Alhambra City Hall Art Gallery Features Jim Brammer's Work in a Group Exhibition Entitled ‘Water and Trees‐Essential Elements of Life’

The Alhambra City Hall Art Gallery features a group art exhibition by artists Jim Brammer, Enrique Armendariz, Paula Hallowell, Steve and Marianne McCarthy and Janell Mithani. From ancient times, both water and trees have formed essential parts of our spiritual and physical human existence. Worldwide, societies have celebrated, worshipped and used trees and water as basic needs for life thus forming a bond between nature and people that is all too often forgotten in today's technological times. This exhibition is in honor of that elemental connection.

After retiring from IBM in 2006, Jim Brammer decided it was time for his right brain to come out and play. As an emerging artist, his work has recently been featured in several galleries across the county including a group show at Dragonfly Gallery at Rosedale in Austin, Texas, an ongoing solo show at the Calabasas Library Gallery in Los Angeles, California, and an ongoing collaborative effort at the f/9 Gallery in Culver City, California. He feels truly fortunate to pursue his passion as an artist. Jim’s “love for the art of light, the art of soul and the art of place” is relevant in the photographs he creates. “Sculpting, shaping and controlling that big, white, bouncy stuff called light” allows Jim to capture life’s inspirational moments – the art and soul of place – to tell the stories of beauty, passion and emotion as he creates his art. For more information and to see more of Jim Brammer’s work visit his website: www.stateoftheartimages.com.

Enrique Armendariz is a photographer who works primarily in Black and White film. An artistic technician in the darkroom, Enrique’s photographs are beautiful and passionate. A gifted storyteller with a talent for capturing unplanned, yet splendidly framed moments draws the viewer in and oftentimes, back for another look. Enrique recently had his first solo exhibition in January at the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library entitled ‘For the First Time/Por Primera Vez”.

Steve and Marianne McCarthy have been photographers for over 30 years, specializing in portraits of buildings, automobiles, and trains. From the untamed, rugged coasts and glades of Ireland to calm Pacific sunsets, the McCarthy's have captured two of the essential elements of life, water and trees. Their award winning work is a hybrid of film and digital, using mostly film to shoot with, and digital processing. "We want people to be drawn into the photo, to feel the texture of a stone wall, the power of a steam locomotive, the sound of a race car." Steve McCarthy said. "We want people to look at things in different ways, to see the odd and unusual around them," added Marianne. Steve has also written the ultimate guide to road trips called Road Trippin'. Their website is www.mccarthypix.com.

Paula Hallowell has been “Capturing Little Bits of Time” through the medium of photography. With a background and training in commercial product and food photography, Paula’s attention to detail shines in her fine art pieces of grand beauty. In this exhibition, her color and sepia toned photographs pay homage to one of our most precious resources, water. Paula spends her leisure time traveling the western states with her camera photographing nature, wildlife and the details of her environment. Her love for the desert and the High Sierras is relevant in her work. Paula is currently a member of All Valley Professional Photographers, Professional Photographers of California and School Photographers Association of California. She can be reached via her website: www.hallowellphotography.com.

Artist Janell Mithani has always been interested in the emotional intimacy of the human face. She has created photography commissions and fine art portraits as well as her striking gallery pieces for nearly three decades. Mithani also teaches manga art, photography and fine art workshops and is currently working on her first book Bud a Collection of Floral and Baby Art to be released this year. Today, she creates mixed media art expressive of intimate relationships between fragile human life and soothing nature. In this exhibition, her stylized mixed media portraits are reflective of her relationships with people and remind her to observe the quiet beauty of life in this fast‐paced world. “Lately I am influenced by the delicate colors and coarse textures of nature as well as the tranquility of the ocean and I explore their bond within my art.” Mithani can be reached via her two websites: www.janellmithani.com and www.jmphotostudio.com.

Please join us for an artist’s reception for ‘Water and Trees‐Essential Elements of Life’ on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Alhambra City Hall Gallery is located at 111 South 1st St., Alhambra, CA 91801. The exhibition runs from April 5 through April 30 and will be open each Monday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday ‐ Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call Alhambra City Hall at (626)570‐5090.