Previous Artists
Jeani Martini
Raised in Sonoma County I grew up on Jonive Road just above Freestone where I spent my time as a young girl riding horseback all over the countryside. My interest in drawing started as a young girl, but of course back then it was all about horses! I have taken art classes on and off through the years, but three years ago I discovered the joy of painting on location (Plein Air). It has been a wonderful creative journey, capturing the beautiful countryside on canvas. The ritual of finding the perfect spot (which in Sonoma or Mendocino isn't difficult), setting up my easel, feeling the essence of the day and preparing for the magic that happens when color starts to fill my canvas fills me with great joy.
We have a home in Sea Ranch and I have painted Black Point Beach many times, but it's only recently that I have experienced the joy of painting the coastline on location! Sometimes when the three of us paint there is hardly a word spoken between us (which is really pretty amazing). We get lost in our painting, enjoying the serenity and beauty of our surroundings. I have been very fortunate to grow up in Sonoma County, when life was slower. Things have changed so much... Now instead of apples and prunes, there are acres and acres of vineyards dotting the hillsides. I feel as though I am stopping time by recording the countryside on my canvases. Painting this area is my personal record of Sonoma and Mendocino County.
Joyce Greenberg
I am very fortunate to have lived in Sonoma County for the past 30 years. I worked for seven years as a graphic artist for Lasercraft and my early love of quilting led me to become involved with art quilts and wearable art on a national level. I studied oil painting with Camille Prezwodek for two years and continue to take workshops, most recently with Joseph Mendez and Tom Soltesz.
The outdoor experience of Plein Air painting is one of my greatest joys and challenges. The environment controls you - with only a couple of hours to capture the scene, you learn to paint quickly. I've been stung by yellow jackets, had canvases land face down in the dirt and had bugs fly into and stick in the wet paint. But the rewards are well worth the effort and I look forward to many years of painting with my Freestone friends Lolly and Jeani.
Lolly Petroni
I am a wife, mother, ex-business owner, newspaper employee, designer and "Plein Air" teacher who grew up in Sonom County. The question that I am asked on numerous occasions is "Why paint Plein Air?" Why hassle with all the bugs, over exposure to the sun, wind, fog, rain and allergies? Why paint Plein Air when you can enjoy all of the 
comforts of a studio? Why paint Plein Air? Because it historically preserves the ever changing landscapes of Sonoma County. It instills a magical connection to nature. It is incredible therapy. It gives one the chance to slow down time...smell the roses, grasses, tress, sky and so to speak - enjoy life. And most importantly, it lets one spend part of your life with people who understand your passion.
Else Gonella
A resident of Sonoma County, Else's interest in art developed from a very young age. Her considerable talent earned her a scholarship to attend The College of Arts and Crafts. After continuing her art study at various colleges, she worked for many years as a fashion illustrator in New York City. On her return to California, she took time off to raise her young sons while her brushes waited. When a passion for the Japanese art of serigraphy led her to study the craft, success in that media followed. Years later, she met the artist, Joan Brown, whose encouragement led back to her brushes.
"Nourished by the beauty in nature, I walk the trails of Marin and Sonoma Counties, observing the elements that comprise a scene that inspires me: the ambient light in a marsh, mountain shadows, rich textural patterns in grasses and floiage. I notice subtle seasonal changes, uniques hues, and particular light. Drawn to water, I use its imagery as transformation, to capture reflections and mute colors. Back in my studio I refer to photographs for perspective, but rely on memory to convey impressions - how a scene influenced my mood. Painting from the intuitive, as I do, allows for personal interpretation. On paper or canvas, using oil or oil pastel, sometimes in combination, I work to express the essence of what I have seen , often abstracting with prism-like borders that mirror another dimension."
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