Press Releases
San Clemente, CA – Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, a nonprofit southern California cultural center, is pleased to announce an exhibition of recent works by American painter Shane Townley. Open Casa: Shane Townley will open on Tuesday, January 3, with a public reception from 6 PM─8 PM, and will be on view through January 29 in the Discovery Gallery.
“Shane Townley has contributed significantly to the arts in Orange County for nearly two decades,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz. “We are honored to exhibit his works which have earned our community artistic sophistication and distinction.”
About Shane Townley
Shane Townley (b.1972) is both an artist and gallerist who has opened at least seven art galleries on both U.S. coasts. The New York-born painter moved to Laguna Beach in 2003 and opened his first gallery space, Gallery 104, in San Clemente one year later. Townley subsequently owned and operated a number of solo and group galleries in Laguna Beach throughout the next decade. His most recent works were created in New York, where he returned to live and work in 2015.
Townley’s paintings resemble abstract or surreal landscapes. His process involves pouring, dripping, and scraping oil paint across large canvases to build rich textural elements and organic shapes. His subject matter is informed by frequent international travel and social interactions with the people, foods and cultures he visits. Townley’s work is noted for its nuanced themes of memory, chaos, and meditation. It can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide.
Open Casa series
Casa Romantica’s Open Casa gallery program features the work of internationally-recognized artists. Recent artists have included celebrity photographer Douglas Kirkland, National Geographic photographer Sandro Santioli, among others. Casa Romantica also has a three-year commitment to showcase the E. Gene Crain collection, a body of seminal twentieth-century California watercolors with works by the likes of Millard Sheets and Rex Brandt.
Open Casa: Shane Townley opens on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. Admission to the opening reception is free. The exhibition is on view through January 23, 2017 during Casa Romantica’s public hours, and is free with general admission to Casa Romantica ($5).
About Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California cultural center. https://www.casaromantica.org
