Left Field, a new art gallery in SLO, hosts 35 artists in first exhibit
Thought-provoking and mind-puzzling art is filling a new gallery space — Left Field — in San Luis Obispo. Its first show is curated by abstract artists Nick Wilkinson and Ryan Travis Christian.
Wilkinson owns Left Field and said that although most shows at the gallery will feature two to three artists, this inaugural show consists of the work of more than 35 from across the country, including San Luis Obispo County, Chicago and New York City.
“We’re an upstart gallery in a small town — my idea is to bring art from here and elsewhere to San Luis Obispo County,” Wilkinson said. “I did the inaugural group show like this, with so many artists, for a couple reasons — one, to land a roster of artists like the ones we have for this first show, and also to give everyone an idea of what is to come, since some of these artists will have more pieces in later shows.”
The artists’ work is surprising.
Pieces by Mia Christopher, a San Francisco artist, are made from objects such as pencil shavings and glitter trapped in glue and latex. One of her textured works, “Other Shapes,” changes with the temperature, softening and bending when the heat is up and stiffening when it’s colder. Wilkinson described Christopher’s art as “almost having a performance element to it.”
Chicago artist Samantha Bittman weaves her own textiles, then paints on the surfaces.
Other art includes three-dimensional work on canvas and panels, clay and specially worded, hand-painted enamel-onpanel signs by 19-year-old local signmaker Ty Hjortland. His piece, “Bad News,” has already sold.
Left Field is named for the seeming randomness of its objects and art. The space is filled with items that are unexpected, charming and sometimes unsettling. Animal pelts covered part of a walkway, and hand-painted movie posters from Africa were hanging over the gallery’s handrails as Wilkinson prepared for his show last week.
The movie posters are part of Wilkinson’s private collection.
Besides owning Left Field and its sister store, Grow Nursery in Cambria, Wilkinson creates and shows his own art. He turned the back room of Left Field into an art gallery almost as an afterthought to opening the retail space that sits in front.
“This art is my world,” Wilkinson said, then smiled, adding, “I thought, ‘I have 7,000 projects; why not add one more by creating this space?’ "
Left Field Inaugural Group Show
Various times, Feb. 20 through March 23
Left Field, 1242 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo
Free
542-9633 or www.leftfieldslo.comhttp://www.leftfieldslo.com/
This story was originally published March 2, 2015 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Left Field, a new art gallery in SLO, hosts 35 artists in first exhibit."