Local artists Roth & Watson featured at Banning Art Gallery

November 12, 2019 Trevor Montgomery

The Banning Art Gallery is proudly exhibiting art work by local artists Don Roth and Cindy Watson as featured artists from Nov. 3 through Dec. 6.

The public has been invited to a reception to personally meet the artists and hear them talk about their works, scheduled for Nov. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the gallery.

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Several of Don Roth’s more famous paintings, including some from his “Kool – Kat Kollection” are currently being featured at Banning Art Gallery.

Roth is a self- proclaimed cat lover who whimsically creates a fantasy world on canvas where “KATS” are “Kool.” He is best known for his “Kool – Kat Kollection,” and several of his more famous paintings from the series are on display at the gallery.

An internationally known artist, Roth’s artwork hangs in private collections all over the world, including corporate offices, galleries, and a resort in Florida in the form of a large mural.

Roth began his artistic career as an Illustrator in the Navy and he later worked fifteen years as an illustrator
for Boeing and McDonald Douglas; which included design renderings for Air Force One and a Saudi king.

Roth conducts an acrylic painting art class at the Banning Art Gallery, and his students have received
numerous awards for their creations and many have held exhibits of their works.

Cindy Watson, whose love for art began when she was a young child, also has several of her pieces featured at Banning Art Gallery.

Watson says her love of art began when her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Forney, “first put a paint brush and easel in front of me.” A pencil and portrait artist for decades, she began her painting endeavors in earnest about 15 years ago.

Watson’s artwork hangs in galleries and mostly in private collections and she has created and donated several paintings to charity auctions as well.

“Art is powerful and the generosity that comes out at such auctions never ceases to amaze me,” Watson enthused, adding, “I am looking forward to being in the Banning Community again and privileged to be given this opportunity by the gallery.”

Watson, who will be hosting the gallery on Tuesdays throughout November from 10 to 2 p.m., will be displaying her “Woodlands Collection” of wild animals and other nature scenes at the gallery.

The galleries other hours are temporally reduced to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the Saturday Young Artists workshop for children continues at its regular time every Saturday.

The Banning Art Gallery is located at 42 W. Ramsey, next to the Haven, on San Gorgonio St. in Banning.
For information about exhibits and classes call (951) 849-3993.

Cindy Watson contributed to this article.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.