Michael Deragon, Collage, Complicated Creator, 18×24, 2024
Vita Art Center is proud to present three new exhibits opening on Saturday, August 31 running through October 26. The exhibits feature WATER, Benjamin Provo: Ceramics, and Collage. Each exhibit explores distinct themes through various artistic mediums, offering visitors a rich and immersive experience in contemporary art.
WATER brings together six artists – Rick Stich, Colin Fraser Gray, Cheryl Ann Thomas, Maria Adela Diaz, Bill Dewey, and Marie McKenzie – who delve into the multifaceted essence of water. Stich’s drawings, inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s “A Deluge,” capture the dramatic beauty of water’s turbulence, while Gray’s work, influenced by a near-drowning experience, conveys its dynamic movement. McKenzie’s kelp oil paintings highlight environmental concerns, emphasizing the fragile balance of marine ecosystems. Diaz’s video art addresses the Latin American diaspora, shedding light on the often-invisible roles of women. Thomas’s ceramics evoke life’s transience, and Dewey’s close-up wave photography offers an intimate view of water’s power and grace. Together, these artists create a cohesive narrative celebrating water’s profound impact on life and art.
Benjamin Provo makes a compelling return to his artistic roots with an exhibition that reflects his journey from the business side of the art world to a deeply personal exploration of material, surface, and self-expression. As a self-taught artist with a background in ceramics, painting, and mixed media, Provo’s work is informed by his studies of archaic Greek, Judaic, and Levantine pottery. His recent creations use traditional vessel forms to explore mark-making, poetry, and texture, aiming for direct engagement with viewers. This body of work is Provo’s heartfelt expression of love, loss, and the joys of life, presented with unfiltered authenticity.
Collage showcases the works of ten Southern California artists—Mike Blaha, Michael Deragon, Scott Gordon, Colleen M. Kelly, Dan Levin, Gail Pine, Paddy Reynolds, Ilene Segalove, Jacqueline Woods, and Wren Stepan—who utilize collage as a central component of their studio practice. This exhibition traces the history of collage from its revolutionary origins with Cubists like Picasso and Braque to its evolution through the Dada movement and beyond. The featured artists build on this storied tradition, pushing the boundaries of collage with contemporary techniques and themes, resulting in a vibrant exploration of identity, culture, and abstraction.
Vita Art Center, 28 West Main Street. For more information visit, www.vitaartcenter.com or call 805-901-4677.
