May 16, 2017 through September 15, 2017
Town Center Art Space
Westfield Valencia Town Center
24201 Valencia Blvd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
“In the battles of life, there is loss, persistence, and liberation. Some of these episodes, more dramatic than others, serve as pillars or beacons in our own timelines. Then there are the lulls or periods of recovery from and preparation for past and future battles – the intermissions in between that may feel nameless but impact us nevertheless, often in more important ways than the memorable events of our pasts. Sometimes we meander along our amorphous, cracked, or abstract thoughts. Our plans for the future are never definite and our memories constantly change. Nothing lasts forever.” – Lucas Novak
An artist reception will be held on May 24 from 6-8 pm. Light appetizers will be provided.
Artist Statement
Art is about creating what is human. By understanding myself, and by being engaged with culture, society, and the natural world, I create work that I, and hopefully others, want to see.
There comes a large responsibility with labeling oneself an artist. For me it requires a respect for others and an interest in the planet and its life forms. I thirst for knowledge and experiences; I enjoy visiting new places and meeting people, learning about local events and global trends; I like sports (I play ice hockey); and I love washing my spirit clean at the beach or on a mountain.
My practice as an artist requires me to expand and refine my life in general. For example, in the early 20th century, United States Supreme Court Justice, Felix Frankfurter, was asked by a young man how to become a great lawyer. He advised the man not to limit his studies to the law, but to embrace the study of all fields, including history, art, literature, science, sports, culture, and the environment. I think the same wisdom applies to people who want to be great artists.
About fifty years later, art critic Clement Greenberg wrote in his essay Esthetic Judgment: To keep on expanding your esthetic taste asks that you keep on expanding and refining your sense of life in general. To further develop your taste in art, he advises that you keep on learning from life apart from art.
I follow the wisdom of Greenberg and Justice Frankfurter in pursuing my endless mission to grow, refine, and create more influential and meaningful work that transcends cultures and borders and reaches greater audiences. In doing so, I must reflect the times in my art.
And I am inspired that two of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Henri Matisse and Wassily Kandinsky, were also lawyers.
