"While Seymour exhibits her work in art shows all
over the country and pairs with many philanthropic organizations,
this gallery will be her headquarters and house her original
artwork; work is shown by appointment only. Pieces range
from $600 to $50,000.
Some of the pieces displayed in the gallery were originally
slated for the Naples Wine Auction next February. She painted
women as wine glasses-there is a self-portrait of her, her
daughter and other women. The theme for the wine auction
has changed to that of a circus, but she said she wants to
continue this theme in her own work, because of its uniqueness.
The four originals that were painted and previously exhibited
for the Pistachio Commission Awareness Art show were also
on display, along with several other works to fill the gallery.
One piece in particular that had attendees at both this gallery
and the previous exhibit excited was "Woman in a Red
Dress." Seymour had a friend take a picture of her on
the beach by her home; she then painted from the photograph.
Previously purchased, it is part of a private collection
owned by Madera resident Scott Shropshire, a pistachio grower.
Shropshire, an extremely high-spirited, 25-year-old quadriplegic
(due to a diving accident), said he loved it when he first
saw the painting. "When I saw it, it put a smile on
my face ... the beautiful beach ... it relaxes me to look
at it.
"Seymour's husband, James Keach, shared that Seymour
had not seen the gallery since the building was first purchased
so this was truly a premier evening.
"This is my surprise for Jane," he said of the
newly remodeled gallery he designed. "She is very versatile
in her art ... and her work is happy. I don't mean in a fake
sense, I'm talking of the energy-much like Jane.
"Keach is also happy about the pairing of Seymour's
art on this evening to bring awareness to heart health. Both
his mother and her father suffered from heart disease; her
mother currently does, and Seymour had high blood pressure
health problems during her pregnancy with the twins. However,
he joked, his favorite was the pistachio candy. "I don't
know if that's good for your heart," he joked, "but
it sure is good for the soul.
"The gallery opening hosted more than 250 guests, including
Jamie Denton ("Desperate Housewives"), Rachel Huntley
("Mr. & Mrs. Smith"), actors Bruce Davison
and Eddie Kaye Thomas ("American Pie").
One guest, Julie Kim, who flew in for the show from her
home in Birmingham, Ala., met Seymour after she had won a
bid to have dinner with the actress at a silent auction to
benefit abused women and children in Birmingham.
"Everyone appreciated her endlessly big role in fundraising,
and she is just a nice woman," Kim said.
Another exhibit included hand-painted pistachio bowls by
Hollywood moms Seymour, Priscilla Presley, Virginia Madsen,
Olivia Newton-John and others, which are for sale on eBay.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales of the bowls
will benefit the Women's Heart Foundation.Other artists will
be featured at Seymour's gallery as well, including 18-year-old
Jason Critchley, who gave a
piece of his ceramic pottery to Seymour and Keach, friends
of his family, as a gift. They admired his work, and now
offer Critchley's work at the gallery.
More information about the gallery and the Pistachio Commission
can be found at www.janeseymour.com; and www.pistachios.org
© Malibu Times
To view more of Jane Seymour's paintings, visit our art gallery
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