Art
review: Graduates display in 'The Show
Show'
By
Mandy Wright
On-line Forty-Niner
The
unique artwork of four Cal State Long
Beach graduates is now on display at Artistic
Edge in Long Beach, getting them some
well-deserved exposure.
Brianna
Patterson, one of three artists invited
by the owner of the shop to display their
works, takes a humorous approach with
her art. Her piece, "Two-timing hoe,"
created with mixed media, features two
mirror images of a small girl holding
a garden hoe, set against the backdrop
of a busy city in Thailand.
"I
worked off a lot of photos, starting with
my grandmother," said Patterson,
who majored in printmaking at CSULB. "I
found some that she took that were really
weird, and I went through a lot of old
family photos."
Dave
Gooch, who also obtained his degree in
printmaking, also incorporates dark humor
into his art. In his untitled works, Gooch
uses foam taxidermy head molds as his
subject.
"I'm
just intrigued by their weirdness,"
Gooch said.
The
pieces highlight the contrast between
the technical, schematic blueprints, Gooch
said, and the more primitive taxidermy
heads.
Marissa
Rangel's work also focuses on bringing
out the extraordinary. Rangel, who majored
in photography, has possessed a passion
for art her whole life, purchasing her
first camera before she was 10 years old.
"I
just isolate them individually, and try
to manipulate them, and focus on them
and their expressions and emotions during
the performance," Rangel said of
her work.
To
achieve this, Rangel spray-paints her
subjects onto paper and metal, capturing
the essence and emotion of the individual
while glossing over the details.
In
contrast, the work of Matt Chen is extremely
detail-oriented. Chen used screen prints,
lithographs and other media in complementary,
muted colors, to create his intricate
pieces with themes of industrialization.
"He
mixes in a more varied approach and an
organic, sketchy kind of look," said
Ryan Barger, observer at the exhibit and
fellow artist.
While
each artist boasts a unique style, they
all share a love for creating something
that is purely original.
"It's fun to just put stuff
together," Patterson said.
EVENT
LISTING
What:
"The Show Show"
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Artistic Edge 2105 E. Fourth St.
Long Beach, CA
Information (562) 433-5169
