New Exhibition at TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica featuring Artists: Sue Keane, Andrea Rubin Kichaven, and Alison Lowe Platt.

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.

New Works on Paper, Sue Keane
Making a dramatic shift from her previous focus on ceramic media, artist Sue Keane explores abstract two dimensional expression in her current body of work. Working solely with oil­based inks and paper, Keane creates monoprints within a restrictive palette of black and white, occasionally infusing bold orange hues.

See image: Sue Keane, VesselI Monotype 25.75×18.25in. 2014

High contrast images emerge in pieces like “Vessel,” as strong lines thrust upward in compositions that simultaneously suggest motion and strength. Keane is inspired by architectural patterns and forms, using a linear style that she developed first in her clay works and translates seamlessly to paper. The effect is one of fluid grandeur ­ using the ancient technique of ink printmaking with a contemporary perspective.

Windows of Dreams, Andrea Rubin Kichaven
The exploration of atmosphere, weather, composition and mood are Kichaven’s focus in her upcoming show, Windows of Dreams. Mindful moments captured in a small window of time create a dream­like expression of space and place. The spiritual and physical become the catalyst of her exploration.From a lifelong fascination with the magic of the sky and the elusiveness of clouds, Kichaven’s current work reveals the fleeting moments that have the power to make us stop, look up, and daydream.

See image: Andrea Rubin Kichaven, Spectrum of Light, Acrylic 24x36in

Kichaven’s work is built on layers of texture, exuberant marks, and color, to crystallize this visual imagery. Modernists Mark Rothko and Josef Albers have inspired Kichaven’s use of color. “Her color sensibility and layout are remarkable,” said acclaimed artist Franklyn Liegel. Color is the heart and soul of Kichaven’s work. Through the process of application and elimination, Kichaven gradually builds layers of color, creating depth and translucency that give way to recognizable yet abstract landscapes. This experimentation with texture and color reveals ethereal compositions that resonate as spiritual landscapes.

Explorations, Alison Lowe Platt
In her most recent body of work, artist Alison Lowe Platt shifts stylistically from her plein­air and oil painting background to focus on animated mixed media compositions. Implementing a vibrant use of color with media that combines photo transfer along with ink, gouache, oil­based inks, and pencil elements, Platt’s new work takes on a more intuitive approach.

See image: Alison Lowe Platt An Offering Mixed Media 30x22in Unframed

According to Platt, her intent is to achieve organic art pieces. By drawing equally from the influence of family and friends as well as spiritual meditations, each work in “Explorations” unfolds leaving the viewer with narratives of both frivolity and intangibility. “There’s an element of surprise with these [pieces] that is both challenging and exciting,” says Platt. “I love the pushing and pulling of colors and learning how to manipulate the viewer’s focus.” By incorporating an array of provocative and ethereal imagery in her subject pallet, Platt’s works take on a contemporary and philosophical motif.

Artist Talk: Saturday, September 20 at 5:00 pm

On view: September 30 ­-  October 25, 2014

What: Opening reception
Where: TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue D3, SM 90404
When: Ocotober 11 – 5-8pm
Phone: (310) 829-9556
Website: www.taggallery.net