Go under

REGENERATION NO. 3: John Hood’s piece is representative of the exhibition’s title, which explores the process of what’s underneath the “skin.” Credit: PHOTO COURTESY C GALLERY

UNTITLED: Juan Manuel Perez’s pieces offer an in-depth look at the layers beneath the obvious surface of the painting. Credit: PHOTO COURTESY C GALLERY

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but those words may not necessarily tell the whole story. There are often layers that need to be peeled back—and even then, there are often more questions underneath. Search for answers yourself at the latest C Gallery exhibition Underskin/Understand.

The show offers a contemplative look at what’s underneath the “skin” of a painting, with artwork by John Hood and Juan Manuel Perez. The series is meant to be thought-provoking, though it may not provide those elusive answers. The artists intended the work to lead viewers to think while leaving ambiguity and unanswered questions.

UNTITLED: Juan Manuel Perez’s work is inspired by nature and its cycles. Credit: PHOTO COURTESY C GALLERY

REGENERATION NO. 5: John Hood, like Perez, is largely inspired by nature and the processes of regeneration. Credit: PHOTO COURTESY C GALLERY

Both contemporary artists, known for their abstract paintings, have served as inspirational figures for others. Hood is associate professor of art and design at Allan Hancock College and is an art commissioner with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. He’s also on the board for the Orcutt Children’s Art Foundation and is a director for the Lompoc Mural Society. He’s exhibited his work throughout the United States and Mexico, and his art hangs in private and corporate collections throughout the country.

Perez curates in Guadalupe for local and national artists at the Masonic Center. He’s a volunteer with mental health patients in Santa Maria, facilitating art therapy. In 2005 and 2006, he was the curator and exhibiting artist for Museo Lazaro Cardenaz in Mexico, which brought together 30 artists from the United States and Mexico.

UNTITLED: The work of both painters in this show, like this one by Juan Manuel Perez, are meant not to offer answers, but to allow a canvas for contemplation. Credit: PHOTO COURTESY C GALLERY

SUB-DERMIS: Underskin/Understand will be on display through Feb. 9 at the C Gallery, 466 Bell St., in Los Alamos. For more information about Underskin/Understand, call 344-3807 or visit The C Gallery online at thecgallery.com.

He’s exhibited in Mexico, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.

Both artists also share a tendency to be inspired by the inner workings of nature, its visual complexities, and the sensations of nature’s growth cycles.

C Gallery owner Connie Rohde said she’s excited to get these two inspiring artists away from their duties of teaching and sparking inspiration in future artists, and to finally hang their art on the gallery’s walls.

There’s more than meets the eye to Arts Editor Shelly Cone. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.

This article appears in Dec 16-23, 2010.