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Sarah Valdez Ocampo < Back Fighting Against Weakness (A slightly dying) Zebra Haworthia By Sarah Valdez Ocampo Somewhere I can no longer remember, the warm breeze, the warm sun, and the feeling of being wanted and not forgotten. A disappointment is what I’ve realized I have become. Never the glowing green color desired but the dull, miserable brown. Weakness, though my rough texture is still intact, the want and need to break and fall apart will remain inside—momentary things such as the sun, a warm glowing light that brings me a moment of happiness. The desert or so-called home has brought many emotions, never quite sad but never fully happy, a hint of anger suppressed enough to the point where it becomes numb for a second before feeling the weakness hit once again. I am not fully myself, I resemble others, yet I am entirely alone. A single stem that has been separated and taken. However, I have not realized if my growth has stopped due to not being cared for or if I am just born this way—another singular disappointment. There are moments when I feel cared for, even if it’s just water being poured into my uncomfortable and dry soil or being brought inside to feel the heat and joy of others. When I have been placed back outside, I weakly sense the bipolar weather of this peculiar area. One moment it is hot, and the sun shines so brightly that I think it could be a fantastic day, but that feeling rapidly comes crashing down when the clouds cover up the warm light, and the coldness begins to strike, making me once again discouraged. The summer is what I long for, though I am not sure I can make it till then. I long for the heat that reminds me of home, a lapse of memory. I need the warm breeze and the attention I will receive as soon as I’ve been noticed. I want to regain my bright green color, I want to remain happy, and I want to feel loved and wanted. Sometimes it’s okay not to feel okay. Previous Next

Emily Schneider < Back The White Rose and I By Emily Schneider Are we alike? I am not sure. Am I innocent and pure? Am I thoughtful and charming too? Do I have thorns that can do harm to you? I believe this varies from the others point of view, For some see me like this, and others say it’s not true. I like to smell like a rose, in a way, I use my perfume that’s called Rose every day. And just like a rose I grew pretty tall, With 5’7 I am really not small. And just like the rose I am not very loud, I am rather shy, but I do like a crowd. I enjoy being surrounded by family and friends, And I like to stay at a party until it ends. The sight of a rose evokes positive emotions in me, It makes me feel happy and peaceful and free. Optimism refueled, half full is my glass, I could watch them for hours and sit in the grass. It also awakens my romantic side, I might say, It reminds me of Romeo and Juliet, the play. Like a rose goes slowly from buds than to bloom, I grew from infant to teenager, and will become an adult soon. To grow the rose needs water, fertilizer and sun, Just like I need water, food, love and fun. If not well taken care of, it will not last very long, Just like with more support I can get very strong. The rose will more and more wither with time, And so will I as I get old after my prime. The beauty will fade and soon it will die, I hope it takes long until my final goodbye. So are we alike? I think in a few ways. It’s up to you to decide if you believe what it says. The white rose is as beautiful flower to be, And I am honored to compare it to me. Previous Next

Brooke Jurgenson < Back ROSE By Brooke Jurgenson Seed. Secured beneath the soil, Spreading of thy roots. Stuck in a choking coil, With nowhere to offshoot. Sprout. Suddenly struck by the light, Suffering from the air’s embrace, She climbs till night, Yearning for the roots’ embrace. Shoot. Surrounded by the foreboding trees, Sensing the futility of life, Suppressing her urge to freeze Amidst the winter strife. Thorn. Trapped in this withered existence, There is no other choice but to fight. There is no other choice but resistance, For she must survive the brutal winter night. Rose. Rising above the pain of the past, Releasing the rouge of the future, Rejoicing in life at last, She is forever flourishing. Previous Next

