Art Day 2011

August 12, 2011 – Glendale, CA: Recently known as the artist whose painting of the Alex Theatre was selected by California Senator Liu to take to Sacramento to represent her district, Glendale resident Richard Heimbold has been chosen as the featured artist at the annual Community Art and Chocolate Party put on by Becky Mate, founder of international Art Day, second Friday in August.

Mate describes the of style of Heimbold, “His paintings are friendly and welcoming, with expert use of color, values and light. They have the traditional feel of fine paintings through the ages, but with a charm of someone who sees the life and beauty in those things around him. I saw him paint an old, faded train once; he not only restored its former color and character, but he gave it personality as well. It is amazing to see the artistic work of a man who worked as an aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin and on the Space Shuttle program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.” The Alex at Night” painting can be viewed on the home page of glendaleartassociation.com, a non-profit organization with Heimbold at its helm, and can be seen in Sacramento at the California State Senate Contemporary Art Collection through September 2012.

At Heimbold’s direction, the contribution of the Glendale Art Association (GAA) to the Mayor’s Proclamation of Art Day this year is to sponsor a “paint-out,” (artists standing at easels outdoors painting) at the community celebration in Glendale, August 12, 4-8pm.

While working as an aerospace engineer, Heimbold started on his dream to become a full-time artist by taking painting classes with the legendary Sergei Bongart at his school in Los Angeles. Heimbold paints cityscapes, beaches, mountains, snow, Chinatown, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Travel Town, Huntington Gardens, and a myriad of things that fascinate him in Southern California. He has even been seen painting in scenes on the TV program NCIS, at the fictional investigative team’s headquarters. As quoted in Southwest Art Magazine, “For me painting is all about the magic of light and color,” says Heimbold. “As I paint, I work consciously to build a vibrant connection to the subject of the painting through intensity of color and light.”

In addition to his appearance at the Community Art and Chocolate Party, Heimbold’s work can be seen through August 27th at the Santa Paula Community Library and will be at the GAA’s art scholarship fundraiser Fall Salon at White’s Art Framing and Restoration Gallery in Montrose, from Oct 4-30, 2011.