FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23 – November 17th Reception: Saturday October 27, 5-8 pm Artist Talk: November 10th, 3 PM
DEBORAH DECKER – MEMORY
TAG Gallery presents: Memory, a series of drawings by artist Deborah Decker. Decker considers herself a figurative artist, however in these works, non-representation provided her with a broader dialogue from which to develop a separate code of psychological schisms, complexities and energy. Therefore, abstraction affords the opportunity to physically translate her memories directly into optical information.
The visceral feelings of the graphite across the paper, the stretch of my arm, the full movement of my body, the push and flow of the graphite became a catalyst in igniting haunting memories of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse which seem to now be a part of my DNA.
With insidious cunning the deep and haunting memories again bubble up into my consciousness as I relive them with each stroke. Time and events merge and awaken in flashes of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, which I am never seem to be able to bury deep enough. Then perhaps a touch, a sound, or a word, and like an old friends they simple call to reminisce.
JOE PINKELMAN – AMERICA
TAG Gallery presents America, a new body of work by ceramicist Joe Pinkelman. Pinkelman was strongly influenced by two books, We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. The books examine current and historical racism in America. Pinkelman only begins to scratch the surface of the deplorable treatment that black Americans have received since the 17th century. His examination is further limited because it derives from a white male in which the US system was tailored. As there are too many to count or list, this body of work tries to collectively visualize a portion of egregious actions. Other works include an ongoing examination of garniture forms and their relation to each other via surface and form.
SHELLEY LAZARUS – H20 works
“No matter where I find myself; looking up at clouds, watching the ocean, looking down at rooftops, or just a set up in my studio, the fluidity and immediacy of watercolor bring out my first impressions. My love affair with watercolor first began during my travels in the 1970’s and has never wavered. But never the purist I love to add other mediums to my works always looking for new ways to express my visions. Spending weekends going back and forth from LA to Ventura I have begun an adventure with clouds and ocean waves. The patterns of the clouds and their effect on the landscape are just what my watercolors were made for. In this show I have tried to portray the clouds and waves on different surfaces.”
“Clouds Got In the Way” is a song my son was very fond of. This exhibition is dedicated to his memory and the Robert David Lazarus Pulmonary Unit at Cedar-Sinai Hospital. The proceeds from this show will go to that unit.”
-Shelley Lazarus
Shelley Lazarus has been teaching at the Brentwood Art Center for over 25 years and is one of the founding mem- bers of The Artists Gallery.
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