guests 21 of age or older. Casey Weldon was born in southern California, where he spent the majority of his life up to his graduation from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. After a brief time running his own studio in Las Vegas, Nevada, He relocated to Brooklyn, New York, where he now lives and works as an illustrator and fine artist. By using to the iconography of today and yesterday's popular culture, his work aims to awaken a feelings of nostalgia within the viewer, though often along with a sense humor, melancholy, and longing for times lost. Andrew R Shondrick is an artist currently working in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2008 he received a BFA in Painting and Drawing [Bunnies] from The University of Akron. Constantly in fear of animals higher than him on the food chain, he's sparse to be seen in large wooded areas or southern wetlands. Always allured to warm summer breezes and all things drifting in space he spends most of his time randomly falling asleep and floating away. The exhibition will run from November 10 - December 1, 2012

Press Statement

We all have our own unique hopes and fears, dreams and pains, talents and experiences. Those near and close to us, our family and friends, know where we've been, accept what we've become and, still, gently allow us to grow. Such growing space provides the unique opportunity for the extraordinary, based upon my time honored belief that ....NO ONE IS ORDINARY. A combination of psychological intuition, observation and experience has inspired me to craft visual interpretations of peoples' environments thru the medium of modern technology and materials. My experiences have lead me to create energetic dreamscapes portraying an odd mixture of human composition, emotional experience, and surreal motion that focuses on the idea that people are connected to themselves, their experiences, and to the world in such a way that we are not apart from our reality but a part of it. The evolution of my work incorporates the use of ink, photography, and my knowledge of comic book art to produce images that focus on a panoply of experience(s) while using a build up of brush strokes and bold colors. Inspiration is often found by looking to past artists like Caravaggio for his use of light and expression, the Furturists for the use of movement, the Impressionists for the use of color and brush strokes, and Bennett for his use of color and detail to transform portraiture to a vibrant array of color. -Anthony Dortch Jr.

Press Statement

Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch are pleased to present a new exhibition, co-curated by David Vecchiato of MondoPOP and Dan Barry entitled, "Taetrum et Dulce: Lux in Tenebris". Drawing from his own experience as Art Director at Italy's premier urban art gallery (MondoPOP), David Vecchiato with accomplished artist Dan Barry, bring together a number of prevalent Pop-Surrealist and Lowbrow artists from around the globe. This exhibit first opened at MondoPOP in Rome, Italy and now has made it's way to Distinction Gallery. This will be the only showing of "Taetrum et Dulce: Lux in Tenebris" in the U.S. This collection of art will include a whirlpool of surrealism from the likes of Ana Bagayan, Jana Brike, Richard Frost, Chris Mars and many more. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, Sept 8, 2012 from 6-10pm in the newly renovated gallery made possible by a generous grant from San Diego County based on recommendation from Supervisor Pam Slater-Price. Complimentary Stone Brewery Beer and Wine will be served to guests 21 years of age or older.