Alumni Art Exhibition
These four paintings were selected as part of Concordia University Irvine’s Alumni Art Exhibition which was held in the John and Linda Friend gallery from March 8th through April 5th.
“Lake Fulmor” 11 x 14, 2024, Oil on Canvas
In my paintings of landscapes, my main goal is always to capture not only literally what I see in front of me, but also the feeling that the place evokes. Fulmor is a serene and magical lake hidden away in the mountains. The slowly sinking sun paints the trees in vivid greens and yellows, and the water reflects their likeness back to them. As I walked alongside this calm scene, I was filled with a sense of peace. This feeling of peacefulness was what I hoped to capture through this painting.
“Reflections on Huntington Lake” 11 x 14, 2024, Oil on Canvas
To me, this painting symbolizes harmony. There are lots of opposites within this painting. Often, opposites seem to represent the idea of enemies in conflict. For example, the hero wears white while the villain wears black. However, I believe that this is not an accurate representation of the world. Opposites need and complement each other. It is only through having the light tan places on the painting that the dark shadows feel so rich and deep. It is only through having the flat, disciplined ripples along the water that the clouds swirling in the sky feel so jubilant and carefree. These extremes existing together bring balance to the landscape, rather than chaos.
“Canal Grande” 8 x 10, 2024, Oil on Paper
Venice has called to me since I was a child, and a couple years ago I had the opportunity to visit it in person for the first time. I remember reading about the beautiful city where the roads are made of water, and I was fascinated by it. Seeing the city in real life felt like visiting one of my childhood daydreams. Especially at night, the city was twinkling and beautiful, the water creating mesmerizing, sparkling designs. My goal in this painting was to capture the sense of child-like wonder that I felt in this place.
“Snowy Sunset at Huntington Lake” 11 x 14, 2024, Oil on Canvas
I have always found the moment before a storm to be intoxicating. There is a tension in the air, the wind whips around, there is a feeling that something powerful is about to take shape. In the moment captured in this painting, dark clouds billow and churn in the sky above as a storm rolls in, but this moment isn’t frightening, it’s exciting. The clouds and their promise aren’t ugly or threatening, they are beautiful and vibrant. The world waits in a wonderful moment of anticipation and suspense for what is to come.
