Thu, May 10, 2012

Check out Nowak's interview on Liquid Salt at http://www.liquidsaltmag.com/2012/05/letty-nowak-faces-of-surfing/ Liqu.id Salt is a website that is dedicated to giving a voice to those that make the surfing community unique and celebrate the culture.

Wed, May 09, 2012

Due to high demand Nowak's series of new paintings being shown at the La Jolla Art Association Gallery has been extended through Saturday May 12th. The gallery is open 7 days a week from 1-5pm. Private showings are available for more information please email Liz at facesofsurfing@gmail.com

Sun, May 06, 2012

Saturday night's opening was a great success! In Nowak's first solo exhibition at the La Jolla Art Association Gallery she presented a series of new paintings from her Faces of Surfing collection. The show remains open to the public though May 12th. The LJAA Gallery is located at 8100 Paseo del Ocaso, La Jolla, CA 92037, and is open daily from 11am till 5pm.

Tue, April 24, 2012

The installation of Nowak's first San Diego exhibition is complete and the show is now open to the public. Her paintings, The Faces of Surfing Series I are on display at the La Jolla Art Association Gallery from April 23rd-May 6th 2012. The gallery is located at 8100 Paseo del Ocaso, Suite B in La Jolla, CA and is open daily from 11am to 5pm. For a private showing please email facesofsurfing@gmail.com

Wed, April 11, 2012

Thu, March 22, 2012

The painting of Mr. Roberts has been getting a lot of attention so we thought we would take today to talk a little bit about the piece.

It was painted in 2009 for Nowak's first solo NYC exhibition with the Hal Bromm Gallery at 90 West Broadway and Chambers Street, NY. Before painting the piece, Nowak had known Mr. Roberts for about seven years. He lived in the same Key West neighborhood, Bahama Village, as her gallery at the time, The Lemonade Stand Art Studio. Almost everyday Roberts would stop in, pulling a hibiscus flower from his matte black bicycle's basket. Inside the studio he would peek his head asking, "Is my friend here?" Then inside he would come handing Nowak her flower for the day.  "He was always well dressed in slacks, a button down shirt, and cap" remembers Nowak. "Besides his daily visits to the studio, he would come to all of the openings I had at the gallery as well." Throughout the years Nowak would take photos of Roberts for a painting she knew one day she would make.  Sadly, a few months before her Hal Bromm exhibition, Roberts passed away. "When I heard the news, I immediately started his painting," says Nowak. "It was going to be the center piece of my first New York show. Also- recently- almost four years since my Mr. Roberts visits, I was going through a chest of drawers from the Lemonade Stand and found a little piece of paper I had written on. It said, 'Always be happy. Never be sad. You will live a much better life.' -Mr. Roberts."

Wed, March 21, 2012

Nowak has recently been accepted to the La Jolla Art Association, after presenting her work to the committee chairs. Nowak is proud to be a member of an organization of such dignified artists that was formed in 1918.

Sat, March 17, 2012

This week Nowak traveled to Encinitas to photograph Maya Gabeira for one of her next paintings. "I feel the photos I got of her yesterday will make a strong piece. It was a great Southern California overcast afternoon light. Maya is a super strong individual and it was interesting how the mood of the day almost contrasted her and the photo session," says Nowak. "I'm excited to see what happens in the painting."

Fri, March 09, 2012

In town for their show last night in Ocean Beach, Wooster stopped by Nowak's La Jolla studio this morning to check out the progress of the Faces of Surfing project. The band, a diverse medley of soul, rock, funk, and reggae is on their way to a show in Phoenix, AZ followed by the much anticipated 2011 South by Southwest music festival in Austin, TX.

Tue, March 06, 2012

Saturday March 2nd marked the 5th birthday celebration for the Studios of Key West, Nowak who was in attendance held a studio with them for 3 1/2 years. Prior to the celebration Nowak's longtime friend Hal Bromm was the guest curator for the exhibition Abstract Realities, sponsored by Rent Key West. It was an exciting evening for TSKW due to the progression in their artist in residence program, which now from a successful 2011 campaign enables the studios newly renovated conch cottages to host 40 artists from all over the world each year for one-month residencies. “The idea behind our residency program is simple: we want to give the gift of Key West to artists, while giving the gift of artists to Key West,” explains Jay Scott, executive director. “We believe that by planting the seeds for a creative exchange between artists and our community, we will positively impact the culture of the island for many years to come.”

Fri, March 02, 2012

Nowak is proud to announce the Faces of Surfing Series I will be on exhibition from April 23rd- May 6th, 2011 at the La Jolla Art Association Gallery located at 8100 Paseo del Ocaso, Suite B in La Jolla, California. The quaint gallery is situated in the beautiful La Jolla Shore, a favorite of the artist, and is open daily from 11am-5pm. For private appointment please email facesofsurfing@gmail.com.

Wed, February 29, 2012

If you have any questions regarding either of Nowak's projects: the Faces of Surfing or the Faces of Key West, or any other bodies of work please feel free to email your inquiries to FacesofSurfing@gmail.com. Also, if you are in the Southern California area and would like a private tour of Nowak's La Jolla based studio please email Liz at the address given above for further information.

Tue, February 28, 2012

Since the initial concept of the Faces of Surfing, Nowak understood a strong method in capturing her subjects would be meeting them and photographing them in their own environments. "They are the most comfortable and they are in 'their' natural light," she says, "that light travels through each painting and their personalities and environment stays within my mind while I am making the piece." This theory started for Nowak even with her first portraits at Michigan State. "I could feel the Michigan light coming through and understood it very early on." She moved onto Key West and started her body of work, the Faces of Key West letting the sun of the Florida Keys create her tones, highlights, and shadows. "At first the light was very heavy in my paintings and I pushed a lot of contrast. The air in the Keys was heavier, the sun stronger, and colors had a richness I had yet to explore," she adds. Travel has been a relevant tool for some of the Faces of Surfing paintings as well. Rob Machado was of the first Nowak traveled to photogragh. The light in his painting is from his North County San Diego home. Currently she is working on both Lyndie Irons's and Donavon Frankenreiter's portrait. To photograph them, she made the trip to Kauai to capture the light and experience time with each of them.

Fri, February 24, 2012

The prints for the Faces of Surfing first series are now available for purchase in Nowak's online store: http://www.lettynowak.com/store The p.rints are available in three different sizes with an edition size of 50: 8x8 inches, 16x16 inches, and 30x30 inches. One of benefits of the prints for this project is clients can start their collection of not only an individual painting, but also have the possibility of creating their own diptych, triptych, or larger panel of the different faces. Nowak is also working towards donating part of the proceeds of these prints to non-profits in the future.

Thu, February 16, 2012

Check out Letty Nowak's new online store: http://www.lettynowak.com/store . There are three great items available for purchase at this time including her limited edition Hurley Faces of Surfing T-shirts, Faces of Key West book that includes all 100 portraits from the series and excerpts about each individual, and lastly- and most exciting- the first series of the Faces of Surfing limited edition prints.