Pável Acevedo explores the political and personal effects of migration, immigration, borders, and the duality many immigrants contend with after leaving their homeland for a new nation. Acevedo melds elements of Mexican mural painting, printmaking, and classical drawing, with symbols and imagery from the codex of Huaxyacac and Nahuatl, the ancient Aztec language. WithInland Empire, Acevedo confronts issues of housing, displacement, and migration and explores what it means — metaphorically and practically — to reside on the outskirts, to commute between cultures, to live in an inconclusive state between families and between lands.

A Collection of Work by Gabriella Lago – This exhibition is an exploration of mental health. It is emotive and seeks to create a connection between the artist and the viewer. Within the many facets of mental health, I focus on finding strength within a struggle. To enhance that feeling, I begin with a darker, cool color palette and follow with warm bright spots for balance. Facial features of those in my work are obscured to create anonymity and relate the idea that anyone can be affected by mental health.

I often choose to use animals in my work because people lack the innate honesty I am trying to convey. Incorporating animals can help move past preconceived notions of how emotions are normally displayed. Although the pieces of this series look disjointed, they are interconnected through the various forms of mental health. With each new painting I am evolving with the work and am overcoming unique challenges. Communication is not easy, so I design images as an alternative means to exchange information.

“Memory | Mythology” is an art exhibition showcasing ink drawings, collages and fiber installations by artist Theresa Knopf. The exhibition will be on display through Friday, December 7, 2018. The public is invited to view the gallery, enjoy light refreshments and meet the artist at a reception on Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The MAIN, located at 24266 Main Street in Newhall.

“Memory | Mythology” explores the fluidity of memory and its ability to rewrite itself over time to create variations in personal narratives. Theresa Knopf is a Los Angeles-based mixed media artist, whose work combines a variety of materials and techniques to explore archetypes in literature and personal histories. To tell these stories, she uses everyday objects and materials that have personal significance, but which also have their own histories and cultural importance; weaving together images physically and metaphorically.

Knopf has been a recipient of the Henry Van Slooten Award, a California State University Grant and the Collage Artists of America Scholarship. She has studied art history in France and has an extensive educational background in painting, illustration, printmaking and bookbinding.

Santa Clarita Artists Association’s new show, Holiday Sparkle, will open on November 9, with a free reception from 5 to 8 pm. The exhibit will run from November 9 to December 30, 2018.

The public is invited to meet the artists, sample tasty hors d’oeuvres, wines and dessert, and view fabulous new art, including designer craft items. At this show you will see Tony Hanna’s paintings:
– ‘Newhall mansion in the snow’. This is a mixed media (oil, acrylic, airbrush, pencil and digital photo retouching). “I have always been inspired by Thomas Kinkade. I found the photo of the Piru Newhall mansion, which I retouched digitally, than printed to a Giclee´, which I then painted in the snow and lights in the window,” said Hanna.
– ‘Benji’ is an oil painting of my little dog.
– ‘The Two Of Us’ is a photo of my son and his bride taken in Big Bear, which I embellished with snow,” said Hanna.

See: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/tony-hanna.html

SCAA Art Gallery is located at 22508 6th St. in Old Town Newhall, between Railroad and Main.  The gallery is open: ‘Senses Thursday;’ all Fridays 5-8 pm; Saturdays 2-8 pm; and Sundays 11-5 pm. Watch for signs along Main Street announcing gallery openings. It will be open during the annual downtown Newhall “Sip & Shop” event with lots of new shopping ideas.

The Department of Modern Languages and Cultures in collaboration with The Associated Student Government, Sigma Delta Mu, ESL and Anthropology present an interdisciplinary collective showcase celebrating Day of the Dead.  The altar exhibit runs through November 1st in the Library Public Gallery. Altars, Art Objects, Painted Skulls, Genealogical Trees and Culinary Art will all be featured.

Reception: November 1st, 4-5pm in the Library Courtyard.

Weaving has been practiced since early times for clothing, utilitarian and decorative purposes. The wall hangings in this exhibit, woven entirely by members of the Southern California Handweavers’ Guild, are our modern take on this ancient skill. From scarves to jackets, rugs to towels and wall decor to baskets, the ancient tradition of weaving has its place in the twenty-first century.

This curated show of member artists range from new talented weavers to those whose work has been shown in galleries and museums worldwide as well as in numerous private collections.  An opening reception will take place on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Don’t miss the special demonstration day that will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2018, where children and adults can try their hand at various weaving techniques.  There will also be a boutique where one-of-a-kind handwoven articles will be for sale.  To learn more about the Southern California Handweavers’ Guild, check out their website at www.schg.org.

“You Did WHAT To My Comics?!?” comprises works in paper made from cut-up comic books, in which local artist Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik explores the dreams, prophecies, and visions of traditional cultural narratives. He positions Superman as an American immigrant dreamer, the Invisible Woman as a protective whirlwind of cloud and fire, and wraps the Sandman up with the Oak of the Golden Dream. “Brynjegard-Bialik brings these different types of stories together in the complex but clean layers of his papercuts,” wrote Shana Dambrot for KCET Artbound, “creating new meanings for the world’s oldest stories as he engineers these combinations with the architectural presence of stained glass, the whimsy of gilded-age fairy tales, and the meditative aura of illuminated manuscripts.”

Says Brynjegard-Bialik, “My work explores the role of narrative in the development and expression of identity. I work in paper because I like its fragility and its place as our primary medium for telling and sharing stories across generations. It is both ephemeral and constant. I work with stories, legends and mythologies, filtered through the twin lenses of papercutting and contemporary pop culture storytelling techniques. I layer cut-up comic books into my work, drawing parallels between comic book mythologies and religious traditions to delve into the stories that make us human. Comic superheroes exist outside of the “natural” world, be they visitors from other planets or people whose powers stem from strange scientific accidents; they have weaknesses and flaws, and their struggles are often a metaphor for the human experience. I bring these different types of stories together in the layers of my papercuts, searching for new meanings in these combinations.”