Alayna Boyd < Back The Fiddleneck in Me By Alayna Boyd Stand up tall and stay thin, or you'll be just another weed. Little do they know, I am lacking nutrients. Bend over backwards to make everyone happy, or you'll be just another weed. But they don't see that this depletes my joy. Dust off your long, thin leaves to always look your best or you'll be just another weed. I yearn for a day that my natural beauty is considered beautiful. Always make sure your flowers are blooming and vibrant or God forbid, I'm just another weed. I waste hours of my life looking my best to satisfy the unsatisfiable. Stay in your pretty little group with your pretty little friends or God forbid, I'm just another weed. Can't I pick my own friends? What if I want them to look different than me? Be popular, be an influence, make sure others want to be just like you or God forbid, I'm just another weed. I hate that I spread the seed of the societal norms because in my little sister's shiny leaves, I see a reflection of who everyone wants me to be. Just because it's winter, doesn't mean you should let yourself go I know, I know, I’ll be just another weed. Sometimes, I just need a break. Don't let anybody get too close, always wear your armor I know, I know, I’ll be just another weed. Would it really be so bad that I have one true friend that was always there for me? Do not be fooled into thinking that you would be accepted if you looked different I know, I know, I’ll be just another weed. Why can't what's on the inside be worth more than my wilting outer appearance? All of these expectations are weighing down on me. I stand with my group of beautiful flowers, and while everyone is jealous of us, I envy being weed. Previous Next

Elyse PignoletHystericalPrimarily working in ceramics, artist Elyse Pignolet has been inspired by and dealt with various themes including political and social issues, the dialectic between feminism and misogyny, and cultural stereotypes. Often projects reflect the urban environment from where she lives and works. < Back Elyse Pignolet, No Gods, No Masters, Installation (wall) Elyse Pignolet, No Gods, No Masters, Mural Elyse Pignolet, No Gods, No Masters, Installation (wall) 1/2 Elyse Pignolet Hysterical Primarily working in ceramics, artist Elyse Pignolet has been inspired by and dealt with various themes including political and social issues, the dialectic between feminism and misogyny, and cultural stereotypes. Often projects reflect the urban environment from where she lives and works. Pignolet relates the traditions and permanence of ceramics to the turbulent and dynamic nature of the contemporary world. Her works span from individual sculptures to more intricate installations and public murals. While rooted in traditional aesthetics, Pignolet’s ceramic works subvert the typical expectations of the medium. Blue and white pottery typically associated with the events and narratives of a bygone era tell the stories of a more current time. The decorative floral and vine motifs that are accustomed to adorning these vessels mingle with text and images that are politically confrontational and unapologetic. Pignolet fuses ornamentation with declaration, calling attention to the many social issues that society faces today. Previous Next

< Back Brad Miller Brad Miller’s work draws inspiration from the fractal patterns of the physical world, which have been transformed into symbolic motifs across cultures for thousands of years. Miller’s practice explores archetypal patterns such as spirals, close-packing forms, and dendritic systems. The spontaneous fractal patterns that form in the physical world have always captured artist Brad Miller’s attention. Over time, he noticed that for thousands of years, several of these patterns have been internalized and transformed by people worldwide into content-laden symbols. One ever-present example is the variations of stylized spirals. They are seen on many objects throughout history: a Mimbres pot, Celtic tombstones, Van Gogh’s Starry Night and 5,000-year-old Chinese pots from Majiayao. With today’s technologies pushing the limits of seeing into and out to the edges of the universe, these familiar patterns constantly reappear. In his artistic practice, Miller explores several of these archetypal patterns, including spirals, close-packing patterns, and dendritic systems. Using diverse materials and processes including silver-gelatin photograms, pyrographic drawing, and ceramics, Miller infuses his work with these timeless and familiar patterns, as they dance between order and chaos. Previous Next

< Back Debra Scacco Misplaced Rain Artist and curator, Debra Scacco, questions how value is prioritized. Common threads of mapping and storytelling are present throughout her artistic practice. Working closely with cartographers, historians, activists, and scientists, Scacco studies the lines that direct everyday life, including boundaries drawn by policy, infrastructure, and societal perception. Debra Scacco’s research-based practice spans the creation of studio works, installations, public art, curating, teaching, writing, community engagement and oral history. She is dedicated to lateralizing knowledge to challenge hierarchies and historic structures of power. Rooted in her own experiences of immigration, Scacco re-envisions the visible and invisible lines that seek to establish boundaries of access and understanding. Previous Next

back to list Jaune Jaune is one part satirist and another part artist, utilizing tiny uniformed garbage men and construction workers to advocate for more social awareness. Hailing from Belgium, Jaune paints and constructs little worlds of chaos and disruption, via layered stencils, for his army of workers in little yellow reflective vests to run amok. He creates beauty out of the mundane and wields creativity as a powerful tool for making the best out of the worst.

