Bringing Big Apple to beach

Elia Powers

The women who own Southern California Art Projects & Exhibitions are

in a New York state of mind.

“New York is the center for art,” said Jeannie Denholm, co-owner

of SCAPE gallery. “Anyone who is seriously involved knows what’s

happening there.”

That explains Denholm and fellow owner Diane Nelson’s fascination

with the gallery collections in midtown Manhattan. They travel there

at least twice a year to gauge the city’s artistic pulse.

Over the years of perusing Tibor de Nagy Gallery on Fifth Avenue,

Denholm and Nelson have cultivated a sister-city-like relationship

with the owners.

Now they are paying homage to work displayed inside their favorite

New York art house by presenting an exhibition featuring five

accomplished East Coast artists.

“We want to bring things to this region that might not be shown

otherwise,” said Denholm, who lives in Newport Beach.

The monthlong exhibition “NYC: Take 5” showcases the work of

artists Richard Baker, Biala, Philip Geiger, Stuart Shils and Susan

Jane Walp. They are often referred to as the leaders of the American

Realism movement, which has roots in 1950s New York, Denholm said.

The exhibition opened on April 30 and runs through May 28.

Twenty-one paintings, mostly oil on canvas, ranging in price from

$4,000 to $30,000, adorn the white walls of the one-level gallery,

set in the heart of Corona del Mar.

The featured artists have varying styles and are influenced by

genres such as Cubism and Surrealism, and periods such as 17th and

18th century Dutch painting.

“We are trying to give people a broader base of knowledge of art,”

Nelson said. “There’s a lot that goes into American Realism, and this

show demonstrates that.”

Denholm said many artists who are students of New York Realism

tend to concentrate on urban subjects, whereas California artists

often paint landscapes.

But there is a rural component to this exhibition, including

paintings of picturesque country sides and still-life images of fruit

and flowers.

“There are two sides to New York,” Denholm said. “There’s the

influence of the city and the need to get away. Both are represented

here.”

Denholm and Nelson are well-schooled in Realism and other artistic

genres. They have a combined 50 years of experience in the art

business.

The two began collaborating 14 years ago, when Nelson was managing

two contemporary art galleries in Laguna Beach, and Denholm was

expanding her client list as an independent art advisor who

specialized in helping local businesses find suitable collections.

In the fall of 2003, the two opened SCAPE. They continue to take

on individual clients and work with other Orange County art galleries

to promote contemporary art.

“It’s nice being able to have this space,” Denholm said. “It’s

also nice having the freedom to go out during the day and discover

great works.”