Gus Harper
dal 17/1/2008 al 9/2/2008
Segnalato da
17/1/2008
Gus Harper
Harvest Gallery, Glendale
Signs of a Benevolent Universe. The artist began working on still lives in order to hone his skills. He soon found himself looking more closely at particular objects, realizing that he had become fascinated by the opportunity to allow forms to morph and grow beyond his initial perceptions.
Harvest Gallery is pleased to present “Signs of a Benevolent Universe”, a solo
show featuring works by West LA artist Gus Harper.
Opening reception is Friday, January 18, 6p.m-9p.m. Harvest Gallery is located at
938 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202.
Gus Harper is a full time artist living and working in West Los Angeles. Born and
raised in Santa Monica, he attended the University of Oregon for two years before
graduating from U.C. Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in pre-law and studio
art. He has had numerous exhibitions in Los Angeles area and he currently
maintains a studio at the Santa Monica Airport.
The "Signs of a Benevolent Universe" series started modestly as an exercise in
technique. Taking a break from his normal figurative work, Harper began working
on still lives in order to hone his skills. He soon found himself looking more
closely at particular objects, creating drawings based on previous drawings rather
than models, and realizing that he had become fascinated by the opportunity to
allow forms to morph and grow beyond his initial perceptions. Bell peppers became
mountains, citrus became lava flows, and flowers became bell peppers. The
original subjects were mere launching pads for a series of paintings fueled by the
simple joy of creating. The landscapes within his fruits and flowers are the
frothing surf of the Pacific Ocean, the uplift of clouds hitting the mountains
framing Los Angeles. The roses look starched and ready for the Rose Bowl parade.
Poetics series are deeply introspective and thoughtful paintings on wood panels.
The flow of words is used to add a sense of time and tenderness to these "poetic"
paintings. The text, barely readable, is thankful and celebratory. Of course, it
was not long until the more vibrant colors started creeping in, and now there are
large red paintings to go along with the original blues and grays. Each painting
is the inspiration for the next.
“The images in my paintings are often vehicles for dynamic color and energy”,
states the artist, “I juxtapose images in an attempt to dramatize the
unpredictability and wonder of life . . . and hope my work will be received in
that context. I think how we view the world impacts everything around us. My
goal is to share the spectacular in the everyday. The simple, direct approach
often tells a profound story.”
http://www.gusharperart.com
Opening reception is Friday, January 18, 6p.m-9p.m.
Harvest Gallery
938 N. Brand Blvd. - Glendale USA
Gallery hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 11:00am to 7:00pm.
Free admission