< Back Stevie Love Featured Structure Artist Challenging herself to explore and adopt new art forms, contemporary artist Stevie Love has expanded her creative practice by taking on the role of adobe builder. In 2001, after attending a four-day workshop at Southwest Solar Adobe School in Bosque, New Mexico, Love and her husband Dr. Bruce Love decided to build their very own adobe house in Juniper Hills, California overlooking the Mojave Desert. Architecturally, the concept of an adobe house is an ancient building technique common amongst historic civilizations in the Americas and the Middle East. The term “adobe” is Spanish for mudbrick or Arabic for brick. Honoring the traditional techniques of adobe building, Love and a small crew hand-sculpted each brick and structural element of her adobe home. Throughout the seven years Love constructed her adobe home, she photo-documented the turbulent yet immersive experience constructing the home, as photographs displayed in this exhibition. From laying the foundation to picking tiles, the Loves put in a great amount of research and effort in building an authentic yet personalized adobe house. When building the foundation, walls and overall base structure of their adobe dream home, Love committed to only using materials within walking distance from the building site. Love also made sure to align the structural orientations of the house with the Earth and sky axis, taking the seasons into account just as the first adobe builders once did. Furthermore, throughout the Love house, one finds design components from a diverse and international pool of influences. For instance, the threshold to enter the structure is fashioned with ancient wooden doors from India. As visitors cross the entryway, they are met with an alcove (a small nook or cut-out in the wall), the Loves decorated with saints and angels to protect all who enter the home. In the master and guest bath one finds Japanese and coin tiles, fossils, and Chinese half-boulder sinks. In the Loves adobe residence, the list of obscure decor goes on — every cranny, cabinet, and doorway in-between tells a unique story. Outside of hand-building her own adobe home, Stevie Love is well known for her self-declared addiction to acrylic paint and its ability to create autonomous forms. She is widely recognized for her paint-sculpture hybrids, inspired by intense energy, nature, visual culture, and open experimentation. Love earned her Bachelor of Fine Art degree from California State University, San Bernardino and her Master of Fine Art degree from Claremont Graduate University. Her work has been featured in private and public spaces across the United States, Asia, and Europe and can be found in the permanent collections of the Lancaster Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA, and the Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA. Previous Next

2018 < View Public Art Projects Guy Dill Roundabout 2018 Permanent Art Project

Up Empty Vessel Excerpts Amir Zaki Amir Zaki is a photographer interested in the rhetoric of authenticity. Although Zaki’s use of hybridized photography tows the line between reality and the abstract, his documentary style ensures the viewer’s trust in the piece remains intact. His subject matter revolves around the architectural and organic California landscape, mainly the idea that California is symbolic of a metaphorical collage of styles and ideas. Empty Vessels explores the vacant landscapes of California skateparks and juxtaposes these images with still lifes of broken, ceramic containers. Using a DSLR and a motorized GigaPan tripod, each photo taken is a composite of a dozen or several dozen photos that he combines. The result is a hyper-realistic rendering of the space which seeks to explore the stillness and isolation of these places, inviting the viewer to contemplate their existence within these spaces. The visual comparison seeks to highlight the malleability of these structures with the undulating rigidity of the barren, concrete landscapes. What was once seen as static, cold and banal transforms into a magnificent display of movement and meditative contemplation. Amir Zaki received his Master of Fine Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1999. Zaki has been featured in over 30 solo exhibitions at institutions and galleries including the Mak Center Schindler House, the Doyle Arts Pavilion, the Dalian Modern Museum in China, ACME Gallery, Perry Rubenstein Gallery, James Harris Gallery, Edward Cella Art & Architecture, and Roberts Projects. He has been included in over 50 group exhibitions in significant venues including The California Biennial: 2006 at the Orange County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, Andreas Grimm Gallery in Munich, Germany, Harris Lieberman Gallery in New York, Flag Art Foundation in New York, Western Bridge in Seattle, Shane Campbell Gallery in Chicago, the California Museum of Photography, Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Nevada Museum of Art. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Riverside. January 23 – May 9, 2021 Back to list

Aerial View of Lancaster Airport Aerial View of the Lancaster Airport Lancaster Airport (aerial) Lancaster Airport (aerial) 1/1 Aerial View of the Lancaster Airport, c. 1942 Photographic Print 2012.999.53 MOAH Permanent Collection Gift of Edwards Air Force Base (AFFTC-HO) Scan the QR Code for more information Aerial View of Lancaster Airport