By Marcos Christodoulou. Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — Three artists with different styles are displaying their diverse yet cohesive show, “Disparate Pleasures,” at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Napa Gallery beginning Nov. 27 with an opening from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 30.
“Disparate Pleasures” opens against a backdrop of three shows already underway in Napa Hall from a CSUCI faculty member and two graduate art students.
The work of Art Lecturer Beverly Decker and graduates Vanessa Gomez and Ryan Lewis opened Nov. 6 and will run through Dec. 12 on CSUCI Grad Walls 1 and 2 and the CSUCI Palm Temporary Gallery.
“Disparate Pleasures” in the Napa Gallery features the work of three UC Santa Barbara Master of Fine Arts graduates, Marcos Christodoulou, Sunny Samuel and Peter Sowinski.
Christodoulou is a painter who finds his inspiration in myths, classic Hollywood cinema, art history, and images snatched from social media.
Samuel is also a painter who deals in more abstract work involving patterns and layers and Sowinski is a sculptor who explores the use of technology, from the simplest mechanical design to a sophisticated computerized apparatus.
“I chose these three artists because they were all so different yet they seem to work so well together,” said Art Lecturer and curator Christophe Bourély, quoting a phrase the artists used about one another: “It’s as though we were three rare species of moth which had, for a brief time, gathered around a flame.”
Showing in the CSUCI Palm Temporary Gallery is “Over the Years…” by a Ventura-based association of printers including Art Lecturer Beverly Decker The hand-made prints illustrate the significance of the passage of time.
“I think of my work as a visual meditation,” said Decker, who has been a member of the Inkspots for six years. “I am inspired by my life, including the study of Eastern and Western philosophy and mysticism.”
By Peter Sowinski. Courtesy photo.
Paper is Vanessa Gomez’s muse. The CSUCI 2017 Art graduate’s show, “I Lack the Words to Say…” is an exploration of her experience as a musician and how some lyrics to songs can be feelings or thoughts that someone may wish to communicate, but don’t have the right words to fully express them.
Gomez’s show consists of prints that she has created with paper, including paper sculpture, paintings, collages, and weavings. Gomez’s show will be on CSUCI Grad Wall 1.
“I love the feel of paper and how delicate it can be while also being a platform of a striking image,” Gomez said.
On CSUCI Grad Wall 2 is “What’s Your Sign?” by 2017 Art graduate Ryan Lewis, who exhibits digital paintings showing his personal interpretations of astrological signs.
For more information, visit: https://art.csuci.edu/exhibitions/.
Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CSUCI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.
About California State University Channel Islands: CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CSUCI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.