Bergamot Holiday Open House

Saturday, December 14, 12-5pm

www.bergamotstation.com

Coming Exhibition: Shelly Lazarus, Ernie Marjoram, Jane Peterson

November 26 - December 21, 2013

Opening Reception:
Saturday, December 7, 2013, 5-8 p.m.

Artist Talk:
Saturday, December 14, 2013, 3-4 p.m.

Shelley Lazarus, Multiples

Shelley Lazarus, Want to Buy a Bridge (detail), Watercolor and Colored Pencil, 22 x 15 in., 2013

Watercolor and mixed media artist Shelley Lazarus’ latest series looks fondly at her native city of New York, and her current homes in Los Angeles and Ventura. Lazarus’ expressive brushwork portrays sentimental moments and landscapes with a mixed media technique combining watercolor, acrylics, graphite and colored pencil. In her current show, Multiples, Lazarus made her focus on the subject of grouping. “I grew up as one of five children and I learned that we all have to form our own identity,” says Lazarus. “This show is about that dynamic - shining through as part of a group.” From iconic views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Chrysler building to Ventura seascapes and more intimate interiors, Lazarus uses the idea of multiples to explore different perspectives. Proceeds will benefit the Robert David Lazarus Pulmonary Rehabilitation unit at Cedars Sinai Hospital.

Ernie Marjoram, Eye Candy

Ernie Marjoram, Gummy Worms, Oil on Board, 12 x 12 in., 2013

Borne out of his previous food studies of decadent main courses, artist Ernie Marjoram’s current exhibition is a playful look at candies and confections in their various shapes and sizes. Marjoram’s magnified perspective provides a glimpse into a sea of truffles, salt water taffy, foil-wrapped Hershey’s Kisses and nostalgic treats. The result is a vibrant study in color, as well as detailed pattern and texture. “I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas,” says Marjoram, who said his current work was more than a natural choice. “I saw this series as an opportunity to work with fun color and transparency.” Ribbed, colorful gummy worms become studies in transparent color gradation, while cellophane candy wrappers appear as reflective abstractions. Compositions are closely cropped to emphasize line and shape, referencing traditional still life, while exploring oil painting with a contemporary approach.

Jane Peterson, Fear of Falling

Jane Peterson, Symbiosis, Giclee', 5 x 7 in., 2013

Transitioning from her previous series Pith and Vinegar, mixed media artist Jane Peterson’s current exhibition uses characters to communicate contrasting human emotions of fear, trust, and comfort. Using current events as a reference, Peterson’s characters’ are expressive vehicles constructed from a range of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media including oil on canvas, pen and ink, and digital painting. Peterson’s figures are startlingly grotesque, yet familiar, as insects and shape-shifting human amalgams convey mixed passions and anxieties. Detailed antennae and liquid forms make reference to surrealism, while Peterson’s mixed media arrangements hold personal value to the artist. In a series of photographs, Peterson injects herself into the composition, communicating directly with her characters and the core struggle within. The bridge between real and surreal is blurred, as Peterson poses the question of what world is our own.

Coming Exhibition: Carol Kleinman, Linda Sue Price, Kamil Vojnar

October 29 - November 23, 2013

Opening Reception:
Saturday, November 2, 5-8pm

Artists' Talk:
Saturday, November 9, 3-4pm

Carol Kleinman, Paris Windows

Carol Kleinman, Covered Passage, Single Exposure on Canvas, 36 x 24", 2013

Windows are her inspiration, the camera is her tool. Artist Carol Kleinman’s latest show, “Paris Windows,” continues her unique work with reflections, merging reality with fantasy. In her new series of photographs on canvas, the Pacific Palisades resident and inveterate traveler captures a mysterious, multi-layered world as it actually existed on windows all over Paris, from the small streets of the Latin Quarter to the 19th century covered passages of the Right Bank. Kleinman’s surprising images are not composites, but rather single exposures capturing a complex interplay of light and form. “I want to challenge the viewer to look beyond everyday life. Each of my images existed in the world at a unique moment in time,” says Kleinman. “Nothing is set up or manufactured. What you see ... is what I saw.”

Linda Sue Price, Spiraling

Linda Sue Price, Purple Rain, Neon Tubes and Mixed Media, 36 x 12 x 15", 2013

Artist Linda Sue Price’s neon art is rooted in nostalgia. Referring to childhood memories of west coast road trips and visions of the animated motel signs and drive-in theaters from Long Beach to Las Vegas, Price’s work pays playful homage to a bygone era. Animation is prevalent in Price’s multilayered work, as twisted acrylic rods, glass and LED lights create vibrant landscapes of moving light. “I play with the glass, exploring and trying different combinations until I settle on a form I want to explore,” says Price. “I mix color, reflection, texture and animation to create a visual experience.” Price specifically designed her latest series to create a gentle, meditative sense of movement, contrasting the traditional use of animated signs as dazzling distractors. Price’s dynamic spiraled designs offer a colorful sense of whimsy while embracing the capabilities of neon as an artistic medium.

Kamil Vojnar, Life is a Journey

Kamil Vojnar, Flying Lessons, Mixed Media, 20 x 16", 2013

Life is a journey for artist Kamil Vojnar. Like pages from a scrapbook, his images document this journey. But rather than cover wide geographical distances, Vojnar travels vertically through the timeless, wistful emotions of the soul and heart. Soft figures float through ethereal landscapes of muted color as birds, balloons and airborne ships become forms of surreal locomotion in Vojnar’s current series. The artist’s scenes are comprised of digitally layered photographs on various papers which stand both alone or are adhered to canvas. Drips of wax and oil paint add touchable texture and simultaneously emphasize nuances of color and shadow. “I like to make a satisfying object,” says Vojnar. “A simple photograph is cold to me.” Vojnar’s collaged images provide a sense of spiritual contemplation, as motifs of wings and figures in flight act as modern relics that are both haunting and familiar.