Lois Lambert presents work from the last three decades by the painter Allen Harrison. In his recent work, Harrison deconstructs the imagery of Tibetan Thangka paintings, and transforms them into oil paintings of evocative skyscapes.

“Untitled” Oil on panel, 48″ x 48″

Harrison collages images of Thangka paintings, and then traces the characteristic spiralling clouds, wavy tongues of flame, arcing bands of color, and the entwining limbs and sinuous bodies of deities. The resulting tracings are adhered to his panels, their outlines delineating the areas that Harrison will later fill with color. Each generous brushstroke of paint is dictated by the forms of the Thangka tracing. Harrison regularly takes photographs of the sky from the roof of his studio, and these images are what determines the colors that Harrison uses, as he reinterprets the sky according to the demarcations of his tracings.

“Eggsquisite” features egg shell sculptures by artist Larisa Safaryan. Safaryan creates small delicate works, stacking and balancing intricately carved ovoid shapes, defying our assumptions of egg shells as frail.

“Black Square” Goose and dove egg shells, acrylic, wood. 11″ x 5″ x 3″

Her process begins by choosing the right egg shell for the piece. Safaryan uses egg shells from parrots, doves, goose, quail, emu and parrots. Each bird’s egg has a different texture and thickness so that often the medium itself guides her. In other cases, she creates sketches to plan the surprising feats that she executes.

On view: March 16 – May 4, 2019

Where: Lois Lambert Gallery at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave E3 Santa Monica, CA 90404
Website: https://www.loislambertgallery.com/