6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY November 21-27, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com 831 In Monterey County, artists and art exhibits can be found in the most surprising places, sometimes off the beaten path. Artwork can also be found in coffee shops, on streetside walls and in parks, often with a price tag inviting viewers to take a piece home. In the early afternoon on a Saturday, the community building at Hacienda Carmel on Carmel Valley Road is bright with natural light and the atmosphere is festive. People come in and out of the building, many of them residents, but also friends and guests of the residents. Inside, in the Casa Fiesta room, there is a party with wine and carrot cake and—most importantly—over 30 pieces of watercolor work by Virge Perelli-Minetti, who is about to turn 95. “I can’t believe I have that many,” she says, her eyes shining. There are about 40-50 guests in attendance, many of them longtime friends. A group of residents in this community, for people over age 55, founded Artists of Hacienda Carmel (AoHC), an arts club that provides the space for exhibits (four to five each year), studio space, classes (for example, in watercolor) and eight educational luncheons with, let’s say, an illustrator as a speaker, as well as field trips, painting sessions and more. Many artists find time to reach their full potential only later in life. The club is open to Hacienda artists only, but the public is welcomed to the AoHC gallery to see the exhibits. “[Perelli-Minetti] has been painting all her life,” says AoHA’s secretary and lunch lady, Donna Bessant. “I love lunch,” Bessant adds. She is the person who finds luncheon speakers and compensates them with lunch. The level of her energy is striking. During the exhibit reception, she is the one who keeps guard at the entrance table. Among artists who have presented their work in 2024 are Ralph Jacobs (his “Indian Girl” is striking for its beauty in colors), Jerry Park (with bluebird blue “Summer Diptich”) and floral pieces by Hanne Myers. All of the above mentioned pieces come from the exhibit Artistic Points of View, which recently ended. If there’s no art reception going on, it’s nice and quiet in Hacienda’s cafeteria, which surprises with a restaurant-quality menu and pleasant atmosphere of a place where people know and trust one another. Hacienda has been home to many artists, such as Sally Aberg and Jeffrey Becom, both involved with the Carmel Art Association, and AoHC’s general coordinator Myers, who agreed to talk on the behalf of the group. Founded more than 30 years ago, AoHC has emphasized painting and drawing, but also sculpture and mixed-media arts. The six-member council was founded in 2020 when the leadership was passed to Myers and her crew; a monthly newsletter is distributed by communications coordinator Eleanor Robinson. All of the council members are artists as well. Myers took over to continue the tradition that has been around for so long. There are 300 housing units at Hacienda Carmel, and about 40 residents belong to AoHC. There are other clubs reflecting diverse interested at Hacienda Carmel, but AoHC is a popular choice. The artist members show their works once a month. “It’s such a wonderful thing to have a hobby,” Myers says. But it’s more than passion. The AoHC artists sell their paintings too, typically during or after a reception. Often, these are group exhibits that surprise with a variety of subjects, styles and technical choices. Quite regularly, the group ventures off to nature, not hard to find along Carmel Valley Road; Hacienda Carmel is close to Palo Corona Regional Park and not that far from Garland Ranch. Currently, AoHC members are working on their 2025 program. Keep them in mind when you are planning your next gallery trip. You may end up with an inexpensive piece that will look amazing above your fireplace. The current exhibit featuring work by Virge PerelliMinetti will be on display until the end of the year. Home Gallery An arts club at Hacienda Carmel gives residents a place to explore their creativity. By Agata Pop˛eda Artists of Hacienda Carmel’s Donna Bessant (left) and Hanne Myers (right) posing at the Artistic Points of View exhibit that ended this fall. “It’s such a wonderful thing to have a hobby.” TALeS From THe AreA CoDe AGATA POPEDA LOCAL PEOPLE n LOCAL BANK
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==