Grass Valley, CA, June 16, 2003 -- "California Vineyards" by E.J. Gold, four large canvasses depicting the vineyards of Nevada County, are currently on exhibit at the Music in the Mountans Amaral Family Festival Center at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley to celebrate MIM's Summer Festival of Classics and Festival of New Music.

"The variety and colors [of Gold's paintings] have greatly enhanced the atmosphere for our audience as they enter the auditorium" said Hazel F. Shewell of Music in the Mountains.

Says Beverly Korenwaser, Gold's curator for the exhibit, "We're delighted to share the concert hall with the incredible talent that Music in the Mountains has lined up for these Summer Festivals."

No stranger to concert halls, Gold's jazz art has provided stage sets for Wynton Marsalis, Russell Malone, Benny Green, Howard Johnson, the Duke's Men, Oscar Peterson, Marion McPartland, the International Association for Jazz Education at its 30th international conference in Toronto, and most recently, the Mill Valley Jazz Festival.

Gold, who is also an art educator, is responsible for the popular "You Can Paint" classes held every Saturday at the Nevada City Veteran's Hall (1 - 3 p.m.), which are now on video and shown on cable televisions and in college classrooms around the country. He is also the artistic director of E.J. Gold Fine Art in Grass Valley, which is a venue for art by Gold and his students in the Grass Valley Graphics Group.

The Music in the Mountains Summer Fest runs from June 17 through July 3. More E.J. Gold works can be seen at E.J. Gold Fine Art Gallery at 120 Mill Street, Grass Valley, 271-2239, and online at hei-art.com.