Margery Spielman’s exhibit, In My Backyard will be at the Discovery Gallery from May 1 – June 5, 2008 with an opening reception on Friday, May 2 from 5 – 7 pm during First Friday Ventura Gallery Crawl.

Many of us are just steps from the sand, moments from the beach and the coastal California seascape is our backyard. Margery Spielman celebrates her own relationship and close proximity to the natural beauty and the abundance of wildlife here at the beaches of Ventura and the waters of the Santa Barbara Channel in with her show “In My Backyard”. Images of innocence and human ignorance in mixed media are juxtaposed for a conscious meander along the shorelines and under the surface of our oceans.

The knowledge and familiarity of her subjects come from her years as a marine naturalist and environmental artist. Spielman has been scuba diving since 1964 and has taught scuba and oceanography courses at Ventura College and Ojai Valley School. She has swam with and worked along side Jacques Cousteau, has exhibited her paintings from Paris to Hawaii and currently teaches with Elderhostel, an international organization for adventurous seniors. Margery Spielman’s exhibit, “In My Backyard” will be at the Discovery Gallery from May 1 to June 5, 2008 with an opening reception on Friday, May 2 from 5 – 7.

The Discovery Gallery is located at the Ventura Visitor’s Bureau, 101 S. California St in downtown Ventura. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm; Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, call the Buenaventura Art Association at 805-648-1235 or visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org.