Quick Take
There’s much to explore around Santa Cruz County this June First Friday, including a retrospective of work by painter Myra Eastman at downtown gallery Curated By the Sea.
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There’s a lot to keep track of in the June version of the First Friday art event, including the pointed political commentary of Russell Brutsche’s “Hi Rise Santa Cruz” collection, a look at the amazing art and life of Jim Denevan, the performance art of Tom Brady and more.
But don’t overlook the big retrospective on the life’s work of painter Myra Eastman, taking place at Curated By the Sea, on Front Street next to the Museum of Art & History. The former Rydell fellow has been a prominent figure in Santa Cruz art for years, and she’s recently published a new book called “Myra Eastman: A Life’s Work.”
Eastman’s work can be wistful, but also powerful and provocative. Her images explode in intersecting riots of color, and thematically, they range from her Southern California upbringing to the social chaos of the COVID era, to Christian fundamentalism. The show at Curated promises to be a moment to appreciate an artist of wide range and interest. Check it out as you make your rounds Friday.
