The Gallery is 'On the Ropes'

Firstly, I want to thank anyone and everyone who has helped to make Stone Griffin Gallery one of the longest-standing businesses in Downtown Campbell.

With the current state of the economy, the Gallery is on the ropes, and I am putting out a plea for your support.

February is, historically, a slow month. Unfortunately, it is in this February that I find myself in dire straits to determine whether I am able to keep the Gallery open, or be forced to close my doors after 17 years. 

Stone Griffin Gallery  Inside / Outside View

Many of our customers have been pointing out artwork they are interested in and would love to see in their home or business. Now is the time to pick up that piece you've had your eye on!

Of course, I will offer some very special pricing. Up to 70% Off Selected Pieces! 

This is a great opportunity for you to own beautiful artwork at a great price, and help keep the Stone Griffin Gallery in business...a win-win!

Please come in and shop if you can, as soon as you can — and please spread the word.

I appreciate your support!

The Gallery's Wine Walk Winery is Naumann Vineyards!

Downtown Campbell's Winter Wine Walk is Wednesday, February 8 from 5pm to 9pm. The winery that was selected to pour here in the gallery is Naumann Vineyards.

Naumann Vineyards wine cork

I must admit I am not familiar with Naumann Vineyards and their wines (will be!). I visited their website, see that they are a small winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, have been in the wine business since 2001 and currently produce three varieties: Estate Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay and a Late Harvest Merlot.

Naumann Vineyards

Downtown Campbell's wine walks are great fun — and I am sure this upcoming Winter Wine Walk will be the best ever!

The wine walk is rain or shine, pet friendly as room allows, live music on the street — and anyone can come down and enjoy the wine walk for free! Only the actual tasting requires a ticket, so bring a friend if you wish!

Local Landmark Photography

I have been getting back into photography recently. I snapped pictures as a kid, in high school I took photography, black and white shooting and developing, then some years later took some classes at the Sunnyvale Community Center.

With the gallery I have dusted off the camera and have been trying to get some photographs of our local landmarks. You must be aware of the Campbell Water Tower as photographs of it are all over this blog, the gallery webpage, and even it's own page, campbellwatertower.com! I thought to put up some of the other outtakes of other local landmarks.

Campbell Water Company

This shot above is the Campbell Water Company building. It is located just south of the Campbell Water Tower, and it (and the water tower) is part of a park in downtown Campbell. I like this shot but feel it lacks in the 'really pops' department.

California Foothills near Patterson 

I rode a motorcycle up over Mt. Hamilton and east towards the central valley and Patterson. I came across these lonely hills and took a few pictures. I really like this shot, so here it is! I think it captures the golden California hills nicely. A few oak trees or something in it would be nice — but it was quite an empty landscape.

Leo and Leona, the Los Gatos Cats

 The Los Gatos Cats are a landmark just south of the town of Los Gatos. I have a devil of a time with this subject as the the cats are bright gloss white and the forest behind the cats is deep, dark jungle green. I can not get an exposure / composition that will work. I tried sun, shade, early, late, rain, clear.

Los Gatos Oak Meadow's Fire Truck

Here is the fire truck that is a play structure in Oak Meadow / Vasona Park in Los Gatos. It is a popular playground attraction in the park and I have been practicing shooting it.

Campbell Water Tower at Twilight

The gallery has a new image of the 'famous' Campbell Water Tower:

Water Tower at Twilight

This is the Campbell water tower shot from near First Street, and shot at twilight. This photograph captured the blue dusky sky along with the tower glowing form the lights installed on the tower.

Two sizes in the gallery. "Water Tower at Twilight" 30" x 20" is $375; 12" x 8" is $175.

These are photographs on canvas, stretched onto wooden bars — ready to hang, no framing required!

Announcing Campbell Water Tower [dot] Com

What with our gallery selling art featuring Campbell's water tower — we decided to create a new, standalone website just of, for and dedicated to the water tower!

The website is campbellwatertower.com

For the Love of Campbell

The picture above is "For the Love of Campbell," an original watercolor by San Jose artist Dick Zunkel.

