ALISON VAN PELT PAINTINGS ~ “IF I WERE ED RUSCHA”

Exurb Loves...

by Sofie Sausser

Exurb Loves: Alison Van Pelt

My friend Alison Van Pelt is an amazing artist who has a show in the gallery on the campus of Ventura College right now. In this exhibition she uses the artist Ed Ruscha as a theme and object of fantasy. The show is called “IF I WERE ED RUSCHA...”  Alison Van Pelt explores identity, envy, power, self-importance, self-acceptance, humor, and dreams. She sketches  a detailed portrait and paints it by hand in oils, then deconstructs it by using brushes to achieve a soft, blurred effect. The final results have a beautiful hologram feel.
Van Pelt studied at UCLA, Art Center, Otis Parson and Florance Academy of Art. She has had solo shows at The Fresno Art Museum and The Dayton Art Institute, as well as in galleries throughout the North America and Europe, and is represented in significant public collections, such as the Armand Hammer Museum, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, the Jumex Foundation in Mexico City, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, NASA, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. She currently lives and works in Santa Monica, CA
What a treat to see her in Ventura!
Last Wednesday Alison spoke to some of the students about her experience, schooling and techniques. She gave her advice generously and was easy to talk to, the students couldn’t help but be sincerely inspired. If you have a chance, I highly recommend checking out the exhibit because pictures don’t do it justice.

VENTURA COLLEGE ART GALLERY EXHIBITION
ALISON VAN PELT ~ “IF I WERE ED RUSCHA”
January 20-February 10, 2011
Art Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday, Noon-4 P.M.
Free Admission