The Life & Art of Maija Peeples-Bright: The Spirit of Woofdom Video & Talk, October 11, 4-5:30 p.m. Marin Museum of Contemporary Art presents a special limited-time exhibition by Maija Peeples-Bright. This exhibition runs from October 11-25th, coordinating with the Art by the Inch Fundraiser. Maija is an internationally known artist who has been showing since 1965. Her work transports you to a world full of colorful and charming animals called “beasties”. You are invited to the artist talk and film screening on October 11 from 4-5:30pm of The Spirit of Woofdom: The Life and Art of Maija Peeples-Bright. The animals, which populate her work throughout the sky, mountain, meadow, garden or edifice, are a familiar yet ever evolving element she uses to create a total piece of art. Her passion for learning and soaking up everything around her, Maija says, “lets me bring pathos or pun, light or darkness, new or familiar into a total work that changes with shadow and sun or the mood of the viewer and lifts the mind in to my beloved "EWEniverse". Maija is a truly inspirational artist. She was born in Latvia in 1942 and saw the horrors of war as she and her parents had to flee to a refugee camp in Germany. It wasn’t until she was eight years old that a relief agency found a sponsor for the family and they were brought to California to work on a farm until the debt was paid. As a child, Maija wanted to learn, explore,experiment, listen, look and enjoy the world around her. In her third year of college at UC Davis, she took an art class that launched her into her art career. She had stepped into the middle of the California Funk Movement. After getting her Masters, she was married and purchased a house in San Francisco. Maija cheerfully painted their home inside and out. It was known as the “The Rainbow House” and became the gathering place of such notables as Robert Arneson, William T. Wiley, Peter VandenBerge, David Gilhooly and Roy DeForest. Then in 1965 her first exhibit was at the Candy Gallery in Folsom, CA, and thus began her career. In addition to showing in local museums and galleries, her art is shown in permanent public and private collections around the world. The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art is located at the Novato Arts Center at Hamilton Field, 500 Palm Drive, Novato, California. Hours are Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.