By Henry Long
Santa Monica artist Bobbie Rich hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Although she now resides on the west coast, the artist has lived all over the U.S. in states such as Texas, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Illinois.
Starting to create art at an early age, her fist medium was drawing. In 1997 oil became her preferred medium. She also works in mixed media and recently added stained glass and mosaic.
Rich’s paintings will be featured in a solo exhibition entitled “A Parade of Ladies” on the walls of Upper West at 3321 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica starting Sunday.
A well-known restaurant, Upper Westwas originally introduced to Rich by friends and often dines there.
She said she was excited to show her work there and added it was a great venue to feature art with its high ceilings and large walls.
“Upper West is a beautiful space with delicious food and a fabulous atmosphere,” Rich said. “The happy hour is particularly amazing. The unique cocktails are delicious and I love how it feels like home – only better!”
Rich will exhibit 15 to 20 works of art, which will include oil, acrylic, metal leaf, paper, molding paste and more on stretched canvas.
“My figures are primarily oil paint, but mixed media does tend to sneak in,” she said.
The exhibit will feature medium to large-scale canvases sporting fashion forward women that range from satirical to elegant.
“The intricate patterns in the women’s clothing contrast with the bolder, looser brushstrokes of their flesh,” Rich said. “There is a play on space with some surfaces painted flatly and others more modeled and dimensional.”
In her painting “Taken,” the artist explained, “I started with a blind contour drawing. The painting mixes flat and more modeled elements, realistic and exaggerated. It is clearly about possession.”
Rich’s painting are currently on view in private collections in Florence, Kuwait, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, and more.
“A Parade of Ladies” opens Sunday, Feb. 8, with an opening reception from 4 pm to 7 pm, which is free and open to the public. The exhibit runs through March.
For more information on Rich, visit www.BobbieRich.com.
2nd Annual Oscar Fundraiser
Upper West is hosting an Oscars viewing party for the second year in a row starting at 4:30 pm on Sunday, Feb. 22.
The party starts at the same time as the red carpet coverage. Attendees are encouraged to fill out Oscar winner predictions and stay to watch the show with delicious food and drinks.
There will be prizes for the most accurate Oscars predictions, and other prizes for opportunity drawings.
Upper West is also giving back generously at this event. The restaurant will donate 25 percent of all sales on Oscar night to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which is dedicated to advancing research, treatment, awareness, support, and cures for blood cancers. Reservations are encouraged.
Upper West is located at 3321 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica. For more information, call 310.586.1111 or visit www.theupperwest.com.
