Pearl C. Hsiung’s painting and video works explore states of physical, psychical and metaphysical metamorphosis. Often these transformations play out in anthropomorphizing landscapes that verge on portraiture, where the geological and biological collide and collapse, raising questions about the nature of nature. Hsiung’s video works bring these ideas out beyond the pictorial plane, to further investigate nature and constructed images in an endlessly transforming universe.

This exhibition will examine “A Moment in Time” as expressed through the ancient medium of encaustic.  Unlike other painting media, encaustic begins its journey to solid from a molten phase.  There are typically only a few seconds for the artist to move the brush from palette to panel before the wax becomes unworkable.  The artist uses heat to manipulate the paint, and the wax when in its solid state has unusual qualities of reflecting light through the layers of paint.

The works exhibited may explore the concept of Time through their process or through their subject matter.  This exhibition will showcase the work of contemporary artists working in distinctly different styles that incorporate encaustic into their work.  The artwork exhibited will be of varied styles and genres: conceptual art, abstract painting, mixed media, and photography, providing a diverse artistic experience for the viewer.

By exploring the intersection between the found and fabricated, Kramer seeks a deeper understanding of the transcendent nature of ordinary objects. He works primarily in recycled materials; reclaimed hardwoods, coffee stirrers, strapping material, buttons, or even tin can lids. One favorite material, street sweeper bristles, are acquired as scrap from a company that re-bristles used brooms. These are woven over welded armatures of thin wire. At the core of his work is the belief that “trash is the failure of imagination.”

The art gallery at The MAIN in Old Town Newhall will feature “Toxikologie,” an exhibition showcasing vibrant, layered polyptych-style works, inspired by both Harajuku high fashion and medieval altarpiece forms, by artist Kitty Cutshall. The exhibition will be on display through Friday, July 13, 2018. An art reception for “Toxikologie” will take place on Thursday, June 21, 2018 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The MAIN. Reception attendees will be able to view the artwork, enjoy light refreshments, and meet the artist.

Driven by an equal love for both the arts and sciences, Cutshall’s inspiration for “Toxikologie” arises from religious symbolism and medieval plague-era imagery, juxtaposed with the childlike, colorful world of Harajuku Decora street fashion in Japan. For her series, Cutshall compares the manner in which professional toxicologists study chemical effects on human health – whether beneficial, harmful or benign – to the manner in which aesthetic and emotional toxicity or innocence is interpreted through cultural images. Cutshall’s technique involves hundreds of thin layers of acrylic paint for depth of color, including neon pigments, glow-in-the-dark paint and varnishes to create different lighting effects. These are then manipulated in a collage process with glitter, crystals, illustrations and even stickers, to layer imagery and allegory. Cutshall says she has been drawing since the age of one and that her work is “intentionally full of symbols so that there is something for everyone to interpret.”

The gallery at The MAIN is open for viewing during all events at The MAIN, as well as Tuesdays through Fridays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Gallery Website

Whenever you go to a gallery or museum, you will often see an employee hovering nearby to make sure that you don’t touch the paintings, but this won’t be the case with Santa Clarita artist Janine Cooper Ayres’ newest art exhibit “Pettable Paintings.”

Janine encourages everyone to touch and even pet the animals in her paintings.  Using faux fur fabrics, Janine has created fun furry creatures that may be too irresistible not to touch!

Throughout history, birds have captivated humans and have been featured in art. They are a familiar part of everyday life, but their ability to sing and fly sets them apart from all other creatures. Dynasties and empires have adopted birds as their symbols. Birds appear in myths and legends, and in many religions they represent the human soul. Birds are featured in every art form, from early Paleolithic cave paintings to modern-day sculpture and paintings. The variety of birds in art is endless, from peacocks to doves, from the owl to the legendary phoenix.