Crema Art Exhibition Review
Described as a splendid “VITAMIN PILL FOR THE SENSES,” the Crema Art Exhibition features 9 artists from various walks of life exploring the fine line between art and craft, displaying a diverse collection of colorful paintings, drawings, sculptures, and weavings. In this review, I will pick some of my favorite pieces from each artist and describe why they stood out to me. The Exhibition will be up until Mid-May, and I urge all that can to pay a visit and even purchase some of the beautiful work on display.
Molly Craig, aka Molly_bot
Molly’s “Traffic Circle” piece stood out to me in particular because it reflects the world we currently live in. The colorful cars all move in a never-ending circle, while the white cars in the middle are stationed in an almost observant manner. This correlates to our current social climate, where people of color work tirelessly in an almost ceaseless cycle, and one abrupt stop can cause disarray throughout impoverished families and neighborhoods. The White cars in the middle are stationed in a sense of stability and security, and the colored cars anxiously have to keep moving forward until they run out of gas or break down. White is the source of all colors, and white supremacy is the root cause of most problems people of color face in the United States.
Rebecca Johnson, aka Frankiebinx
In Rebecca's “Nocturnal Creatures,” we see a woman with a star on her face, surrounded by black cats and holding one while looking at a crescent moon. Black cats are traditionally seen as an omen of bad luck but not to this lady of the night. To me, she’s embracing all of the woes of life fearlessly. The star on her face symbolizes the hope she holds within, allowing her to take on the darkness. Crescent moons are symbolically used to describe the changes to come. The unbothered look on the woman's face shows that she’s used to the ebbs and flows that come with life and that good and bad times are fleeting moments that aren’t static.
Fran Brown, aka Francesbrown4665
“In Repose,” Fran depicts a woman in an almost tranquil state of mind even though her surroundings show darkness and cracked glass. The mosaic style of the piece suggests to me that those cracks come from a multitude of problems in her life, yet she stays reposed, her resilience allowing her to stay intact. Her tranquil state of mind gives her the clarity she needs to see life for what it is and allows her not to be consumed by the darkness or broken by the situations in which she has faced.
Elizabeth Garo, aka _elizabeth_garo
Elizabeth's “Submerged” is an abstract message for us to find gold in the darkest blues of our life. More often than not, people are stricken with a case of the blues, but we must remember that there is always a silver lining or, in this case, a gold lining. Gold is often associated with the sun, vibrant and warm, all-encompassing and nurturing. We can look to the past and find comforting memories to keep us warm or look to the future and know the sun will always shine and light a path for us to move forward.
Tessa Shimizu, aka shimizushop
“I Made This Just For You” is just one of the 11 dream catchers on display, but its spiral-like nature caught my attention. The spiral is seen as a symbol of evolution, life, consciousness, and creation. This particular dream catcher mirrors the cosmos above us and the evolution within us; in many instances, dreams can be seen as a catalyst for one's personal evolution and growth.
Elias Ramos, aka artofeli1980
“It’s Me” is a call back to nostalgia but can also be seen as the bridge between generations spanning 42 years. Through the character's four-decade run, Super Mario has seen many iterations and innovations but has still been able to capture the heart of millions. This homage shows how art can impact generations and inspire others to create new characters and worlds to indulge in.
Tom Banx, aka Revolution_drumbeat
“The Modern Gaze” is a sculpture that has two features that are definitely eye-catching. One of those features is the ears which incorporate mirrors. These mirrors show how we reflect what we hear from the world around us, and if we aren’t conscious, we can pick up some pretty lousy talking points, but if we surround ourselves in nurturing environments, we can pick up on and spread messages beneficial to our families and communities. The second feature that stands out is the third eye. The third eye symbolizes intuition and spirituality and plays off of the ears we just discussed. Our intuition allows us to discern what sits right in our spirit and what doesn’t, culminating in an entirely self-aware being.
Hannah Banks
As the name implies, “Hannah-bal the Holy Elephant” can trace its inspiration to Hindu culture. In Hindu culture, elephants are seen as sacred animals representing peace, strength, and luck. The blue hue of the elephant is somewhat of an homage to the Hindu God Shiva ( depicted as having blue skin), who is the father of Ganesha, another Hindu deity with the head of an elephant. The sculpture’s six eyes (three on each side) display the elephant's perceptiveness, and the gold lining along the trunk and ears denotes its royal attributions. Its piercing eyes are intimidating yet comforting and carry a sense of blissfulness.