Closing for Asandra & Bruce Samia, Essential Terrain & Bon Voyage Party for Dianne Bennett and Chris Engle
Saturday, May 14, 5 to 8pm
Potluck B. Y. O. B. & Hor D'oeuvres
Asandra and Bruce Samia bring Essential Terrain to Gallery 525.
In Essential Terrain Asandra and Bruce Samia employ very different artistic approaches to express internal landscapes via color, abstract forms, shapes and fragmented layered photographs. The artworks in the exhibition all bring us to some kind of place, and whether that be a fragmented memory or a remembrance of a walk around the block, their works intrigue and thrill us with their spectacular layering of artistic media and nuanced storytelling.
Asandra combines painting and printmaking processes in her abstract, brightly colored mixed media artpieces. She is inspired by the topography, light and color variations found in Southern California and works intuitively in her art-making process. According to Asandra: “The brightness of color found in the work is a reflection of my interior response to natural beauty. It is emotion expressed through color, shape, and texture. I never plan ahead, or make studies. Each painting is accomplished through an intuitive progression that begins with laying down a background color made up of many thin layers of paint. This is applied using non-traditional tools such as sponges and squeegees. I then layer the shapes on top, adding and deleting as the image impels me. There is an inherent freedom when one works without fixed idea or formal methodology. I allow the image to guide me, turning the wood panel around as I work. The final direction of the piece is usually determined at the very end. One can compare it to creating from almost a dream state… The title of this exhibit, Essential Terrain, refers to one’s inner landscape; the place where we instinctually feel our deepest connections in life. “
Bruce Samia works from his own photographs and other found images that he digitally or silk-screen prints on various substrates: wood, fabric, wallpapers, tiles or stand-alone prints. His artworks layers images seamlessly to create rich environments which evoke memories and places. His inspiration is from Arabic and Asian cultures, landscapes, florals, patterns and graphic shapes which when combined create an ethereal effect. To quote Bruce Samia: “Using elements from my on-going series of photography, influenced by nature and technology, I edit and manipulate the images and then assemble them into visual landscapes, creating depth without perspective, creating worlds to get lost in. My work is designed to awaken in your mind a piece of a dream remembered, a thought passing through, a quick turn of your head, a memory lost or a conversation once had.”
Please join us for the fabulous exhibition, Essential Terrain, Paintings by Asandra and Bruce Samia, on Saturday, April 2nd, 5 to 8pm at Gallery 525. The show runs from April 1 to May 15, 2016.
Artist Statements
Asandra
The paintings in this exhibit were created in the past twelve months, and are inspired by the Southern California landscape. Although my work is primarily abstract, it reflects the exploration of topography, light, and color variations found in nature. Using mixed media on wood panel, I have invented a method of making large stamps, layering my work to imply dimension and spatial configurations. The process mimics traditional printmaking disciplines that are blended with painting techniques.
Five years ago I moved from the East Coast (New York/Miami) and relocated to California. Lifestyle and climate differences aside, the biggest variances are the terrain and diffused, golden light. The brightness of color found in the work is a reflection of my interior response to this natural beauty. It is emotion expressed through color, shape, and texture. I never plan ahead, or make studies. Each painting is accomplished through an intuitive progression that begins with laying down a background color made up of many thin layers of paint. This is applied using non-traditional tools such as sponges and squeegees. I then layer the shapes on top, adding and deleting as the image impels me. There is an inherent freedom when one works without fixed idea or formal methodology. I allow the image to guide me, turning the wood panel around as I work. The final direction of the piece is usually determined at the very end. Even the titles come to me intuitively. One can compare it to creating from almost a dream state. The title of this exhibit, Essential Terrain, refers to one’s inner landscape; the place where we instinctually feel our deepest connections in life. Asandra.com
Bruce Samia
This body of work, created between 2014 and 2016 explores the way people perceive images.
Using elements from my on-going series of photography, influenced by nature and technology, I edit and manipulate the images and then assemble them into visual landscapes, creating depth without perspective, creating worlds to get lost in.
My inspiration is from Arabic and Asian cultures. In the “Master" series, I explore landscapes, florals and the world around me. Images are layered, creating an ethereal effect. Color plays a major role in my storytelling and interacting with the viewer.
In the “Optical Illusionz” series, I have taken elements from my digital collages and photography and reworked them into graphic shapes, which can then be digitally or silkscreen-printed onto various substrates, i.e., wallpapers, fabrics, tiles or stand-alone prints.
My work is designed to awaken in your mind a piece of a dream remembered, a thought passing through, a quick turn of your head, a memory lost or a conversation once had. BruceSamia.com