JoAnne Artman Gallery is pleased to present CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’, a group exhibition featuring works by Mary Finlayson, Michael Callas, and Thai Mainhard. An opportunity to discover, and rediscover, unexpected dialogues during the carefree summer months, the works come together to form a cumulative portrait of these California-based artists, as well as the gallery’s eclectic program.
Growing up in Southern California in Orange County, the combination of the area’s natural beauty with its planned communities and highly curated environments were a heavy influence on Michael Callas’ artistic process. Rooted in Pop Art, Street Art, graphic design, drafting, and his life in Southern California, Callas’ paintings are done entirely with spray paint and stencils. Integrating figure and language, text, character archetypes, and bold color is combined within each work. Intricately produced through a vigorous process of drafting, mapping, and hand-cutting precise templates, Callas creates a surface that is uniform and rich in color.
Mary Finlayson’s paintings are a celebration of color, pattern and form. Navigating themes of home, memory, and self, her interiors pay homage to the iconic works of David Hockney, Henri Matisse, and Stuart Davis by borrowing similar bright color palettes, repetitive patterns and simplified forms. Creating tightly constructed compositions unique to her own style, her works provide an intimate glimpse into each curated space. Considering the personal attachments and importance of objects, Finlayson flattens the perspective of each scene, skewing and distorting to capture the feeling of a space rather than an accurate depiction.
Thai Mainhard draws inspiration from the Abstract Expressionist movement to create complex and emotive compositions that navigate the space between calm and chaos. Combining expressive mark making with dense blocks of color, Mainhard works with a wide variety of media including oil paint, oil sticks, spray paint, and charcoal. Creating intuitive imagery that externalizes personal experiences, her approach is based in the hope that passion will translate into the surface of her works.
These artists’ will inspire, provoke, engage and mesmerize. With visual perceptions always changing, peek behind the stories told and you’re sure to find the right artistic expression.
