ART MUCH MORE EXCITING
THAN THE PAPER THEY'RE CREATED ON

Shirle Gottlieb
Special to the Press-Telegram

With a mundane title like "Works on Paper," you'd never guess how much excitement is engendered by the current exhibit at Long Beach Arts. In fact, 270 entries were submitted from all over the country, but juror Ruth Weisberg, the dean of fine arts at the Unviersity of Southern California, only picked 40 select pieces to be in the show.

First place was awarded to Joanne Aloni-Bolden for "Day Dream of the Sea," a bold, dramatic pastel rendering of two huge rock formations that jut from the sea and sparkle in the sunshine, with mirror images reflected in the shimmering water that surrounds them.

Clane Graves walked away with second place for "Trans/Formation No. 2," an eight-foot, horizontal ink and watercolor drawing that is a mind-boggling brain twister. Composed in three parts, its abstract patterns suggest the pathways of electronic signals that bounce and ricochet around the globe in our computerized age.

With a loose, lyrical contrasting style, Marc Leone won third place for "Crater #57," a mysterious black/gray work that resembles the imagery of some outer space crater as viewed through a telescopic lens.

"WORKS ON PAPER EXHIBITION" Where:Long Beach Arts, 245 W. Broadway, Long Beach When: Noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; through Nov. 5 Admission: Free Information:(562) 435-5995 www.long-beach-arts.org

Weisberg also awarded three honorable mentions: "Weight," Rebecca Zeiss' long parchment scroll that hangs from the ceiling covered with drawings of old-fashioned scales; "Rita With a Knife No. 1," Donna A. Kam's pastel drawing of a nude female crouching against a vast background of negative white space; and "Recent Rain," Marguerite Hossler's small, poetic, photograph-digital print that captures the muted reflections of a crisp, clear landscape.

There's a wide variety of photography in this exhibit. You won't want to miss Micka'ele Schilling's poignant pink impression of women's clothes hanging on the line in some inner-city back alley; Margaret Burnett's stunning black and white still life of five "Cups"; or David Lanner's provocative scene of a "Black Coyote" rooting around tombstones in a cemetery.

In "Self Portrait at 50," Monica Gazzo documents her life in a photomontage that captures her appearance from birth to the present. Sharon McNeil draws a conte crayon portrait of Sappho the ancient poet, then superimposes it with fragments of Greek poetry. And in "Breathless," Elizabeth Patterson presents her pastel impression of a couple embracing under rippling patterns of sunlit water.

Leone Lee composed a sculpture of tiny Chinese slippers, "Treading on Our Dream," out of rice paper and wax. At first glance, the pair is delicate to behold, but a close inspection reveals that the red/white/blue shoes are lined with sharp nails. A powerful message is imparted by this visual metaphor.

Also thought-provoking is Jim Quinnam's prophetic work, "The Fall No. 3." Composed of brittle bones, stones, roots and rotting debris, it evokes a grave or the remains of some forgotten civilization.

Save time to stop and study Victoria Goro-Rapoport's stunning etching of "The Gate," which is full of enchanting mythological references. In the center of the composition is a monumental structure reminiscent of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Roman Coliseum. Birds of prey are viciously attacking doves of peace in the sky around the building's tall spires, while a gate leading inside its fractured ruins reveals a peaceful kingdom surrounded by pure white light —- all of it executed with great skill and dexterity.

— Shirle Gottlieb is a Long Beach freelance writer.