Royo Exhibition May 1st – May 3rd

“All the mistakes committed by great artists are due to their having separated themselves from truth, believing that their imagination is stronger....”
Joaquin Sorolla

Royo was in the gallery several minutes before the word got around. Strangely, he too seemed diminished by the monumental presence of the paintings, to the extent that few could entertain notice of much else. But as the hours drifted by it was oddly evident that Royo was not attending just another opening but really came to say good-by. Should you spend enough time with artists you will come to understand the process by which they individually separate themselves from the alternate universe of creation and the images they coax from it. The women in Royo’s life are perpetually part of it, but the vignettes of their ponderous days, suspended interminably in oil paint, are flung across the continents, floating gracefully into vast halls and grand dining rooms.

What collectors wonder most about Royo compositions are the detached gazes of the familiar women he adoringly courts. Conjecture about this is wide and varied. We are told a Royo painting isn’t about capturing beauty but more importantly the essence of it. But it occurs to me the dialog should instead be about introspective trance. Essence all the same but vastly more challenging to compose.

If, as Sorolla suggests, the “mistakes” committed by the masters is “believing that their imaginations are stronger…” than “truth” then it is reasonable to assume that Royo is flawless in his compositional precepts as he does not delineate his imagination but instead that of his subjects. What master Royo “imagines” is not in his painting, it is in his eyes and his conversations. What the women in Royo’s life “imagine” is what the artist promises to unravel. Pursuing this discovery as vehemently as collectors gazing out a living room window, anticipating the arrival of their acquisition.

The Royo show hosted at the EC Fashion Valley Gallery May 1st – 3rd was a virtual sell out. Little surprise. Shortly after the artist quietly returned to his Spanish villa and the introspective gaze of women he does not imagine.

A Merriam Sighting April 3rd – April 5th

Daniel Merriam was the likeable kid in your math class perpetually hunched over his desk, furiously festooning acres of Pee Chee real estate with progressively complex, mind bending doodles. Stuff that made no sense. Stuff that made a lot of sense. He was the grinning curiosity the Gym teacher hollered at to “Wipe that smirk off your face Merriam!” Something he did not do, nor could he do because it was eternally installed there by God as a reminder that not every one of the geniuses he sent our way was a brooding itinerant misfit. The wry smile, still there today, was the unintended consequence of an overwhelming sense of amazement that he had discovered a means of externally exhibiting his wildest imaginings.

Daniel Merriam exited school days through the door reserved for those kids with movie star looks and the easy charm of a golf pro. Everyone just knew he had peaked and that they would bump into him in the unemployment line ten years later, hitting them up for a smoke. But instead he threw it all away to become one of the worlds most significant artists of our time. That is everything except the good looks and charm, and the brains and….well you get the picture.

Daniel Merriam appeared at the Gas Lamp Gallery in downtown San Diego April 5th and the next night at the Fashion Valley Mall Gallery, both to SRO crowds. People came just to see if there really was a Daniel Merriam or if his stunning brain teasing art was in fact the collaborative works of Pixar Studios and Area 51 hostages. I first laid eyes on him across the exhibition room at Gas Lamp and thought, “No way! He’s too good looking and too nice to people for someone that good looking!”

There is only one other artist I would (dare) place in the genre that Daniel Merriam effortlessly commands and that would be Gil Bruvel. Turns out they are good friends, and it’s a good thing I found this out because I am so angry at Daniel for being such a likeable guy I was thinking of calling Gil and complaining. I mean, after all, what ever happened to artists passing out drunk at their openings and scaring the kids?

Doyle LaCount

Internet Purchasing

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Christopher M "Live" painting!

There are two activities you are better off not watching.
There is, of course, sausage being made and
(contrary to movie fantasies) an artist working. Some things
that are better left to screen writers. That is of course unless
the artist happens to be the affable and charming,
Christopher M. Convincing an artist to paint "live" in an art
gallery is inviting mental mayhem. But ask Christopher M to
set up easel and pallet on the sidewalk in front of the gallery
and you’ve just found your new Director of Public Relations.
If you were one of the fortunate ones to stroll by and
encounter this extraordinary emerging talent you departed
having just made a new best friend in the art world! Just
ask his numerous collectors.

