Art Exhibition: American Beauties

Starting April 1. 2006, I’ll be exhibiting several paintings at American Beauties: Different Stories, a group show at SpaceOnSpurgeon gallery in Santa Ana, California. Two of my latest oil paintings, The Red Dress and La Muerta (The Dead Woman), will be on view for the first time – in fact they were both painted especially for this exhibit. I wrote the following statement regarding the exhibition.

“The exhibition name of American Beauties might conjure up certain images for many individuals, the most obvious being innocuous portraits of appealing, fashionable women – so I think people are likely to be surprised by this exhibit of works by contemporary artists.

For a social realist painter like myself, the title of the show invokes a different type of imagery – one based upon a clear humanist vision that redefines the notion of who is or can be beautiful.

My artworks usually focus on those who lay outside the mainstream, whether by choice or discrimination, and by contemplating these figures I strive to reveal their intrinsic worth and beauty – such is the case with the paintings I’m displaying in this exhibit. While I endeavor to create realist artworks that possess international appeal, my works unmistakably reflect the American experience – giving yet another meaning to the title of American Beauties.”

The owner of SpaceOnSpurgeon gallery, JoAnne Artman, visualized American Beauties as an exhibition “bridging cultures and challenging perceptions of Latino life.” For the exhibit she brought together painters Michael Maas, Gregg Stone, Emigdio Vasquez, and of course – yours truly.

Artman describes the works of my fellow exhibiting artists in the following way. “Renowned muralist Emigdio Vasquez is a visionary storyteller who carves day-to-day struggles onto faces and into souls. Gregg Stone uses watercolor, gouache, and ink to create a modern realistic portrait of Latino life, and Michael Maas’ Mother and Child series is inspired by images of the Virgin of Guadalupe.”

The Artist’s Reception for American Beauties: Different Stories, will take place on Saturday, April 1st, from 7-10 pm. Michael Maas, Gregg Stone, Emigdio Vasquez, and I will be on hand to greet the public. The exhibit will close on June 30th, 2006. SpaceOnSpurgeon is located at 210 N. Spurgeon Street, in Santa Ana, California. 92701