Love is in the air...still.

Love is in the air this week- especially for this couple, married almost 40 years, who face the prospect of rebuilding their lost Malibu home fortunately very much in love. Thank you to Carolyn Carradine and her hubby Chris for sitting for my "Face of Malibu Rebuild" series this week ongoing with The Malibu Times.. Article link below. This is a volunteer project for me sketching, interviewing and writing the pieces to highlight what people in my community are going through.

Article click here

Carolyn and Chris Carradine
The Face of Malibu Rebuilds By Johanna Spinks

Rebuilding After The Califorina Fires...

A lot of hours are going into my Face of Malibu Rebuild series. with The Malibu Times.

 I wish to remind people that life has not gone back to 'normal' for the thousands of people who lost everything in the recent California Wildfires. 

This week's sitter  is Jill Greenberg, the sketch and interview donated by me to The Malibu Times hoping to keep the community's awareness going of what this rebuild is looking like fore people who are suffering such great losses. 

Here is a link to the article in this week's Malibu Times.

http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_

Jill Greeberg by Johanna Spinks
For The Face of Malibu Rebuilds
With the Malibu Times

Golden Times - 108 Years Worth!

Honored this artwork has been selected for The California Art Club's 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition. 

Titled “Visitor From Paris", I painted this young Parisian in a single sitting via my palette knife, while she was on a short trip here from Paris. 

Show runs March 3 -29, 2019 at the former Pasadena Museum of California Art, a beautiful venue I am lucky enough to have exhibited at before. Stay tuned.

Incredible this show has been running this long! It's always a great one and I am in some fine painting company.  Thank you to The CAC for all it does.

Visitor From Paris
By Johanna Spinks
Via palette knife
For sale at CAC Gold show.

Losing Everything...Malibu Fires

Katie Gorak is a 17-year-old senior at Malibu High School, on the water polo team, and in the normally difficult process of waiting to hear back from college applications. Under normal circumstances, Katie would also be mentally preparing to leave home—but the Woolsey fire took her family residence in the Malibu Highland mountain area and Katie’s expected way forward.  Wise beyond her years, she normally loves going to movies, collecting things and listening to music. She was out of school this important senior year for 21 days due to the fire.  In an emotional interview with me,  at her temporary rental home, she spoke about the sudden loss of the home and foundation she loved so much.

To read the full article featured in The Malibu Times
Go Here

Katie Gorak

Special to The Malibu Times
"The Face of Malibu Rebuilds By Johanna Spinks'

Historic Defeat, Prime Minister Theresa May -

A historic defeat  today for The Right Honorable Theresa May today in Britian. I am a bit confused by Brexit , living out of Britain,   but I do know the Prime Minister likes shoes, and therefore I like her. I also feel bad for anyone having such a rough day.

I painted this via my palette knife.

"Brexit Means Brexit - The Rt. Hon. Theresa May"
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife

The Face Of Malibu Rebuilds...

Jerry Magusen
The Face of Malibu Rebuilds
Series By Johanna Spinks
With The Malibu Times

PLEASE READ FULL ARTICLE AT THIS LINK

CLICKHERE

Those who know me, know the California Wildfires hit very close to home with two-thirds of my neighborhood lost and over 600 homes burned to the ground in my hometown, let alone the other towns in California.

I was one of the lucky ones with a miraculous escape. Studio and home repairs are slowing beginning for me, but not for others.

Life will not feel the same watching the loss of others.

As I was sitting in the hotel for four weeks evacuated, not being able to paint, I decided to start sketching some fellow evacuees who I was chatting with around the lobby area. It made me feel less helpless. Then I thought we need to get these stoires of loss and courage out there. I contacted The Malibu Times who I worked with over  a five year period for my Face of Malbu portrait series recording people in the town throught paint along with interviews by Homaira Shifa.

"The Face of Malibu Rebuilds" has been born. We have had to move quicky on this series so I decided to do the interviews myself along with the sketches to save organisational time. I am donating my time for this series and not being paid in any way, just like the last series. I have a background in journalism so it wasn't too far a stretch for me to do the words. I have found the interviews so far incredibly moving.

Please meet Jerry Magusen, our first in the series, and read his story at the link.  A really great guy and also his wife Patty. Thank you for sharing your courageous story.

It's RAINN-ING Portraits!

My "Faces of Today"...many of these waiting to be unwrapped under Chirstimas trees nationwide as surprise gifts. 

Thank you to all who donated to @RAINN in return for me painting a mini portrait sketch via palette knife. Still a few more to be painted. Let's end sexual violence once and for all and keep the 24 hours hotline open. Link below.

https://www.rainn.org

Mini Portraits Painted by Johanna Spinks for her @RAINN fundraiser this year. All 8 x 8" via palette knife. 

https://www.rainn.org