Richard D. Serros
Come visit my studio during the
Open Studio Tour
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
2004 Hickory Ct. Modesto CA, 95356
(near Prescott Rd. and Bangs Ave)
(209) 872-4610
Oil painting, acrylic paintings, drawings.
Art, music, hors-d’oeurves
and a good time.
I spent the days of March 12th and 13th working until midnight with Francisco Franco (far left) and Suaro Cervantes on the newest mural to go up in Modesto. This 37 X 12 foot acrylic mural, titled Corazon del Valle (Heart of the Valley) was designed by Franco and focuses on the agriculture of the valley around Modesto with the Modesto Arch displayed above a setting sun. It is located on the west side of Dews restaurant at the corner of 15th and J streets. We had a great time painting and talking with the people going by and the manager of Dews brought us out a couple of bottles of champagne to celebrate its completion. Many people stopped by to take pictures and I let one woman put a stroke of paint on the wall. Katinka van Dyk and Amy also assisted on Friday evening and were greatly appreciated. Amy became one with the bricks to the left of the composition, while Katinka worked on the running children and the background mountains at the left and right of the valley at center. I worked mainly on the valley and the children. These photos were taken by my wife Wanda, who came by on Friday the 13th at 4:30 pm.
The unfinished 36 X 48 inch oil on canvas Mythology: Metamorphosis of Medusa is a free composition based on the iconography of the ancient Greek figures of Athena, Poseidon and the maiden Medusa. A brief overview of these character’s features and characteristics will make the content of the image more meaningful.
Athena, the goddess of wisdom, strategic war, and the arts, among other things, was among the most revered of the Greek gods and goddesses. She was a virgin goddess of great beauty and intelligence but could be vengeful and spiteful. Her symbols are her helmet, spear, aegis, shield, serpent and owl. Her main temple complexes were in Athens and Delphi.
Poseidon, was a brother of the great gods Zeus and Hades. He was the god of the sea, earthquakes and was husband to ‘mother earth’ (Demeter), as well as being renowned as a “tamer of horses”. His major symbols are the trident, tritons, maenads, hippocampus, and dolphins. Poseidon lost the competition against Athena for patronage of Athens and played major roles in the epics of Homer.
Little was written about the beautiful ‘fair cheeked’ Medusa who was a major figure in the story of Perseus. She was raped by the sea god Poseidon on the floor of a Temple of Athena. This so inflamed Athena that she changed the poor woman into a hideously ugly winged creature with a disfigured face surrounded with venomous snakes growing in her hair. She is best known for having the ability to turn men into stone by merely looking into their eyes. She was beheaded by Perseus, who then used it to save the princess Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus sent to ravage Aethiopia as divine punishment. During the classical period she was usually depicted as being beautiful but nevertheless terrifying.
The composition, begun November 3rd, 2014, was developed around the original figure studies of one of my models (see below). I have just begun adding the color, and plan to have it completed by December 31st, 2014.
I have submitted four oil paintings to the 60’s Retrospective Exhibit (July 15 to Aug. 16: Artwalk Reception July 17: I hope to see you there.) at the Mistlin Gallery (http://www.ccartassn.org/) 1015 J Street, Modesto CA 95354. You can call the gallery at (209) 529-3369 for further information. The four works I submitted include: Jump, Calabi Yau, Fireworks and Origin of the Eye. These paintings are all older works that I consider among my best and fit into the exhibition theme through their psychodelic characteristics of multi-dimensional brushstroke patterns and brilliant contrasting colors. 
The gallery curator has hung them all together along the end wall under a set of new LED lights as a test for the revamping of the entire gallery lighting system. I wish to thank them for hanging the works to such great advantage. On the topic of the Mistlin Gallery and the Central California Art Association I should add that I have been invited to join as a member of their Board of Directors. I have agreed to do so and will attend the July 14 meeting to get things going. I hope to help them in their desire to modernize the gallery and make it the best it can possibly be to serve as many aspects of Modesto’s art needs.
© 2014 Richard David Serros: Artist, Designer and Art Historian
