Oscar Ortega / Roundup
As the evening began to settle and the jazz band started to play soft music, people who came to see an exhibition of two Southern California artists gathered at the Pierce College Art Gallery to enjoy a perfect evening in good weather.
Lisa Adams and Patrick Nickell, graduates of Claremont Graduate University, displayed their artwork. Adams’ paintings complimented Nickell’s sculptures and vice versa.
“Her paintings have an influence of surrealism,” Nickell said.
“My definition of real artwork is (that) good art asks to prompt for others’ imagination,” Adams said. “For people to project what they want to project on to the artwork.”
Her paintings display a message of contemporary issues facing society and the environment.
On the other hand, cardboards, plywood, screws, 2×2 wood and latex paint make up Nickell’s uniquely formed sculptures.
“They project a little graphic, maybe cartoony or animated kind of filling,” he said.
“I think this work is about the duality between expansion and contraction. Are these forms going to explode? Or are they growing? Or are they deflating? That is something that I am interested in working with,” said Nickell.
Erin Payne, an attendee who plans to major in art at CGU, is familar with Adams’ work.
“I think her work is very, very unique. I’ve been following (Adams) for five years since I took a class from her at UCLA extension,” Payne said.
Bright colors and thin lines in Adams’ work captivated her audience’s interest.
“The color choice and the movements of her paintings are very rich in color, a lot of motion, and very interesting,” said Liza Kiraz, an art major at Pierce. “Very simple lines but (they) create a lot of meaning.”
“Nickell’s abstract sculptures resemble nothing so much as continues lines drawn through space in the preposterous shape of gerrymandered political districts on a map,” according to a September 2006 Los Angeles Times review by David Pagel. “Yet these wobbly works are so humble, understated and brave that they bring to mind the underdog.”
Some of the students were mesmerized by both artists’ offerings.
“I am currently taking an art class. I’m not a connoisseur, but I enjoy and admire this artwork,” said Pierce student Francisco Delgado.
Nickell’s work can be seen online at www.rosamundfelsen.com and Adams’ at www.lisamakesart.com or at a permanent display of her work in the West Valley Branch .
Partick Nickell, sculptor, one of two participated artists at opening night art show. He has worked as an artist from 1988 and he teaches Art and Design in Otis college in Los Angeles. (Arash Akhtari Rad / Roundup)
Pierce college students look at the paintings and sculptures during opening night art show. Arts of Lisa Adams, painter, and Patrick Nickell, sculptor, present in this art show. (Arash Akhtari Rad / Roundup)