James Mac Devitt, curator for the Cerritos College Art Gallery, hosted an art showcase at the gallery from 5-8pm on Sept. 3.
This art show attempted to captivate a professional artist Marisa Alexander Clarke’s 35 years of work through different styles of her art which really shows her life’s experiences through her works.
Mac Devitt explained the purpose of the art gallery as “bring(ing) artists to (the) students.”
He explained how this show is unusual compared to all the years he has worked at Cerritos College.
He said that the gallery usually captures works in an eclectic way, bringing a large range of artists over a general theme.
“In this case, the show is focusing on a single artist,” Mac Devitt added.
It shows the dynamics of dormant and active sculptures, meaning art that is meant to capture feelings from indigenous themes and that is designed for an industrial world.
“The primary focus of this show is to trace the evolution of this single artist over 35 years,” Mac Devitt said.
Clarke said her passion for art started as a kid. “I think you’re born to be an artist,” she said.
After her parents noticed that she always drew, she was enrolled in painting classes and her innate talent blossomed from there.
Not only did she draw, but with time she opened her horizons and realized how beautiful all art was.
“I was always interested in music and poetry.”
She added, “All arts influence each other. You read poetry and you listen to wonderful music. (They) influence visual art.”
Clarke explains how she was very inspired from ‘50’s, ‘60’s and the ‘70’s art. Back in those days, primarily the ‘60s and ‘70s, earth and process art was big, which are some things that she talked about a lot and showed how they influenced her work.
Clarke explains how she was very interested in working with very humble materials such as brown paper and masking tape with maybe an acrylic coat of some sort.
On the other spectrum of her artistic abilities, which came with much experience, is her skill with technological devices.
In the very back of the gallery were what Clarke described as nomadic art; art that is moving and is always perpetual.
“I like the movement and I like photography, so it all comes together.”
Clarke primarily focuses on visual arts and has many different styles of art, from sculptures, to photography and all the way to smaller crafts.
In the main room of the gallery, there were more sculptures than anything else.
In a small side room, there was mostly sound and video with one piece that had four small boxes.
It showed a lady in evanescence in front of a cascading waterfall and was expressed as life after death and a spirit’s rebirth.
Separate from the gallery, Clarke will also be giving a lecture at Cerritos College in the Fine Arts Building, Room 43, on Friday, Sept. 20 from noon -1 p.m.
