SMAart Gallery & Studio
1045 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Reception: Thurs. Nov.7
6-10PM
Gallery hours:
Tue - Sat
11:30 am - 5:30pm
Much of what artists do is observation; from focusing on direct observation of nature’s physical attributes (which I don’t think we can separate from a sense of awe), to artist’s historic predilection to be keen observers of the current political and social hypocrisies and troubles of their times. “Art is a lie that reveals the truth.” -Picasso
In the intimate setting of Steve Allen’s SMAART Gallery in San Francisco, I am exhibiting small figure studies, along with a selection of my large ceramic sculptures. The figure studies, some in bas-relief and some 3-D, were done while working along with my students in sessions with live models. This practice of direct observation has been key to taking the larger sculptural works to a more expressive and powerful place conceptually.
Observations of our relationship with life, i.e. nature, our earth and the living beings on it, motivate my life size figurative works in this exhibition. I feel the yearning to protect life on this earth, as I witness and grieve the destruction of habitats, entire species, and eco-systems. I use mythological imagery to stir up our collective memory. Myths express our relationship with life while also keenly observing our own human nature. In combining contemporary content with the timeless nature of human/animal based myths, the intent is to resonate in the human psyche. I think artists understand that the tragedy is if we don’t feel the grief; if we refuse to let the truth of what we are doing be revealed. -Lisa