Where Do Babies Come From? 2024, oil and acrylic on canvas, 30 x 32, 48 x 15, 30 x 35 in
In Full Bloom
Maude Kerns Art Center
1910 East 15th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97403
June 21 - July 19
Reception: June 21, 5 to 7 p.m.
Artist Talk: June 22, 1 to p.m.
The Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to present “In Full Bloom,” the California-based artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and first solo presentation in Oregon, from June 21 to July 19. The exhibition features 10 new paintings made over the past year that push Lugris’s work to new scales.
Maude Kerns Art Center
1910 East 15th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97403
June 21 - July 19
Reception: June 21, 5 to 7 p.m.
Artist Talk: June 22, 1 to p.m.
The Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to present “In Full Bloom,” the California-based artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and first solo presentation in Oregon, from June 21 to July 19. The exhibition features 10 new paintings made over the past year that push Lugris’s work to new scales.
"In Full Bloom is an exhibition of paintings that serve as a testament to my powerful journey as a mother of three. By portraying my tumultuous daily life with babies and toddlers, the exhibition dives into the physical, psychological, and spiritual labor that goes into carrying, birthing, and bringing up children. At first, kids' screaming faces are meant to evoke discomfort, referring to the normal fears and difficulties involved in having and raising children. The use of vibrant colors, however, is optimistic pointing to the fact that doing hard things is essential for growth and not to be avoided.
(L) The New Mother, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 in
(R) My Handsome Man, 2024, oil and acrylic on canvas, 11 x 16, 10 x 10 in
Most of the paintings are multi-paneled diptychs and triptychs alluding to the fact that my human experience cannot fit neatly onto one canvas. I am a culturally mixed Latina Asian Spanish American who grew up Catholic and is now raising Jewish children. As a child, I received many quizzical looks as individuals attempted to understand and piece together my varied, ethnic background. I recreate that same experience in my paintings by provoking the audience to find connections that pull the pieces together.
I Want A Minnie Mouse Birthday Party, 2024, oil and acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24, 20 x 16, 36 x 20 in
Interspaced in the exhibition are blooming plants which for me have always served as symbols for realizing one’s true potential. Like sunflower seeds transform into majestic sunflowers and rose cuttings into more roses, these paintings convey that each of us is born to serve a unique purpose and it is through bravery, strength, and dedication that that manifestation is realized. It is also a reminder to be present. Overwatering a plant or pulling it by its roots will not make it grow faster. Everything unfolds at the appropriate time.
(L) A Leap of Faith, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 32 x 24 in
(R) When Life Hands You Lemons, 2022, oil and acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 in
It feels like the time in which I have fully bloomed is now as a mother, as a wife in love with her husband, and as an artist. And I cannot think of any other way to fully express my gratitude to my grandparents and parents for their sacrifices in making this happen for me than to celebrate them through this exhibition."
In Full Bloom, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 10 x 10, 8 x 8, 18 x 24, 10 x 10, 8 x 8 in
To inquire about artwork pricing and availability contact [email protected].