Artists, collectors mingle at Art 2024 Tehachapi

Sarai Diaz.

Award winner Naomi Shakar with her painting"Cooling Off" with Virginia and Bill Lazarini, the sponsors of the Best of Show Award.

On the evening of July 19, the Tehachapi Arts Commission celebrated their fourth annual show with the opening of Art 2024 Tehachapi, held again at the Aspen Builders Inc. Activity Center on D Street. All proceeds from the VIP event ticket sales will go toward the Commission's Art in the Parks program with Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Park District.

Guests were treated to open bars and hors d'oeuvres while viewing the exhibition and talking with the 44 participating artists and show sponsors. Mid-way through the evening, show organizers Dwight and Laura Dreyer conducted the presentation of the show awards.

The Best of Show award went to Orange County artist Naomi Shachar for "Cooling Off," a stunning painting of horses drinking in a pond. The painting also received Artists Choice, an award decided by a vote of all the participating artists.

Damian Kinsella, who was raised in Tehachapi and now lives in Los Angeles, was awarded Best Still Life for "Wherever I May Roam," a painting of a beaded Native American bag. Kinsella first created the beaded bag and then reproduced it in paint. Both the bag and the painting were displayed together.

Derek Harrison of Santa Barbara received the Best Landscape award for his painting "Western Traverse." Dwight Dreyer announced that Harrison has been chosen as the Featured Artist for Art 2025 Tehachapi, so he will definitely be back next year.

Best Urban Painting was won by Christopher Burgan for his painting "Kern River Brewing Company." Burgan comes from the Los Angeles area where he is also well-known for his work in the recording industry.

Art 2024 Tehachapi was free to the public on Saturday and Sunday and attendance this year was impressive in spite of soaring temperatures.

Over the weekend of July 19-21, over a third of the 126 exhibited paintings were sold. The remaining paintings will be available online at the Tehachapi Arts Commission website tehachapiartscommission.org/. The online show and sale will be available until the end of August.

Pat Doody.

Attendees at the Art 2024 Tehachapi show were greeted on entry by the spectacular "King Sycamore" painting by Richard Gallego.