Sat Aug 23 - Sat Sep 13 Alternavistas Crystal Dent - Andrew McPherson - Christos Nikopoulos - Brian Stannard - Thilde Weems

Description California artists Crystal Dent, Andy McPherson, Christos Nikopoulos, Brian Stannard, and Thilde Weems bring their alternate views of reality, life, and surrealism to Back to the Picture Gallery in Alternavistas. In varying media, each artist takes the visitor through his or her own eyes to a vision of reality that’s a just little out of the ordinary… Crystal Dent - Photography I am a photographer, but I photograph things that do not exist in this world. I construct my own environments, using found and altered objects, and create an otherworldly place for the viewer to escape into. There is a strong possibility for narrative in my images. I want the viewer to use their imagination to construct some sort of plot for what is occurring in the photo. I have always had an interest in the idea of the Wunderkammer (wonder chamber), a place that holds a collection of odd and nonsensical things, just there to spark the curiosity and imagination of the beholder, and I strive to incorporate this into my images. The photo as the end result is very important in utilizing the effect of the Wunderkammer, for the viewer is only allowed to see so much, there still is what exists outside of the frame, and that part is left entirely up to the imagination. Andrew McPherson - Paintings I use my artwork as a vessel for discovery. In my latest work, rather than first planning out each piece in great detail, I am excited by the innovations that occur as I design the foundation of a page or a canvas born purely from compositional desire. On this abstract base I begiin to develop the subjective elements, mostly in a sort of auto-Rorschach test, building what I want to be an area of weight and significance into some type of figure or form hinging on both instinct and the overall mood of the piece taking shape. Although the compositional and figurative factors are conceived as two distinct parts of the process, I admit they are nearly inseparable in practice. A spatial division often inspires a form, and vice versa. The true excitement comes as the give and take between these two elements (the pictoral and the subjective) quells as the solidified piece becomes apparent for analysis during my final passes over the image. Like recalling a dream, I look and wonder where from within myself this image originated, and what effect seeing within waking reality will have on me. Just as compositional rules of thumb were developed to reach what the untrained eye naturally finds attractive, awareness of this method of subject development and its balance with desin is crucial into understanding our intellectual as well as visual root desires. By refraining from filtering the imagery that results as much as possible, we can tap into our innate human symbology, the encrypted visions hidden within our image banks, which may carry unknown clues to our origins or indeed, our very purpose. Christos Nikopoulos - Artgraphy As a photographic artist, I like to excite the minds of my audience with ongoing new creations such as “Artgraphy…the blendiing of art, lens, and technology”. What I do is transform my gallery photos into an array of abstract or surreal art that absorb the curious. Each new piece of art becomes an “alternate view” or “Alternavista” of the original image. The longer you look at each piece of art, the more detail you will see from the original photo. Brian Stannard - Watercolor They say truth is stranger than fiction, but a well-told tale never hurt anyone, either. I’m just as inspired by the great storytellers: John Steinbeck, Shane MacGowan, and the neighborhood bartender holding court at five p.m. than I am by other visual artists. Often an exaggerated yarn carries more of an essence of truth than reality. This is why I like the style of caricature, it captures an exaggerated truth of what something or someone looks like. If real life gets dull, the style of caricature can make it more interesting. Thilde Weems - Multi-Media This body of work, entitled “Universal Laws”, is a glimpse down the rabbit hole into an imaginary world. Animals in human clothing act out metaphysical laws and planetary archetypes. The series was inspired by watching my dog and observing that humans and animals share similar physical stances and expressions. This is how we communicate with each other. Our small (and sometimes large) similarities remind us that we are, in fact, all connected. In my work, I like to play with symbols, metaphor, humor, and narrative. I also enjoy experimenting with different processes and combinations.

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