POMONA - Galeria Rustica is marking
its 10-year anniversary in Pomona's Arts Colony this month.
To celebrate, the Lucha Gallery, within Galleria Rustica,
will feature the artwork of at least 16 renowned local
artists during the Second Saturday Art Walk.
Galeria Rustica, 320 S. Thomas St., is owned and operated
by Anna Esquivez, whose shop of gifts, handmade crafts
and furnishings from Mexico is not unlike many in the
Arts Colony doubling as an art venue.
Patricia Zambrano serves as curator of the Lucha Gallery
and has gathered this fine ensemble of artists for the
anniversary exhibit, simply named, "10."
The SCA Project Gallery, 281 S. Thomas
St., will combine its ongoing installation show "The
Great Divide" with a new complementary exhibit called
"Shelter."
"The Great Divide," a group installation by
six Cal State Fullerton students, explores the breakdown
of the traditional family unit through personal inspection
of a domestic space. This was accomplished by literally
constructing rooms and furnishing them in a way, as one
patron observed, "Only David Lynch, with his twisted
view of `normal suburbia,' would feel comfortable in."
In keeping with the domestic eeriness of "The Great
Divide," the adjacent "Shelter" exhibit,
juried by art critic Stacy Davies, will reflect and feature
individual works relating to one's sense of shelter, or
need for a haven from harm.
"Shelter" is being produced in collaboration
with "A Window Between Worlds" to commemorate
Domestic Violence Awareness Month with its "Breaking
Free: Art as a Healing Tool" exhibit held at the
dA Center for the Arts, 252 S. Main St.
The artwork showcased in "Breaking Free" enables
survivors to share their voices in a safe and receptive
environment, encouraging viewers to reflect on the impact
of domestic violence in their own lives.
The exhibition is made possible in part by the generosity
of individual donors and funding from the L.A. County
Arts Commission.
OBJCT Gallery, 250 W. Second St., is
continuing to blur the line between fine art and design
with "12 Chairs," featuring the work of Charles
Hollis Jones.
The Los Angeles Times refers to Hollis Jones as a "pioneer
in acrylic design" and Dona Meilach, author of "Creating
Modern Furniture" (Crown Publishers, 1975), considers
him a "master designer" and "literally
a virtuoso in the application of plastic sheet to contemporary
furniture design."
During his 40 years as a designer, Hollis Jones' explorations
of acrylics and metal have earned him numerous awards
and international recognition. In 2004, Hollis Jones was
awarded the Pacific Design Centers 10th annual "Stars
of Design Award" for product design.
OBJCT Gallery will also present the work of Alexandra
Becket in its Project Room.
Becket is a Los Angeles-based textile artist coming from
a background rooted in architecture and interior design.
The artist's grandfather Welton Becket was a prominent
midcentury architect in Los Angeles who designed Pomona
City Hall as well the Los Angeles Music Center. Her grandmother,
Louise Currie, a 1940s actress, became a successful interior
designer with a furniture showroom in West Hollywood.
Alexandra continues the family tradition of design by
creating hand-painted wall hangings, inspired by the architecture
and landscape of Los Angeles.
AMOCA (American Museum of Ceramic Art),
340 S. Garey Ave., celebrating its fifth year of exceptional
ceramic exhibits furthering the art of ceramics locally
and throughout the world, is continuing an exhibit of
Harrison McIntosh, honoring the international artist and
his works.
This exhibit also marks McIntosh's 95th birthday, and
he will be available for a unique opportunity for patrons
to meet the artist during his book signing Saturday from
6 to 7 p.m. at the museum.
McIntosh's retrospective 141-page, full-color book tracks
his 60-year career and includes essays by Martha Longnecker,
Christy Johnson and Marguerite McIntosh.
Harrison McIntosh's book will be available for purchase
during Second Saturday's Art Walk.
Pomona's Art Walk is every second Saturday of the month
in downtown Pomona, 6-10 p.m., with closing exhibits on
display during Pomona's Last Saturday Metro Night Out,
6-10 p.m.
For more information and to download a map of all 34 art
venues in Pomona's Arts Colony, go to www.pomonaartscolony.com.
A.S. Ashley is a Pomona Arts Colony artist and advocate
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