黑料不打烊

Familiar names and images occupy the walls in 鈥淗oming In: 50 San Diego Artists,鈥� a mini-survey of the recent art history of this city. Each artist was asked to submit one work no larger than two-by-two feet. Within that small context this gathering serves as a check of blood pressure and temperature of art production in San Diego, and it serves confirmation of its health and vibrancy. This is not always obvious due to the dearth of viable exhibition venues available for the large number of artists here. The exhibit also illustrates the powerful influence of the UC San Diego Visual Arts program. Among the artists included are those who teach and those who have graduated and stayed in San Diego--despite the limited local art support system here. We鈥檙e used to seeing Patricia Patterson鈥檚 large casein paintings. This request brought forth a tender, small one, 鈥淜ids at the Lake.鈥� Three children look directly at the viewer, one waving. Patterson鈥檚 choice of colors and application of paint, almost sketchy in parts, muffles that directness and suggests distance--another time, another place. Jim Skalman鈥檚 wall sculpture, 鈥淟OWDOWN鈥� occupies an intriguing space between an abstract form and an actual architectural place, a cutout from the real world. Another standout is Chris Reilly鈥檚 鈥淣ameless.鈥� In an exquisite blend of old and new media, Reilly applies a rich encaustic surface over a digital print (Quint Contemporary Art, La Jolla).