Brenda Reinertson, long-time Oakland resident and California College of Arts graduate, will be showing “rusty bits”, her 2012 collection, at the Lireille Gallery at 3980 Piedmont Ave. A reception will held May 17 as part of the Piedmont Avenue Third Thursday Art Walk.

Brenda, who is nearly 70 years old, feels the “rusty bits” remind her of herself in her “rusty” years. Her concern for the environment motivates her use of discarded items in her art. “I feel that the environment is one of the most critical issues of the day, and that anything one can do to increase awareness in this area, however subtle, is important.”  The show will also include some of her paintings and drawings which focus on going below the surface. These pieces, represented by shapes and brilliant colors, represent Brenda’s view of the beauty and complexity that underlie everything and everyone, including the “rusty old things.”  

Painting for me is an evolution. Where I begin has little to do with where I end up, but the beginnings, along with all the side trips, are always evident in the final paintings.

My paintings are subtle and leave a lot of room for interpretation. My hope is that the experience of the paintings will give pleasure and my dream is that they affect the viewers intensely and deeply.