The WWA Gallery in Culver City Highlights the Work of 6 Artists

Written by Ingrid Larsson Friday, 15 April 2011 22:51

Culver City, CA.- New growth in a barren land is the theme of "Lilacs Out of the Dead Land" at the WWA Gallery in Culver City until May 7th 2011. Featuring works by Paul Torres, Casey Weldon, Richard J Frost, Sinae Park, Lily Mae Martin, and Dylan Sisson, "Lilacs Out of the Dead Land" unites six unique artists and visions in one show and exposes a fresh new field of talent not to be missed. "Lilacs Out of the Dead Land", a line taken from the T.S. Elliot poem, The Waste Land, evokes the imagery of new growth in an otherwise barren world, which is how the works of the contributing artists should be viewed. In an art world that can at times appear as a wasteland of creativity and freshness, these six artists are cultivating their own unique styles, which seek to move the conversation forward, not simply blend into the background.

Originally from Chile, Paul Torres infuses his rich imagination into his artwork, creating a soulful interpretation of everyday life with a nod to social realism and an updated vision of artists like Thomas Hart Benton. Torres’ love for art began through comic books at a very young age and has always remained his passion as he works tirelessly to communicate how he perceives the world we live in through his paintings. Torres attended Otis Parsons Art Institute and then received his degree from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Casey Weldon creates beautiful portraits, tinged with just the right amount of melancholy and absurdity, frequently dealing with themes ranging from pop cultural images to our relationship with nature: “I guess I’ve always been interested in the ‘cute to gross’ spectrum of the animal kingdom and how we separate ourselves from it. Our obsessions with domestication and making everything we can submissive and adorable can yield a lot of interesting imagery.” Weldon was born in the Los Angeles area and graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He lives and works in in Brooklyn. Richard J Frost’s self-described style is “tweaked realism” or ”Norman Rockwell meets the Twilight Zone,” which is a fairly deft description of how Frost reimagines his subjects. Frost is fascinated by faces which tell a story and lists a dysfunctional family as well as hitch hiking as a part of his educational experience and influence. A graduate of Otis Parsons Art Institute, Frost lives and works in Los Angeles.



Sinae Park is not bound to any specific style or method of image making. As a child, she made her own dolls while her friends played with Barbies and the freedom Park gave herself to create began there. Since then, using pattern and ethereal imagery, Park embraces the creative process from beginning to end and continues to make sculptures, dolls, paintings, and drawings. Sinae Park graduated from Otis College of Art and Design and lives in Los Angeles. Lily Mae Martin’s meticulously rendered pen and ink drawings borrow the appearance of early etching techniques with figures that are frequently presented on stark white backgrounds. Martin developed artistic tendencies at a young age, and her work now primarily deals with issues of identity, femininity, and sexuality. Her many awards include election to the National Gallery of Victoria’s Young Ambassador Program and the Lionel Gell traveling scholarship. Lily Mae Martin has exhibited in Australia, Germany, Britain and the United States. She presently lives and works in Berlin, Germany. Invariably the subjects chosen by Mr. Sisson are at once compelling and repugnant, things that scribble outside of desire and disgust: Creepy -Cute. Sisson draws and paints wall-eyed curiosities with big teeth and has exhibited his drawings and paintings in galleries along the west coast. In addition to this, as an animator, his independent animation projects have been screened in festivals on six continents. Dylan Sisson was raised in Washougal, Washington State and as a young man, studied typography, printmaking, and comic books. Sisson lives and works in San Francisco.

Located in the Culver City Art District, WWA gallery's goal is to present emerging and established artists who have an individual perspective and clear vision and aesthetic. With a focus on figurative and illustrative work, WWA gallery presents an array of shows with a wide range of artists such as David Ball, William Paul Buzzell, Ben Kehoe, KRK Ryden, Miss Mindy, CJ Metzger, Jim Darling, Tina Darling, Dan Barry, Jesse Hotchkiss, Jacob Livengood, Richard Frost, Paul Torres, Casey Weldon, Julian Callos among others. WWA gallery has a unique history, they are the sister gallery of the Wonderful World of Animation, which has been the 'go to' destination for animation art collectors since 1993. WWA gallery is conveniently located off of the 10 freeway. Visit the gallery's website at ... http://www.wwagallery.com

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