Past Exhibitions

August 29 – September 25, 2023

The MAIN,
24266 Main Street,
Newhall, CA 91321

Santa Clarita Valley artist, Janine Cooper Ayres “J-9” has been creating art for nearly forty years. Her ‘CHRONOLOGY’ exhibition at The MAIN will take the viewer on a journey through a timeline and progression of her artistic expressions. From her abstract phase, to her sci-fi character creations, and most recently her animal and pettable pet portrait series. This solo exhibition will also feature many never-before-seen embellished prints of which the original paintings were sold long ago. On the evening of her reception, she will also debut her new line of wearable art – clothing and accessories which will be available for purchase only during the duration of the evening’s reception. The special reception will be held on Thursday, September 21 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm at The MAIN. To schedule a viewing, please contact Jeff Barber at JBARBER@santa-clarita.com

Artist Statement:
Janine Cooper Ayres (J-9) is a Santa Clarita artist who has been creating art since she graduated high school in San Jose, California. Primarily self-taught, she is an intuitive painter. Her inspiration comes from visions and flashes of inner realizations, giving her artistic expressions a unique and individualistic style. She paints from the inside out, from the right side of the brain, as a way of getting in touch with buried emotions in her subconscious. She has often stated that art is therapy for her. “If only others could take time to create art (or music) this world would be a more balanced and peaceful place to live.”  Her Sci-fi series of artwork is the bulk of her collection. It has been featured on TV shows, in movies and on album covers. She enjoys painting alien families with their pets, with landscapes behind them from other worlds. In her opinion, the question of ‘who do we share this universe with?’ is one of the greatest mysteries of all time. Through the ages it is something that almost everyone on Earth has pondered upon as they’ve gazed up at the night sky.  She hopes that her paintings will inspire her viewers to imagine for themselves what life might look like on other planets. “Perhaps it will help us step outside of ourselves a bit and give us a better perspective.” Janine has sold over 300 original paintings over the years. Most recently she has begun to create canvas prints of some of the paintings that were sold long ago and thought to be lost forever.  She has also started creating a clothing and accessory line.  Janine is also a singer-songwriter, actress (member of SAG/AFTRA), film-maker/producer and an author. Her first novel ‘The Wreck of Elizabeth’ is set in Santa Clarita and was inspired by her own adventures while living in a cabin with her husband in the Angeles National Forest at the top of Bouquet Canyon Road.  She currently lives in Newhall, California with her cat, Mr. Kitt.

The exhibition is on view during The Main’s operating hours. To schedule a special time to view the artwork, please contact Jeff Barber JBARBER@santa-clarita.com. 

To learn more about “CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER” and upcoming art opportunities with the City of Santa Clarita, please contact Stephanie Jacinto at sjacinto@santa-clarita.com.

Q & A with Janine Cooper Ayres “J-9”

Where do you find inspiration for your artwork?
The inspiration for my art comes from my imagination and my subconscious. I’m working things out on the canvas as I’m painting. I’m thinking about what I want to say to the world. Usually, my art’s messages are about peace, love and understanding. When I paint, I go into a ‘zone’. I’m not hungry, I’m not worried, I’m not anxious or depressed.  My inspiration and my motivation are linked.  When I need to calm down or take a moment out of a difficult day, I’ll pick up my paint brush.  If I want to live in a balanced way, if I want to alleviate stress or worry or sadness, I know what I need to do. It’s like my medicine but instead of taking a pill, I take some time and fill a canvas with paint. I am inspired to paint because I know that it is my link to wellness and joy and to my sense of purpose here on the planet too.

What memorable responses do you have of to artwork?
The first memorable response to my art that comes to mind was my very first solo art exhibit. I was living in Santa Monica at the time. The year was 1991 and I was 28-year-old. I used to enjoy seeing foreign films at the Laemmle Theater on 3rd Street. One day as I was leaving and walking through the lobby, I looked up at the tall bare orange fabric covered wall and I thought to myself, there should be art on that wall!  I naively requested to speak to the manager and told him I was a local artist and asked if he might consider displaying my paintings.  He told me to bring in some photos of my art and he’d give it some thought.  A few days later I returned with photos and a few actual small paintings.  After looking at them he said yes!  I couldn’t believe it. I think I was shocked!  But I went home and began framing my pieces and a week or so later I returned with about twenty paintings. My art remained on the wall in the lobby of the Laemmle for about six months and I sold around sixteen paintings in all! I’ll never forget walking into the lobby and seeing an empty space on the wall for the first time. I asked an employee there where it was and they said that someone purchased it. This happened again and again and each time I would race home and put up another painting in its place.  It was the most amazing start for my art career and gave me the confidence that I needed to feel like a real artist.  There is no better feeling (at least for me) then selling a painting. It is fuel for my creative tank and signals me to keep going.

My second memorable response was an encounter with Chris Carter. He was the creator and executive producer of the X-Files. Being a huge fan of the show, I had an idea, this was back around 2002.   I was working for the City of Santa Clarita and became involved in the mentoring program. The 13-year-old girl that I was mentoring was a big fan of the show as well. So, I (naively) wrote to Chris Carter and asked if he would trade one of my alien paintings for an afternoon on the set for me and my mentee. His assistant called me a few days later and then a few weeks after that we were invited onto the FOX studio lot. Chris welcomed us and I gave him his new painting (A grey alien with a blue background). He accepted it with a big smile on his face then he walked with us over to the set and introduced us to David Duchovny. That is a memory that will always be special to me.

How do you know when an artwork is finished?
I tend to paint portraits a lot. So, I know the painting is done when I feel as though the being that I am painting is actually looking back at me. It’s almost a spooky sort of feeling that this person (or alien) is alive and its heart is beating.  When I feel that a spark of life has been inserted into the painting, I know I can call it ‘done’. Sometimes I’ll even have an imaginary conversation with them at that point… “Well, hello there! Welcome to the world.”

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?
I think the best advice I’ve ever received came from an artist who went to Cal Arts. I can’t even remember their name now. It was a chance encounter.  He told me that if he had it to do over again, he would’ve majored in marketing instead of fine art. He said that the art came naturally to him but in this new social media world we are living in, marketing and self-promotion were the most important factors in becoming a successful artist and he was not prepared for that upon graduating.  After he told me that I began taking more YouTube courses on marketing my art and reading more books and articles about too. (I still have much to learn.

Do you plan each piece before you start or do you let the pice ‘take shape’ as you go?
Rarely do I plan or map out a painting before I start. Usually, the painting comes about in a very spontaneous way. So, I never quite know what’s going to come through until I stare at the blank white canvas and come up with an idea or concept right there on the spot.  It’s almost as though I’m channeling or I am the ‘go between’, and some unseen force or disembodied artist is using me and my hands to paint through me.  For a while there I used to think I was not really an artist at all, but a medium of sorts.  This is probably not a very good belief to have because for a while there I felt as if I was not in control.  More recently I have taken a more ‘down to earth’ approach to painting, taking more responsibility, accountability and ownership for what it is I’m creating and for the message that my art is trying to convey to the world (which usually is: “We are not alone”).

July 31 – August 29, 2023

The MAIN
24266 Main St, Santa Clarita, CA 91321

Q&A with Sherif Hakeem

What motivates you to create?
What motivates me to create is twofold. Firstly, it is innate in wanting to hone and sharpen my skills to create better artwork. Secondly, it is because of the aforementioned reason that I employ to create some of the most hyper-realistic drawings to give life to the animals I strive to save.