Pastel paintings of people, landscapes and pets will grace City Hall walls from September through October.
For the past five years, the City Hall gallery has given local artists a chance to feature their favorite pieces of art. The six, two-month long exhibits throughout the year showcase work from different local artists, Cathy Mirelez, City of Gilroy Recreation Supervisor said.
Currently, David Hofstad and his wife Dyanne are displaying about 20 pieces of their artwork. David Hofstad, 52, is a pastel artist who specializes in landscapes and portraits of pets and people. His wife Dyanne Hofstad, 57, uses acrylics to paint more impressionistic and abstract art.
“It’s not people and places, its more colors and moods and tones,” said David Hofstad.
He started doing art about 20 years ago, when he moved to Gilroy. One of his featured works is a painting of the Old City Hall in Gilroy.
Hofstad works full-time for the Department of Homeland Security at the San Jose International Airport, but he hopes to one day make his art work a full-time profession. At the moment, he does work by commission.
Art runs in the family. Hofstad’s brother was an artist. So was his grandmother.
Hofstad especially likes original art that can be passed down through the family.
He particularly likes working with pastels.
“I like the color, the vibrancy,” he said. He also likes that the art works last—sometimes hundreds of years.
