Curatorial Overview
This exhibition brings together four artists whose practices engage material, abstraction, and lived experience in distinct yet complementary ways. Through painting, sculpture, and installation, each artist explores the relationship between form, perception, and the natural or constructed world.
Together, their work reflects b. sakata garo’s commitment to artists who balance rigor with intuition, offering viewers an experience that is both visually compelling and thoughtfully grounded. All the artists have had numerous shows with the gallery.
PATRICIA ALTSCHUL
Patricia Altschul is a painter whose work has been exhibited both locally and nationally and is held in numerous private and corporate collections. She is currently represented by b. sakata garo in Sacramento, California, where she has presented solo exhibitions. Altschul’s work is known for its refined sense of composition and color, often exploring subtle relationships between form and surface. Her paintings reflect a deep engagement with material and process, resulting in works that are both visually compelling and quietly contemplative. Patricia works in a garden studio in Sacramento where is distracted by stray birds, her dog Fiep, and the changing seasons.
WILLIAM ISHMAEL
William Ishmael has been an artist for over 20 years, beginning with watercolor landscapes and evolving into large abstract works and installations. His practice often draws from themes of natural beauty, incorporating materials such as wood, stone, and ceramics to create evocative vignettes inspired by time spent in the woods. He also explores the natural erosion and corrosion of materials as an aesthetic language, alongside abstract works intended to evoke peaceful and contemplative moments. Ishmael has exhibited in Sacramento, Palm Springs, and Lexington, and has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions, as well as completing commissions for offices, medical facilities, and private homes.
ROBERT BRADY
San Francisco Bay Area artist Robert Brady has had a career spanning over five decades. Known for his distinctive approach to figurative abstraction, Brady works fluidly across media including clay, wood, bronze, and works on paper. He began his career as a potter, later expanding into wood sculpture, embracing the material’s warmth and expressive potential. His work is characterized by bold forms, rich surfaces, and a playful yet sophisticated visual language. Brady’s work has been widely exhibited and is included in numerous public and private collections. He was a Professor of Art at California State University, Sacramento for 33 years. He resides in Berkeley, California with his wife, Sandy Simon.
JACK OGDEN
Jack Ogden is an artist whose work reflects a deep engagement with form, material, and visual storytelling. He earned his degrees in art and went on to teach for over 30 years, influencing generations of students. Working across a range of media, Ogden explores both structure and expression, often balancing abstraction with recognizable elements. His work is characterized by thoughtful composition and a sensitivity to surface and texture, inviting close looking and quiet reflection. Ogden has exhibited in a variety of venues and continues to develop a body of work that is both disciplined and exploratory.
