From January 6 through January 30, the Community Room will feature the work of painter Dale Voelker. “My intention with my art is to visualize the mind and the multiple layers upon layers of experiences that make up who we are,” says Voelker, “I am interested in the struggle between consciousness and what lies underneath; how the two interact and come together. Sometimes these experiences are subtle like a color gradation or they are screaming in dark purple. As a boy I was always fascinated with artwork series I saw in churches, which depicted the stations of the cross (the steps leading to Jesus being crucified.) They were usually abstract in nature, but revealed the psychology of the gruesome event. That was my introduction to art. I treat the raw canvas more as fabric foundation that absorbs the paint and allows me to build the piece with overlays of washes, stains and marks using a variety of media including acrylics, ink, dirt, oil and wax. I run a graphic design business that caters to entertainment, technology, non-profits, education and retail.”
The Reading Court walls will display the photography of Amish Desai. Born in Bombay (now Mumbai), Desai made his way to Los Angeles, where he spends his time hiking in the mountain and paddling out at sea. Photography has been a way of life for him ever since he picked up his first camera in his teens. Over time, a hobby turned to passion and his lens now allows him to see the world in new, unexpected ways. His photography has appeared on book covers, inside apps, and in scientific literature. He is always ready to embark on projects that lead to exciting adventures. “Nature presents me with the scene. Resplendent. Serene. Splashed with color. The shapes, angles and light are my guides as I respond to the invitation and attempt to capture its impossible beauty,” Desai says of his work, “Humbled by earth’s power to continue to amaze, my photographs hope to remind us that we just one part of a universe that is much more intricate and expansive than anything we can ever imagine.”