Art Show "Being There" by Ed Terpening and Laura Jespersen
Reception: Sat., October 12th, 5 - 7 PM
Show runs from 10/10/24 to 1/11/25
Ed Terpening
Ed's Story
Born in Boston, Ed Terpening grew up in the 1960’s in Orange County, surrounded by dairy farms and strawberry fields. At an early age his interest in painting was captivated by watching the “plein air” painters of Laguna Beach, then a thriving artists’ community. As a young musician, his school days were filled with art and music. In college, his life took a turn when he studied computer science. He spent a long career in Silicon Valley after being recruited by Apple—but he never left the joy of art behind.
Now retired from tech, Terpening splits his time between San Francisco and Ventura, where he participates in a broad art community across both of these locations. Community-minded, Ed Terpening serves on the boards of both the Buenaventura Artists Association (with a focus on arts education) and Plein Air Magazine, the largest outdoor painting magazine in the US.
Ed's Art
His contemporary impressionist oil paintings have been featured in more than 100 gallery shows and museum exhibitions, as well as plein air events, magazines, and books. His work is known for strong color, design, and unique texture.
Nationally known, this award-winning artist has been featured in many publications, including The Complete Painter’s Handbook, PleinAir Magazine, Artist Daily, Outdoor Painter, Palo Alto Weekly, and a featured cover story in American Artist Magazine, the largest artist’s periodical in the United States.
He started a blog, “Life, Plein Air” in 2005 to chronicle his growth as an artist. Today, he continues to help artists grow by founding the “Plein Air Painters” group on Facebook in 2007, a thriving community of over 33,000 members and the largest outdoor painting group on Facebook.
In speaking about Terpening’s motivation, he spotlights the need for people to escape. The highest compliment collectors give him is “I feel like I’ve been to that place, I’m taken there.” Above all, he hopes his art transports you to a place of beauty.
Laura Jespersen
Laura's Story
Laura Jespersen is a lifelong artist. In high school, she enjoyed both art and math. Inspired by both of these interests, she studied architecture in San Luis Obispo, where she met her husband. After graduating, she became a senior draftsman.
Later, Jespersen transitioned to graphic design, working as an independent contractor and raising her children, squeezing in art when she could. She joined the Santa Barbara Art Association and will never forget her excitement when she sold her very first piece!
Laura's Art
Fast forward to the pandemic, when Jespersen was able to dedicate more time to her painting. Currently she runs and paints in a weekly plein air group. Many of her favorite subjects hark back to her past: architecture. Jespersen’s plein air canvases begin with a base layer of color, like pink or purple, for extra dimension. Her technique and brush strokes vary with the subject and the mood of the piece, from tight and exacting to loose and flowing.
Jespersen works on larger pieces in her home studio, alongside her husky. She works in silence, interrupted only when her dog demands a walk. Her studio looks out onto a sunlit courtyard and features a mirrored wall. Often, she’ll stop painting to look in the mirror at her work, giving her a different perspective. Jespersen is inspired by the local landscape she’s lived in her entire life, cementing herself as a regional artist.
