I recently attended the art opening of client Carla Jerome at FIG Gallery in Santa Monica at the  26th Street Art Center, formerly known as the Bergamot Station Arts Center.  Yes, as of January 1, 2018 the Arts Center is now under new ownership with a new name.

Carla’s exhibit explored abstraction, inspired by her previous figurative work. To quote Carla, My work is a continuous conflict, balancing challenges and seeking equilibrium. I avoid creating art that dictates a certain response. I believe that ‘art’ allows each of us to interject ourselves into it, to find a unique meaning. She uses layers of charcoal and acrylic paint to build her painting, until it’s complete.

One of the things that resonated with me about Carla’s work, is her use of color.  The emotional quality of her color palettes are either soothing, think cool lavender and blues tones, or energizing, with her use of red and orange tones.  I also like the subtle line work that references her love of architecture. Shapes of buildings and chairs overlap, creating  layered landscapes that shift into and out of focus. The end result are works that are easy to live with, and works that could fit into a wide range of architectural environments.

If you’d like to see more of Carla’s works, particularly her figurative work, check out her web site HERE.