With Talent and Creativity

This year’s 2nd Annual Art, Rhythm and Wine Festival—hosted by FINE Magazine to benefit Us4Warriors—exhibited some of San Diego County’s best painters, jewelry designers, photographers and mixed media artists. While visitors to the Carlsbad Forum took delight in over 20 decorated booths, a panel of 3 judges were busy reviewing the artist’s top work. This esteemed panel—consisting of self styled neo-surrealist painter Jeannette Scollard, Agora Gallery owner Susan Kreitzer and publicist Julie Walke—looked for elements such as composition, technique and creativity of the overall body of work. In the end, Roy Kerckhoffs walked away with the gold, while Sue Britt came in second and Matthew Hoag won third.

Roy Kerckhoffs is a photographer who prefers to shoot industrial objects, ghost towns and coastal themes. He takes high-contrast black and white photographs and applies hand color with oil-based paint, using techniques similar to the days of early photography. "Roy has an excellent eye not only in the composition of his photograph but also in the physical frame," says Scollard, speaking of Kerckhoffs use of repurposed wood for custom frames. "He demonstrates great restraint in the colorization by applying not too much (nor too vivid) color, but rather [by using color] deftly and with spatial silence."

Kerchoffs’ father taught him to sketch as a small boy living in Holland. Later, his parents dissuaded him from attending art school so he turned to science and engineering. "Being a scientist allowed me to come to the U.S. and to pursue a PhD in bio engineering," explains Kerchoffs. "It wasn’t until 2008 that I returned to my passion of photography. I entered art shows to see if strangers would respond [as] positively as family and friends." Without a doubt, they did—now, Kerchoffs works in a studio and gallery in Carlsbad.

Second place winner Sue Britt is a paper tapestry artist with a gallery located in Spanish Village of Balboa Park. Her work is created from weaving paper together like one would weave silk threads. The result? Beautiful tapestries perfect for any unadorned wall. Britt creates vividly picturesque landscapes filled with texture and movement that are compelling to the eye. "I often sketch and weave the undiscovered intersections such as the rise and fall of rivers with the seasons, the fire cycle of Southern California and the erosion of cliffs to the sea," says Britt.

Third place winner Matthew "Cheeks" Hoag seeks inspiration from the ocean. "The ocean clears my mind," says Hoag. "It’s a therapeutic meditation which gives me time to think of my art." Hoag uses acrylic paint pens to create highly detailed and bright designs that are unique to his vision. According to Scollard, "Hoag’s work is fresh. It feels young. He uses his skill and wit in a cheeky—pardon the pun—way."

Other artist participants at the Art, Rhythm and Wine Festival include Jason Humphrey, Helen Schultes, Sally Todter, JM Studio, Darrel McPherson, Virginia Holt, Mona Ray, Matthew McGee, Armando Gonzales, Christina Scannapiego, Katie Havlin, Dawn Sebaugh, Saideh Shemirani, Kyle Trudelle, Sohel Bahjat, Mitzi Howard and Bill Dorscher. The 3rd Annual Art, Rhythm and Wine Festival will take place in October of 2017. 

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