Page 6

Skyland Community Church will feature my paintings in Whitaker Hall throughout the month of November. I welcome you to my opening reception on Sunday, November 8, from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

My abstract paintings are inspired by emotions, memories, and experiences that are often difficult to express in words. I work with acrylics on raw cotton canvas, allowing colors to flow, blend, and leave unexpected traces. Each painting is guided by a feeling rather than a predetermined image.

For me, painting is a way to explore the beauty and complexity of human emotions. My work reflects a wide range of feelings, from joy and tenderness to longing and sadness. I don’t aim to create a particular mood or tell a specific story, but rather to express something genuine and leave room for each viewer’s own interpretation.

I believe art doesn’t need to tell a specific story or have a single meaning. What matters most to me is the emotional connection it creates and how each viewer brings their own experiences to what they see.

You can find out more at mashastrebkova.art, or on Instagram @masha_strebkova_art.

The Loma Prieta Community Foundation will host a Stanford Blood Drive on Saturday, November 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The blood drive will be in the Community Center Room at the Mountain Community Complex, 23845 Summit Road, next to Building Blocks Preschool. This will be the last blood drive in the mountains scheduled for this year. Upcoming dates for 2027 will be announced in December.

At our September blood drive, we welcomed 21 people through the door, including two first-time donors. The donations produced 19 whole-blood productive units.

Each whole-blood donation is separated into three components, so the 19 whole-blood productive units we collected impacted the lives of approximately 57 patients.

Thank you for donating. To sign up, go to sbcdonor.org. Click on the “find a blood drive” icon on the bottom right side of the page, and select the Summit Road location.

For more information or questions, email julieb95033@gmail.com.

Join us on Saturday, November 7, to welcome our newest local artist, Anastasiya Bachmanova. She will unveil her Follow the Sun exhibition. Anastasiya’s art will be displayed in our tasting room from November through January.

Meet Anastasia in the tasting room from 1 to 4 p.m. We also host our Wine Club members for our Fall Sippers Club release party, from noon to 6 p.m. We’ll be pouring our new fall-release wines and more.

Our Cellar Alumni bi-annual sale is Friday through Sunday, November 27 through 29, from noon to 5:30 p.m. Come to the tasting room and join winemaker Dave to taste and purchase a great selection of rare, aged wines. Quantities are limited and orders are first-come, first-served, so arrive early.