Campbell Water Tower Crazy Legs

This is an original acrylic by John Cloud

Campbell Water Tower Winter Day

We offer original art (oil on canvas and watercolor on paper) signed and numbered limited editions of selected originals, photographs on canvas, and digitally altered works. Most art is on stretched canvas ready to hang no framing required.

Campbell Water Tower Winter Dusk

The above is a photograph taken just as the sun set and the tower lights switched on.

The Gallery Was Featured in the Newspaper!

The Campbell Reporter has an article about Stone Griffin Galley in the January 20th edition.

As we feature local landmarks -- the newspaper thought the fact that we have the URL campbellwatertower.com and feature artwork of Campbell's water tower worth some ink! We agree!

Campbell Reporter's Article on Campbell Water Tower Website and Stone Griffin Gallery

The photographer came to the gallery last Wednesday with the assignment to get one horizontal photograph for the article. He shot about 75 pictures — and, of course — one was selected for the story.

I was interviewed over the telephone, and was also wanted information one one of the gallery's artists. John Cloud lives in Campbell and paints the water tower, so he was interviewed and included in the story — which you can read here.

Being that the web site was just put up this month, traffic was zero of course. Once I put up the site, mentioned it on this blog, on newsletters and such the traffic to the website is going up.

CampbellWaterTower.com Traffic Graph

This chart above is a graph of traffic to campbellwatertower.com. The traffic increases from zero (it's inception) and rises. The big spikes are probably when the article ran in the Campbell Reporter and ran again in the San Jose Mercury News.

Kind of fun to do the website and the marketing and watch the results!

"Mt. Hamilton Foothills" by Eileen Graham

San Jose artist Eileen Graham has just finished "Mt. Hamilton Foothills."

This is a 40" x 40" original oil on canvas.

This painting is of the California hills, dry golden brown grass and live oak trees just east of Mt. Hamilton, the Diablo Range of Northern California.

"Mt Hamilton Foothills" is on wooden stretcher bars with painted sides, so it is complete and ready to hang — no framing required!

Come on in and see this in person if you can!

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"California Dreaming"

Terje Nordberg, born in Norway, is now living the good life in Northern California; he is an artist showing his work here in the gallery — and he has started capturing what makes California California in a comic strip called "California Dreaming."

Terje Nordberg began his career as a comic book artist, but soon switched from drawing to writing. His popular children's books have been published in a number of countries. He has also created several graphic novels, most notably one used to promote the Norway Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.

"California Dreaming" will gently poke fun at California and Californians, expose our sheer nuttiness, and allow us to laugh at ourselves in a weekly comic strip.

He is published in our local paper Campbell Express — look for it in the local coffee shops — or subscribe! Call or come in for information.

"San Francisco Giant"

Terry, a recent resident of San Jose creates artwork intended to capture and celebrate the beauty, the splendor, and the sheer nuttiness of his adopted state, and this is his latest!

"San Francisco Giant" is an oil painting of a cow holding a bat and chewing straw, dressed in a Giants uniform with the Golden Gate Bridge visible in the background.

This is an original oil on canvas, 30" x 40" and is priced at $2,100. Limited editions are available at $375 and $675.

"Alice's Restaurant" by Terje Nordberg

Just off of the easel (and the creative mind of Terje Nordberg) is "Alice's Restaurant."

This piece continues Terje's mission to capture the beauty, splendor and the sheer nuttiness of California and California Living, and with that being the goal — I feel that Terje hit the bullseye with this piece!

In this painting we see two Happy California Cows arriving at the restaurant, about to park their hot pink Vespa next to a Harley, to pop into Alice's for Brunch.

"Alice's Restaurant" is an original oil on canvas, 30" by 40", please inquire on price and availability.

The Gallery's number is 408.374-5200

New work by Don Dahlke!

The dry spell has broken — Don Dahlke has created a new piece, and the giclee of "Thirst for Knowledge" is on its way to the gallery!

It is a limited edition of 75 numbered prints and 10 A/Ps (artists proofs). The A/Ps will be priced higher than the limited editions, and will be released after the set of 75 is sold out.

