A neTag photo newslet 315w Exhibition opened at TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica: Tues. July 15 – Sat. August 9, 2014. Be sure to check it out….

Featuring Artists: Carole Garland, Suki Kuss, Elyse Wyman

Artist Talk: Saturday, August 2nd, 3 p.m.

About TAG Gallery – Established in 1993 as a not-for-profit corporation, TAG Gallery is a member-owned community of approximately forty artists. Through the physical gallery in Santa Monica’s landmark Bergamot Station as well as lectures from exhibiting and visiting artists, TAG Gallery has become a valuable resource for launching the careers of both emerging and mid-career artists based in the greater Los Angeles area. For more information about TAG Gallery, please visit www.taggallery.net.

Garland Carole Ferris Oil on Canvas 48x36in. See image: Carole Garland, Ferris Oil on Canvas 48x36in.

Santa Monica Pier: Night and Day, Carole Garland:
In her latest show, Carole Garland focuses on the variability of the Santa Monica Pier as a spectrum of illumination throughout the day and into the night. Garland plays with natural and artificial light and shadows falling on the beach, pier and water and explores the familiar architecture in close-up and from afar. She shifts from previous work which focused on the chaos of the metropolitan city, to the haunting qualities of the pier’s urban architecture. She captures the nostalgic quality of the iconic structures, The Ferris Wheel,the carousel, and the Roller Coaster, rather than the tourists who visit the pier. Atmosphere, mood, and the changing times of day continue to be a signature of her work.

Small Offerings, Suki Kuss:
Suki Kuss embarks on a personal journey in her latest exhibition, Small Offerings. Putting aside her previously used vintage materials such as lace, patterns, sheet music and reflective surfaces, Kuss limits herself to only immediately accessible and basic materials in her studio. What unfolded in this delicate and patient quest was a deeply cathartic and cleansing experience.

SeeSat-July19-TAG-Suki Kuss I See Red in Your Work-Mixed Media Collage 10x8in image: Suki Kuss I See Red in Your Work-Mixed Media Collage 10x8in

Reminiscent of her past aesthetic, Kuss achieves a complex, multi-layered balance through talent and patience in skilled penwork. Jean-Jacques Rousseau once wrote, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” Speaking to her fruitful process, Kuss divulges, ” I found myself slowly developing smaller and smaller pieces. The work has become very meditative and absorbing… I find myself engaged with the individual pieces for days on end”. Unifying these compositions are restrictions in color palette and the incorporation of her own symbolic visual vocabulary that she has developed over the years. Distinctive to Kuss’ work is her continued mastery of combining and translating textures into visceral and ethereal atmospheres.

Light of Day, Elyse Wyman:
In her latest series, Elyse Wyman combines painting and photography to explore the crepuscular transition of day to night. These mixed media works showcase the ephemeral nature of the cyclical rhythms of the earth, as light is filtered through a haze of clouds, mist and pollution in and around the Los Angeles area.

Sat-July19-TAG-Wyman Elyse TheSummit MixedMedia 36x36inSee image: Wyman Elyse TheSummit MixedMedia 36x36in

Wyman begins with photos printed on clear film which she then partially dissolves with solvents to abstract and soften them. She then layers the photo over an acrylic painting to create gradients of color and depth beneath the dripping emulsion of a wet sky. Referencing the ever-changing currents aloft, Wyman shares that, “The ethereal effects of light falling on this planet from above have always been of compelling interest to me.” This melding of media seeks to capture time, keeping a brief moment alive while also tracing its demise. As she sees it, each day comes into being and over time passes away, but not before exploding in a final unique outburst.

On view: July 15 – Sat. August 9, 2014

What: Opening reception
Where: TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue D3, SM 90404

When: Artist Talk: Saturday, August 2nd, 3 p.m.
Phone: (310) 829-9556
Website: www.taggallery.net