SAN CLEMENTE, CA.- Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens unveils two captivating art exhibitions this June that challenge convention and invite reflection: Keeping Up Appearances, a large-scale crochet installation by Ashley V. Blalock in the historic Art Gallery, and a residency featuring celebrated hyperrealist painter Elaine Twiss in The Studio.

Opening June 27 and on view through September 7, Keeping Up Appearances will transform Casa Romantica’s Art Gallery into an immersive and unexpected space. In this series, Blalock reclaims the traditional domestic doily- typically white, small, and unobtrusive - and magnifies it into giant, vibrant red crocheted forms that climb walls and sprawl across the gallery. Each installation is uniquely site-specific, constructed on-site with hand-selected patterns and shapes that speak to the surrounding Spanish architecture at Casa Romantica.

The work is more than ornamental. Blalock explores the tension between comfort and confrontation, reimagining the rituals of home decoration in public view and encouraging a tactile response to a world dominated by fleeting digital moments. Her installations have garnered critical acclaim in Vogue Knitting Crochet, FiberArt Now, the Boston Globe, and Art and Cake, among others.

“I’ve long admired Ashley’s ability to make something as delicate as crochet feel powerful,” said Kylie Travis, Executive Director of Operations and Programming at Casa Romantica. “So often, artists in fine art spaces come from traditionally accepted backgrounds, and I wanted to spotlight someone using a craft historically overlooked in institutional settings. Ashley’s work bridges that gap. It’s high art that doesn’t hide its roots.”

To celebrate the exhibition, Casa Romantica will host an Opening Reception on Friday, June 27 from 6–8 PM. Additional public programs include an Adult Crochet Workshop on July 10, Family Sundays: Community Loom on August 3, and a Kid’s Crochet Workshop on August 23, offering opportunities for visitors of all ages to engage with fiber arts hands-on.

Meanwhile, visitors can also explore the work of Elaine Twiss, the latest Artist-in-Residence at The Studio, Casa Romantica’s newly launched creative workspace supported by Mark and Bonnie Larsen. Twiss’s hyperrealistic acrylic paintings reflect decades of dedication to technique and visual storytelling. Known for her precision and poetic renderings of everyday objects, Twiss has earned national recognition, including 18 years as a juried artist at the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts and features in Pratique Des Arts and Acrylic Works publications.

On view from June 10 through September 7, Twiss not only displays her works but also creates new pieces on-site, converses with guests about her process, and offers artworks for sale.

“I have always been drawn to detail from a young age,” said Twiss. “The intense detail of objects just seems to jump out at me. After discovering realism art, I knew that was the path I would pursue. The time I have been given at Casa Romantica will hopefully be used to inspire and bring pleasure to those who view my work, and also to expand my following.”

Together, these exhibitions underscore Casa Romantica’s continued commitment to honoring both the unconventional and the iconic, bringing the spirit of contemporary artistry to a historic seaside estate.

For more information on exhibitions and programming or to purchase tickets, visit www.casaromantica.org and follow @CasaRomanticaSC on social media.