Lola is a self-taught visual artist who lives and works in the Bay Area, CA. Born in Queens, New York, she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, NY with a degree in Culinary Arts and Syracuse University, NY with a degree in Humanities. Lola is a contemporary artist best known for her intensely vibrant abstractions.
Her previous work was an exploration of layered forms and bright hues, with compositions that elicit joy. With each body of work, there is an evolution.
Her new series, Quiet Places, deconstructs the former style. Instead of a multitude of stacked shapes, the forms are simpler and the colors more subdued. The compositions are tied together by the use of a shadowy overlay. Quiet Places invites the viewer to embrace feelings of serenity and tranquility. A common philosophy she consistently adheres to is the desire to evoke positive feelings through the use of color. Lola has always used tinted resin for this purpose. Resin has a high gloss finish, and when combined with rich pigments, the medium harmoniously captures her vision. Lola works on a raised horizontal plane, allowing the resin to spill over and collect into drips. The drips have become signature to her work.
Each finished piece goes beyond the intended composition. When looking at the sides, the viewer is pleasantly surprised by the gravity-defying drips. Not only do the drips offer a unique frame, but they also reveal a secret where one can almost discern which color was poured first. This element furthers her commitment to create work that inspires "all around" good feelings.
Artist's Statement
I manipulate tinted epoxy resin to create abstract art. I begin each piece by choosing the colors, which reflect a feeling but can also impact my emotional state. As I pour, a form begins to appear on the surface, and a dialogue starts. These forms are similar to characters in a play. They speak to me and guide me to create their shape. Eventually, they interact and engage with one another. There is an unspoken language between them, one I cannot hear but instead feel. The language has an emotional value that taps into a different part of our brain. The challenge in creating this type of abstraction is leaving the emotion undefined. With each artwork, my intent is to create an experience. I allow the viewer to think, feel, and find their unique significant meaning.
Curriculum Vitae
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Quiet Places, GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM 2019 Against The Grain, Long View Gallery, Washington DC 2018 Hunter’s Point Navy Shipyard, San Francisco, CA2017 SFMOMA Artist Gallery, San Francisco, CA2013 What Is What, District, Oakland, CA2012 Painted And Poured, Nieto Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 Day Trip, Slate Contemporary, Oakland CA 2020 The de Young Open, The de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA2019 4 Squared, Alumni, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA 48 Pillars, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA Art For AIDS Live Auction, San Francisco, CA Root Division Auction, San Francisco, CA SJICA Live Auction, San Jose, CA Artspan Live Auction, San Francisco, CA2018 The Edge, Slate Contemporary, Oakland, CA Artspan Startup Art Fair, San Francisco, CA Refresh, Long View Gallery, Washington DC Four Squared, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA Art for AIDS Live Auction, San Francisco, CA Artspan, San Francisco, CA SJICA Live Auction, San Jose, CA2017 Modernism, Slate Contemporary, Oakland, CA Summer Of Love, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA2016 Off The Wall, Slate Contemporary, Oakland, CA Art Market, Slate Contemporary, San Francisco, CA
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Google, Sunnyvale, CA Google, Austin, TX Stanford Medical Center, Emeryville, CA Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA Dolores Park, San Francisco, CA Precita Park, San Francisco, CA PUBLICATIONS Studio Visit Magazine, Fall Issue, 2018 Featured Artist, Summer Catalogue, Studio EL, 2016 Featured Artist, Fall Catalogue, Studio EL, 2015 Painted and Poured, Nieto Fine Art, Art Business, 2012 Eye On the Bay, San Francisco Design Center, 2009
EDUCATION
1987-1991 Syracuse University, Bachelor Of Fine Arts 1992-1994 Culinary Institute Of America, Bachelor Of Culinary Arts