RAW, From the streets to the walls October 14, 2006

RAW
From the streets to the walls

A group show of two young up and coming East Bay Artists

Whitson Hunter & Rebecca Lord – Painting and mixed media

Whitson Hunter grew up in the streets of Oakland; he lives, works and loves this city. On any given day he passes the faces on the streets that speak to why he respects and loves Oakland with such a passion. He retains the memories of those characters and brings them to life on canvas; his way of documenting the daily life of Oakland. Self described as scrappy and Raw, Whitson is one of the most powerful young emerging artists of Oakland today.
Hunter learned to paint while studying graphic design at Philadelphia University, with roots in print making, his explorations have lead him to painting, photography, collages, and mixed media. Armed with his new weapon of choice; he merged his love of Oakland into his work. RAW is just a small glimpse of his view of the cultural power, Intensity and brilliance of
Oakland.

Artist statement: “This body of work is a tribute to my community. It embodies the same colors and textures of Oakland. Each face has a story behind it and is a reflection of the feelings and emotions that I feel from the streets. I use solid colors, collage paper, and a persons eyes to recreate my environment, my goal is to express feelings though images.

Whitson Hunter

Rebecca Lord a self described Berkeley poet comes from a family of artists, and combines painting and poetry into a raw vibrant cabaret/circus style of art. Mixed with a bit of shadows, chaos, and often dark text, Lord will be showing her work publicly in a gallery for the first time ever.

Lord was born in Malden, Massachusetts and grew up in many different apartments in and around Brookline. On Groundhog's day 1996 she moved to California and has lived there ever since. She uses only gouache and her style is not quite fine art yet, not quite cartoonish, it is somewhere right down the middle. From doodles of lambchop to the Spice Girls to now painting, she has been has been creating art her entire life.

"If I couldn't express myself on paper, I would feel lost." - Rebecca Lord

RAW
Embrace self-expression through freedom of speech . empower though words... act with vision

Opening Reception:

Saturday October 14th 06, 6pm-9pm
Show runs 10/14/06 through 11/15/06

Official Website: http://thefloatcenter.com/upcoming.html