Though radically different in their styles, Mari Inukai and Ariel DeAndrea share a similar affinity for symbolism. Through recurring details, the two artists establish distinct moods in their paintings — Inukai, playful, and DeAndrea, dark and brooding. The two painters have solo shows opening at Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City opening this Saturday, November 2. Inukai’s “Jungle Gym of my Mind” is a whimsical and personal exploration of portraiture. Her characters range from her daughter to cartoonish creatures from her imagination — a nod to her professional background in animation.
Ariel DeAndrea’s show, “Dreams of Flight” explores the tension between hope and fear. The crocodile and the paper crane are recurring elements in her work, painted in a realist style. The overcast clouds and icy-blue waters DeAndrea depicts add a sense of foreboding as her female characters brazenly confront the crocodiles. The motif of the crane extends to DeAndrea’s installation work, where paper cranes often appear as her medium of choice for large, sculptural pieces. Take a look at some of the work in both shows below.
Mari Inukai:
Ariel DeAndrea:
Ariel DeAndrea “if you fold a thousand cranes” from David Spero on Vimeo.