VEDA art + objects: Special Events // Tara McPherson Opening Reception

Saturday night, Merry Karnowsky Gallery hosted an exhibit that i just could not miss! Aiko, Lindsey Wey, DeeDee Cheriel and one of my all time favorite painters Tara McPherson. So we went to hollywood to catch my first glimpse of McPherson's paintings in real life.

One of the underlying themes that attracts me to art like Tara McPherson's is the the balance between power and vulnerability. Her characters are not void of pain and suffering, yet they seem to be holding to their own inner strength through every storm or season. Though Tara has a very graphic style thats been adapted to all forms of media - stepping close to one of her originals you can see that Tara is truly a master oil painter, she lets loose emotionally and philosophically, while maintaining ultra-precise line quality and a pristine gloss finish.

McPhereson's color palette is like cotton candy but when darkness is present, her characters are like glowing beacons in the abyss of night. I love her fearlessness and ownership of every emotion, be it loneliness, heartbreak, love, excitement, and even immense joy, every experience is woven into each piece and her unique visions hold inspiring messages of hope.

"Bunny and the Moon" book actually features an Instagram photo of my Tara McPherson tattoo in the back collage!

At the gallery opening i was able to pick up an early signed copy of her latest book "Bunny in the Moon" which will be released in March. Tara's books are prized in my collection because I love seeing her amazing pre-sketches and early ideas and how they evolve into the final painting, and i feel like theres so much narrative within her paintings, the book reads more like a novel, or rather an epic tale in the chronicle of life.

When i first saw the title piece for this book "The Bunny in the Moon" it was obvious by the way these two lovers are gazing into each others eyes, that I was witnessing something special and intensely personal... I felt like these two had found each other after being lost for so long, and I had an immediate connection to it. It wasn't until the gallery opening at Merry Karnowsky when I saw Tara in person that I realized I had passed over the most glaringly obvious part of this love story... the bunny in the moon is the baby in the womb. When I looked again at the moon and saw what reminded me of my own first sonogram image, I fell in love with the painting in a whole new way.

Aside from Tara's paintings there was plenty to look at in this show which featured the incredibly beautiful and intricate paper sculptures of Lindsey Wey,

Japanese born street artist Aiko,

and the geometric animal stylings of DeeDee Cheriel.

The gallery was packed with a happy crowd that night, and Tara's return to Los Angeles brought an eclectic crowd of artists and industry folk all eager to see her new paintings and wish her well on her continuous journey around the world. Truly an inspiring night.