Opening Recap: PAL’s Abstraction and Simeon Dumas
On Friday, October 3rd, the Pacific Art League came alive with color, music, and community as we opened two captivating exhibitions: Abstraction in the Ramona Gallery and Decade² – In an Instant by Simeon James Dumas in the Forest Gallery. Together, these shows remind us that art is more than a visual language—it’s a bridge between imagination and connection.
Abstraction Group Exhibit
In Abstraction, 28 Bay Area artists reimagine the world through shape, color, and form. Each work dares to defy definition, inviting viewers to look beyond what’s visible and explore what’s felt.
We’re honored to have Mike Nuttall, co-founder of IDEO, serve as juror for this exhibition. His keen eye for innovation and decades of design experience brought a fresh and forward-thinking perspective to the curation of this show.
Award Winners:
1st - Rafael DeSoto, Jr. - Sassy-Nude
2nd - Dawn Tower-Irvine - Dream
3rd - Ruth Kedar - Hanna I
Honorable Mentions:
Gloria Huet - Jazz 2
Fiorenza Gorini - Church Window
Jim Stinger - Gothic Rose
Participating Artists:
Advay Mengle, Alex Yanushkevich, Angela Grammatas, Anshi Rai, BeBe Khue Jacobs, Christine Oliver, Dawn Tower, Deepali Gosain, Fiorenza Gorini, Gloria Huet, Helena Ljoljic, James Ong, Jim Stinger, Joy Chase, Judy Kramer, Karen Cox, Mali Mann, Miranda Hopkinson, Natalia Shevchenko, Rafael DeSoto Jr, Renata Aryanti, Ruth Kedar, Sheila J Henderson, Susan Butler-Graham, Tom Green, Wayne Kvenvold, Wendy Lowengrub, and Yu Jean Choi.
Decade² – In an Instant — Simeon Dumas
With Decade² – In an Instant, artist Simeon James Dumas reflects on over twenty years of artistic growth, exploration, and discovery. The title carries dual meaning: Decade² represents both two decades and the multiplying effect of time—how each year builds upon the last, shaping an artist’s work and sense of self. Returning home after nearly that same span, this exhibition becomes a full-circle moment, bridging past and present.
In an Instant captures the paradox of this journey. From the outside, it may appear sudden—like a moment that arrives all at once. Yet within each instant lie years of process, persistence, and transformation. The show speaks to how time both lingers and slips away, reminding us how fleeting yet profound each creative step can be.
Simeon James Dumas is an abstract artist and muralist who tells stories with a brush. A Bay Area native, he has collaborated with interior design leaders such as Teresa of Plush Couture and Nikki Chu Home, as well as design firms like Vesta. His work has elevated spaces for tech innovators, A-list actors, professional athletes, and distinguished clients nationwide.
Now based in Austin, Texas, Simeon lives with his wife Nikko, a professional singer, and their two daughters, Sha’Vaughn and Nia.
A Community Celebration of Creativity
The evening coincided with the Palo Alto Art Walk, filling downtown with energy and inspiration. Guests wandered between galleries, enjoyed live music by Remi Bereola (DJ R E M S H O T), and marveled at a living painting created by Dustin Adamson during the reception.
Special thanks to Natalia Drachinskaya for her brilliant gallery installation and to everyone who helped make the night such a success.
Thank you to Marco Zecchin and BeBe Jacobs for photography.
Exhibitions like these are reminders that art isn’t just what’s on the walls—it’s the connections forged between artists and audiences, the conversations sparked in the gallery, and the shared wonder of creativity in motion.
Visit the Exhibitions
Both Abstraction and Decade² – In an Instant are on view through October 28th at the Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto.
