Central Coast Art League members showcase still lifes at Los Olivos General Store

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In a garage-sized studio in Los Alamos, members of the Central Coast Art League usually spend a day or more a week painting still life pieces. Their paintings occasionally dive into self-portrait territory, albeit very subtly, when the artists’ own reflections make small imprints upon cookware and other tabletop objects they depict.

“The reflection with copper is really fun because you can even paint your own self-portrait. … Well, barely. It’s like a swish of paint, could be the color of your T-shirt,” longtime Central Coast Art League member Rachelle Witt said, while sitting near her designated easel at the group’s Los Alamos studio.

Still lifes by Witt and other members of the collective are currently on display at the Los Olivos General Store, as part of a classical realism exhibition set to remain on view through March 3. The show opened in late 2024.

The Central Coast Art League is led by local painter Mary Kay West, who guides group members during their respective projects, helping them fine-tune their skills and offering tips and advice when needed. Among the resources available at West’s studio in Los Alamos are several kinds of ceramic and metallic vessels begging for painters’ attention.

Prior to becoming one of West’s students in 2016, Witt had no formal training painting-wise.

She was inspired by her mother-in-law, a former student of West’s, to join the Central Coast Art League, shortly after enjoying an art demonstration and paint-along experience hosted by Christi Belle, of Art Spot on Wheels in the Santa Ynez Valley.

One of the first things West taught Witt was how to “see” properly, Witt explained.

“I learned how to see things, … all the different shadows. You have to learn how to see before you learn how to paint,” said Witt, who would dedicate about three months’ worth weekly studio sessions to a single still life painting.

Today, she usually churns out about one painting per month. Her still lifes often feature some kind of vessel next to either fruit—especially apples—or veggies. She enjoys giving some of them to her husband, who processes strawberries, celery, and other foods in the Santa Maria Valley. A bell pepper was the subject of her most recent gift to him.

“I still need to frame it for him, for his office,” Witt said.

The current group show featuring Witt’s and other artists’ pieces at the Los Olivos General Store immediately followed the closure of a solo exhibit of seascapes and landscapes by local painter Michelle Juliet Feldman, a Central Coast Art League member who got the chance to highlight both sides of her art output back-to-back in the same venue.

“The works featured in this exhibition are all traditional still lifes that reflect my formal training as an artist, emphasizing perspective and utilizing a limited color palette,” Feldman said.

While Feldman’s solo show—held in between January and November 2024—highlighted depictions of horizons over the ocean and hillside terrain, her still lifes currently on display at the Los Olivos General Store are more similar to that of her Central Coast Art League peers.

“My subject interests include exploring glass, metal, reflection, and the interplay of light and shadow,” said Feldman, who became one of West’s students about three years ago. “Each time I enter the studio; I am both focused and eager to enhance my skills and embrace new challenges.”

Embrace the send button and contact Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

This article appears in Feb 6-16, 2025.