 | | | Senior Community Library Manager Vickie Sciacca, left, and artist Ellen Reintjes pose for a photo in front of their portraits, behind them. Photo Pippa Fisher | | | | | | More than just art that appeals to baseball fans (although it does), the unique exhibit hanging in the Lafayette Library and Learning Center is a celebration of relationships - of people to teams, to towns, to each other and even to pets by local artist Ellen Reintjes. A special reception was held for the public Nov. 12 to give people a chance to meet the artist and several of the faces featured in the artwork.
The exhibit is called "All-Stars: Fans, Fams, and Friends." It is a series of portraits of real individuals - nine family members, friends including several community leaders, and yes, Reintjes' dogs - all wearing team baseball caps. There is even one of Reintjes' father painted from a photo of him as a child at the 1926 World Series at Yankee Stadium with Babe Ruth visible in the outfield behind him. The collection features many connections - Reintjes knows all the individuals and, furthermore, each of the individuals knows at least one of the others.
All portraits were painted in acrylic on a six-inch square canvas. Reintjes has since given the originals to the painting's subject but had made high-quality digital reproductions, which she framed and hung on Louisville Slugger bats - a project she worked on with her husband, Former Mayor Don Tatzin.
"Despite working on the framing project together with Don," says Reintjes with a smile, "we are still married."
Reintjes has had work exhibited throughout the Bay Area at wineries, galleries, shops and libraries. She is a member of the Bay Area Studio Artists and paints animals and nature, landscapes and seascapes.
Further information on the Bay Area Studio Artists can be found at https://bayareastudioartists.com/ |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA