45th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show

45th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show

 45th Annual MULTI MEDIA MINI SHOW

 Variety in Mini Art!

Come see the winners of the competition… over  $ 3000 in cash and product awards in addition to the purchases by our Award Patrons who pledged to buy art even before the show was up!

The 45th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show, sponsored by the Redlands Art Association, will be open through 27, 2014 at the Gallery & Art Center, downtown Redlands.  Jurist Thom Wright from Huntington Beach, has chosen his favorite150 pieces from those entered; pieces that make you say, “hmmm” and pieces that make you say, “Wow!”.

 Jurist Thom Wright has combined his passions for art and engineering, and his two practices benefited from each other.  After graduating with a BA & MA in mathematics from UCLA and CSULA, he began a career in aerospace.  While working in advanced space systems and technologies development, he began taking art and art history courses at local community colleges.  He began selling his art and successfully entering competitive shows in 1978.

His interest initially centered in abstract landscape and figurative painting, influenced both by 20th century European modernists and American expressionists. By 1986 his subject matter moved toward contemporary issues, including technology, geopolitics, and the global environment.  His abstract painting style also migrated towards inclusion of industrial materials, found objects, and mixed media.

Desiring to improve his skills, theory and knowledge in art, he took early retirement and by 2006 completed the MFA program in Drawing and Painting at California State University, Long Beach.   A gallery of his paintings can be seen on his website, www.thomwrightart.com.

The Multi-Media Mini Show is unique to Redlands Art Association.  What makes it different from other exhibits is that artists working in a multiple of media can enter their art in a juried exhibit.  For example, artists can submit photography, digital (computer) work, jewelry, fiber art, drawings, glass, sculptures in wood- stone- and metal… many media that don’t offer a juried competition.   The limitation of the art piece to 14.5″ including base or frame is the challenge.  Naturally, its success has spawned similar shows, however, the MMM Show is still the only one of this scale in Southern California.

 Submitted by: Sandy Davies