We’re still working on the sausage.

Doyle LaCount

The Romantic Art of Steven Quartly on Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentines Day! The gallery enjoyed the presence of artist
Steven Quartly and his beautiful body of originals inspired by
romance. The gallery handed out red roses to each lady who came
to the show. The chocolate dipped strawberries were a big hit
and paired nicely with a glass of champagne!

Patrons were happy to find a perfect painting to celebrate art,
romance and a special time with artist Steven Quartly!

Christopher M. at The 5th annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival!

Christopher M. was chosen as the Official poster artist for the 5th
annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. The event was a
huge success! He met many celebrity and well known nationally
recognized chefs at the events leading up to and during event.


Exclusive Collections Art Gallery hosted the kick off poster
signing party Tuesday November 11th at Fashion Valley Shopping
Center. Patrons of the gallery along with new collectors and wine
aficionados came to enjoy fine art, fine food and fine wine pored
by Saint Helena Road Winery.


Friday Nov 14th Christopher M. was an honored guest at the
AIWF Celebrity Chef Luncheon & Big Bottle Auction. His painting
“A Perfect Pair” that was commissioned for the poster and was
sold at auction to benefit the scholarship fund administered by
the San Diego Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food.
The luncheon featured 15 celebrity winemakers and a world-class
menu prepared by nationally acclaimed chefs Gavin Kaysen of
Cafe Boulud in New York, Executive Chef Bernard Guillas from
La Jolla's Marine Room, Jimmy Schmidt, Owner/Executive
Chef of Rattlesnake, Detroit and Palm Desert, and Sondra
Bernstein, Owner/Executive Chef of The Girl & The Fig, in
Sonoma.


Christopher M. along with Exclusive Collections staff members,
Tiffany Mendenhall and Christopher Cummings set sail on the
Hornblower Cruises newest yacht, "Inspiration Hornblower," for
yet another fun filled night of fine art, fine food and fine wine!
Hosted by Ted Allen, star of Food Network's "Food Detectives"
and food expert on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," the
event featured wines from more than 150 award-winning
winemakers and 15 food stations.


The Grand Finale of the sizzling five-day festival was the
star-studded Grand Tasting Event held Saturday, November
15th on the Embarcadero Park North behind Seaport Village.
Christopher M. was busy signing posters at the Exclusive
Collections booth. He met many celebrity chefs who want him
to come visit their kitchens and paint them.


One of the chefs, Gavin Kaysen of the world renowned Cafe
Boulud in New York City, has asked Christopher M. to come to
NYC in the Spring and paint a series of works inspired by his
kitchen! Gavin is formerly of Rancho Bernardo Inn's El Bizcocho
and has since received awards from the James Beard Foundation
(Rising Star Chef 2008) as well as Food & Wine Magazine
(10 Best New Chefs).

The 2nd ANNUAL Miniatures Show!

Exclusive Collections hosted their highly attended second annual
miniature show November 8th, 2008. There were eight artists in
attendance and over 110 originals works were created in a small
format for the event.

The artist appearances were by, Steve Barton, Michael Flohr,
Christopher M., Joe Metcalf, Michael Summers, Daniel Thedell,
Steven Quartly and John Webster. In addition, artists Asencio,
Walfrido Garcia, Royo, Samir Sammon and Dale Terbush each
created a body of fantastic small works for collector's consideration.

The magical evening was filled with such amazing talent that
collectors were having a difficult time deciding what art to collect
and many left with more than one original painting! Owner James
Thorn introduced each artist in attendance and gave all an
opportunity to expound on the inspiration behind the body of
work they had created for the show. For many collectors, this
was the pinnacle of the evening. Patrons of Exclusive Collections
have enjoyed many wonderful and exciting openings over the
years. This event offered the opportunity to meet these talents
first hand, collect these great artist's works, and experience
"the art of living with fine art."