Palo Alto Weekly 04.16.2010 - Section 1

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Arts & Entertainment happy about it, and a garden hose unspools into the air like a cobra. Curtiss’ playful creativity has clearly won him some fans. Notes from the exhibition’s guest book include: “You are a fabulous artist with a macabre sense of humor,� and “Hella funny. How can you sell this stuff?� The paintings take shape in Curtiss’ airy garage studio that he shares with his wife, Francie, who does gouache and mixed-media pencil work. Several of Curtiss’ sketches are pinned up on the wall, with a painting-in-progress catching the sun from a skylight. The canvas, “Renoir’s Cat,� is based on one of Renoir’s voluptuous nudes — with an appropriately curvy cat lounging near a woman. The painting is part of a series in which Curtiss imagines just the right feline pet for various artists. “Chuck Close’s Cat,� sitting on his studio floor, has a photorealist style, while “The Screen,� hanging in the show, is a play on Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.� There’s the typical horrified Munch face, with a wide-eyed cat on the side clinging to a window screen. The Curtisses have two cats (too shy to emerge during the interview) who sometimes serve as models for the paintings, when they feel like posing. Some of Curtiss’ cat paintings are less playful and more peaceful. In “The World Outside #1,� a gray tabby gazes out a window, seated between two curtains. Curtiss often makes prints from his paintings, and he says this one — also included in the show — has been a popular seller. As for his medium, Curtiss favors oil in part because it’s forgiving. If he paints something and wants to change it, he can still wipe paint off when it’s wet, or scrape and sand paint off when it’s dry. And oil paint takes a long time to dry. Subjects, however, may not be so flexible. Painting “The Essentials� — a still life with a tea kettle, fruit, bread and credit cards — took Curtiss six weeks, and he had to replace the bunch of grapes a few times. “The bread got hard as a rock,� he says, laughing. “The Essentials� sits on the floor of Curtiss’ studio, and the artist contemplates it for a moment. The copper kettle gleams like an object of beauty created by an Old Master, while the credit cards’ colors are almost gaudy. While painting, Curtiss says, he was musing about the contrast between what is “earthy, genuine� and what comes from technology. He adds, though, that he’s not always against progress. “I’m not sure I want to carry a sack of guilders around.� N What: “Off Center,� a show of oil paintings by Los Altos artist Steve Curtiss Where: Norton Gallery, Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona St., Palo Alto When: Through April 28. The gallery is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: Free Info: Call the art league at 650-3213891. The artist’s website is www. stevecurtiss.com.

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COMMUNITY MEETING Join the community discussion on the San Antonio Median Improvement Project - Phase II Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 6:30 PM Cubberley Community Center, Room H-5

Pregnancy Loss Support â– Sexual Health â– Coping with Cancer â– Relationship Enhancement â–

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4000 MiddleďŹ eld Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 The City of Palo Alto invites public input on planned improvements including tree removal and design of the medians on San Antonio Road from MiddleďŹ eld Road to Highway 101. Meeting hosted by City of Palo Alto Public Works, (650) 329-2151 Visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/sa for information.

*Supervisor: Penny Donnelly, RN, MFT

A Guide to the Spiritual Community First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto

NOTICE OF UPCOMING HIGH SPEED RAIL MEETING Palo Alto City Council Meeting on HSR - Monday, April 19, 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers – The City Council will be discussing the scope of the City’s comments for the Bay Area to Central Valley Program Level Environmental Impact Report.

Sunday School for all ages – 9:00 a.m. Sunday Services – 10:25 a.m. “The children in our midst, the mission at our doorstep, a place of hospitality and grace� 625 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto

(650) 323-6167 s WWW &IRST0ALO!LTO COM FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC £™nxĂŠ ÂœĂ•ÂˆĂƒĂŠ,Âœ>`]ĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠUĂŠ­ĂˆxäŽĂŠnxĂˆÂ‡ĂˆĂˆĂˆĂ“ĂŠUĂŠĂœĂœĂœ°vVVÂŤ>°ÂœĂ€}ĂŠ -Ă•Â˜`>ÞÊ7ÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ…ÂˆÂŤĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ-Ă•Â˜`>ÞÊ-V…œœÂ?ĂŠ>ĂŒĂŠ£ä\ääĂŠ>°Â“°

This Sunday: The Last Person You Want to See Rev. David Howell preaching Spring Musical April 30, May 1 & 2 at 7:00 pm 39 Books Featuring 80 children and youth!

Stanford Memorial Church University Public Worship Sunday, April 18, 10:00 am Join the Palo Alto Family Resources Foundation and honored guest

Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss as we celebrate Family Resource’s 10 years of being your link to the community with a special presentation by

Dr. James R. Doty Stanford Professor of Neurosurgery and Director, Center for Compassion & Altruism Research & Education

The Cultivation of Compassion Tuesday, April 27, 2010 < 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley 2050 University Avenue East Palo Alto

$25 admission, door prizes Info: contact Erwin.Gonzales@CityofPaloAlto.org - or - call 329-2221 Presented by Hewlett Packard and generously supported by Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital This space donated as a community service by the Palo Alto Weekly.

“Redeeming Peter in Us All� Dean Scotty McLennan All are welcome. Information: 650-723-1762

Music featuring University Organist, Dr. Robert Huw Morgan and the Memorial Church Choir http://religiouslife.stanford.edu

We Invite You to Learn and Worship with Us.

Timothy R. Boyer. A place of caring, sharing and growing Worship Service 10:30 AM. www.fpcmv.org 1667 Miramonte (Cuesta at Miramonte) 650.968.4473

INSPIRATIONS

A resource for special events and ongoing religious services. To inquire about or make space reservations for Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 326-8210 x6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com

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