Unsung heroes part 1

This means you have to dig a little deeper to view it, but I promise it will be worthwhile.

Here are a couple who aren’t in a show right now, and they both teach courses locally.

William “Bill” Dunn is famous for his hands. On the one hand he’s a martial arts master taking a chance with those precious digits. On the other hand he has been featured for years on Japanese videos showing only his limbs painting.

Dunn is literally a hands artist and a master watercolorist who has taught many local creators. He instructed at De Anza and Foothill colleges, the Community School of Music and Arts, and was Graphic Design Department chair at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. More recently he holds classes at the Beresford Community Center in San Mateo.

Often among my painting friends I hear, “I took a course from William,” accompanied by a smile. Dunn does smile when he teaches; you’ll smile as you learn.

There’s a marvelous YouTube video of him painting a San Francisco street scene for the Australian series “Put Some Colour in Your Life”: youtube.com/watch?v=smPMVTOHG7Y.

“Painting is about trying to capture the essence of things,” Dunn said. “Pursuing that feeling is what keeps it interesting for me — and always coming back for more.”

Dunn shows samples on his website. His “Red Lantern” nails Chinatown. “Wet” shows streets so damp you’ll be reaching for your raincoat. “Harvest” will have you lining up at the farm stand. You’ll be queuing up for crab at his “Scoma’s” painting. Dunn’s “Michelle” is pure Degas dancer sketching.

You might see examples of his paintings at California Art Supply where he works part time. Just ask him to show you.

Zoya Scholis is another talented instructor whose art takes a different path. She credits Diebenkorn and Picasso as influences. You needn’t look closely to see that she’s in direct line from Matisse, Gauguin, Cezanne, Klimt, Vuillard and a host of other postimpressionists and modernists.

It’s obvious if you look at the lineup of her monthly classes: Matisse and O’Keeffe for instance. You can see a lot of all those influences in her paintings on her website.

“Lovers” could have been a Gauguin. “Still Life with Lamp” recalls Bonnard. “Eva” is Klimt and Matisse combined. “Bananas in a Red Bowl” would make Picasso smile.

Scholis’ artworks appear in shows at the Bryant Street Gallery in Palo Alto, where they have some of her pieces in their inventory. Ask them to see her paintings by name. Look for her in their future exhibitions.

“I like to wander,” is Scholis’ mantra. “When I paint I may have an idea or feeling I want to impart, but the most important thing is that I allow the painting to become.”

Both Dunn and Scholis are well worth a column each on their own. I’ll follow up on that when they next have a show.

Your mission, should you accept it, is to follow up on these two enjoyable artists and ask to see their work.

You Can Create Too: Dunn starts another instruction series at Beresford Community Center in San Mateo in 2026. For information: williamdunnstudio.com. Scholis treks monthly from Seaside to teach at University Art in Redwood City. Each month she models a different famous artist’s style from among those who influenced her. For information: zoyart.weebly.com.

Bart Charlow, author, artist & consultant blends over 45 years of painting and photography with narrative storytelling. Explore the intersection of observation and expression through his insights on the local art scene, find his books at bartcharlow.com and his art at bartsart.weebly.com.