"Thirst for Knowledge" is 32" x 42"

New work by Terje Nordberg

The gallery carries the work of new to California Terje Nordberg. Terje likes to poke fun at us Californians and expose our nuttiness in his oil paintings.

Terje's most recent painting (now sold) is called "The Great Seal of the State of California Cow."
Pictured about is an image of the official The Great Seal of the State of California.

And above is Terje's work "The Great Seal of California Cow." Many of Terje's work here in the gallery pokes fun at us in a delightful way — whether it is "Surfer Cow," "Campbell Cows," or his whimsical landscapes!

Sports Artist Yih "Jose" Chuang at the Gallery During May ArtWalk

We are pleased to announce that Yih Chuang will be showing his original charcoal on paper work during the May ArtWalk. Pictured is "Barry Bonds" about 20" x 24" on paper, framed.

Make sure you attend! We will have food and wine, Yih will have all his work on display — and we will have live music!

The ArtWalk is May 20th, 6-9pm.

New Sports Art in the gallery

New to the gallery is a new artist who does charcoal and pen on paper sports originals.

This piece — Tim Lincecum — is 24" x 20." I expect a few more pieces in a day or so — just wanted to put out a picture and post now. This is priced at $1,250, framed.

Struggling Photographer

I have been struggling to get a good photo of the Los Gatos Cats. With the Cat's being gloss white, and the surrounding vegetation dark — I have not been able to get a 'keeper.'

The plan is a HDR shot — one where several shots with different exposures are taken and then combined in Photoshop to create one photograph with high dynamic range.

On a hunt for California poppies

I am trying to get a nice photograph of California poppies. I want to add to my collection of photographic images that I offer here in the gallery.

So far I have been out shooting or scouting about three times. I have some nice shots — but not yet have I taken 'The One.' I am still trying!

The photograph with this post is one of many that I took at the Los Gatos Creek Trail in Campbell, Calif.

Campbell Water Tower Photographs @ the Gallery

Beautiful photographs on canvas of Campbell's iconic water tower are available at Stone Griffin Gallery.

Celebrate your life — whether you live in Campbell or work in Campbell — the water tower is the symbol of Campbell that comes to mind. Celebrate you life with a beautiful Campbell Water Tower on the wall of your home or office!

The gallery offers several views of the tower, and available in different sizes and prices. These photographs are printed on canvas using archival pigments, stretched onto wooden bars, with the image wrapped around the bars — no framing required!

Photographs of Campbell's water tower are priced from $90 up to $300. Shown is “Campbell Water Tower" the mini desktop size.

Apple HQ

This is Apple's headquarters depicted in Nordberg's whimsical style! The picture is close to the original, of course, but one would be encouraged to view the original. Nordberg likes to put a 'narrative' into his work, and this piece is no exception.

Terje Nordberg is a Norwegian now living in Campbell. He has done landscapes and whimsical pieces (such as "Hells Cows") -- I suggested that he paints Silicon Valley landmarks. He chose Apple as his first piece, and here it is!

Original oil, 24" x 36", $1,400.

Colorful Figurative Work of Elizabeth Parashis

Elizabeth loves to capture the human figure in oil, acrylic and pastels. The image here, "Tracy" is acrylic and pastel on paper. You can see how she captures the figure -- yet expresses her paintings with colors lines and textures. Original Parashis pieces are offered starting at $95. She has paintings on board, paper, and canvas.

The Work of Don Dahlke

Welcome to the bright, bold, beautiful imagery by Don Dahlke. Your senses are ignited. Feel the warmth of the sun, hear the wind in the fronds, smell the sea air, a bit of paradise you can take home! Don’s trademark is the tropical shadows and also intriguing are the specific details within each piece.These are objects of significance from his life, the stories of which we can only imagine.

We offer a large selection of Dahlke's work. Giclees range in size of -- roughly -- 30" x 40" up to 40" x 60". All are gallery wrapped; which is the image is wrapped around the stretcher bars so the art can be hung without framing for a clean, contemporary look that is quite suitable for the bold artwork of Don Dahlke!