Three artists featured in summer exhibit at Arts District Liberty Station

There is a free exhibit in the lobby of the Dick Laub Command Center of summer-themed work by artists at Arts District Liberty Station running through Sept. 30 at 2640 Historic Decatur Road.

Exhibits in the center include artwork from numerous Arts District tenants including Joe Pisano’s The Art of Immortalizing Heroes, and Joe Frangiosa’s Nautical History Gallery & Museum, as well as art by Lisa E in the Conference Room off the lobby (part of an NTC Foundation exhibit that includes works by Lauren LeVieux in staff offices).

The summer exhibit is open daily from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The side door near Solare Restaurant is open on weekends if the main door is closed.

The Peninsula Beacon asked artists participating in the exhibition to talk about themselves, their work, and of being spotlighted there.

Beacon: Tell us about yourself and your business.

Peggy Fischbeck of M. Fischbeck Studio Gallery, 2690 Historic Decatur Rd #209: I’ve leased a studio in Barracks 19 since 2009. I was mesmerized by the colors of San Diego when we returned in 1999 and found oils best expressed what I saw. California impressionists captured the colors and San Diego libraries were full of books about painting. Typically, I look for strong light contrast or an atmospheric feel. My studio gallery has a mix of local scenes and places I’ve traveled. I encourage visitors to collect original work and to make their art as varied as their music playlists. On occasion, I’ve borrowed abstracts from other artists to hang with my realistic pieces to promote that view.

June Rubin of June Rubin Studio, 2690 Historic Decatur Rd., #214: I am a longtime San Diego artist/educator. I love having my art studio in Barracks 19 at the Arts District in Liberty Station. I enjoy making art there as well as teaching there. I also teach elementary students at San Diego schools including Dewey Elementary in Point Loma, and after school at the Tierrasanta Recreation Center.

Colleen Veltz, MFA owner of Veltz Fine Art, 2730 Historic Decatur Rd., Barracks 16: I have owned this gallery for almost 10 years at Liberty Station’s Arts District. At Veltz Fine Art, we call it our 4 by 4. I enjoy sharing my paintings annually with four other contemporary artists. I work with at least four not-for-profits for fundraising and team-building projects and share workshops and art events. Although I love creating in all mediums, currently my work is textured acrylic mixed media with botanicals found in local nature.

Lauren Levieux, Lauren Levieux Artist Studio, MA Barracks 16 Studio 104 Liberty Station: My studio at Liberty Station has been my art home since 2015. I create art from my dreams and combine my understanding of narrative, color, and form into pieces that reflect our current time from my perspective. I sell my art direct to the public from my art studio. I am also open to commissions and have presented several public art pieces as well. For a tour of my studio, come by on First Fridays (5-8 p.m.) or contact me for an appointment (760-815-1556).

Beacon: What works do you have on display at the Dick Laub Command Center? 

Fischbeck: I picked an image of a koi pond for the summer exhibit, “Garden Pond” 25 inches by 25 inches oil on canvas. Water play feels like summer. Throughout my years in the Arts District, I’ve explored waterlily ponds and koi fish – from Balboa Park to backyard gardens. This past year I worked on another series of waterlilies, experimenting with color, composition, and brushwork. Everyone says “Monet,” but he took lily ponds to an astounding level of light study. I find these images to be relaxing, and as life returns to the pre-pandemic hustle, I look for calming moments.

Rubin: A colorful floral acrylic “Pink Trumpets.”

Veltz: I have a diptych of aloe blossoms I painted just for this exhibit. I love the joy of the hummingbirds visiting and the shift into summer. They represent the surprising zesty cadmium blossoms and their impermanence in the cycle of life. I also have other local blossoms down the hall for example some monkey paw blossoms and hydrangea.

Levieux: My oil painting on exhibit is part of a series titled Pry Open the Vault. When our pandemic was coming to an end, I had this dream where I saw an ancient but private vault full of whatever I had stuffed away: old wishes, antique fears, outdated beliefs, and mysterious colors. When I opened the vault, all these swirls of undocumented shapes and dreams floated away as if I could release the hidden, as if the untapped saved-up uglies could transform and float into the atmosphere. I wanted to paint what was emitted from my vault and the transformation. To see Now Showing in Command Center: Pry Open the Vault No. 9 oil on canvas, 36 by 36, and more of this series, visit laurenlevieux.com/currentprojects/pry-open-the-vault.

Beacon: Tell us what this exhibition means to you and your business.

Fischbeck: Many of our visitors miss our art studios on the second floors of the barracks, so it’s advantageous to show work in the lobby of the Command Center, to highlight the high quality and variety of work we produce. We are a collaborative group so we are thrilled to share the building with two other strong exhibits – Joe Pisano’s “The Art of Immortalizing Heroes” and Joe Frangiosa’s Nautical History Gallery and Museum.

Rubin: I enjoy painting San Diego flowers and scenery. I chose this particular floral because it reminds me of our lovely summer season. I appreciate having my art in the Command Center at Liberty Station. It’s a great introduction to learning that many local talented artists have their studios nearby in the various Barracks in our Arts District. I love it when the public reaches out to visit me in person or online to view and purchase my art. You can find me in person or online at junerubin.com.

Veltz: I am honored to be invited to be a part of the centennial celebration. Using the stunning open architecture at Liberty Station to celebrate the residents brings awareness to my business location and gives an elegant view for me to bring my clients to see the Martha Swift Gallery. The artists involved in this exhibit are very talented and experienced and it really came together smoothly.

Levieux: The Summer Exhibit in the Command Center demonstrates the wide range of art available here in Arts District Liberty Station. If you would like to see my piece and the Summer Exhibit, head over to the Command Center located between the giant flag and the rose garden.