In late 2005, artist C. Lynn Tegenfeldt, in need of a change of scenery went to Hawaii for Christmas. It was a decision that would change both her inner and outer life and eventually find expression through paint on canvas.
Her “Island Life” exhibition, currently on display at Sea Breeze Gallery reflects her connection to the Hawaiian landscape and the common objects she found there. Tegenfeldt’s use of bold color and atypical perspective offers a refreshing interpretation of the multidimensional aspects of nature. “I was trying to bring out the shimmery essence that catches our eye just below the surface,” she said, “and to get back to a more primitive way of seeing and deconstructing objects,” at a microcosmic level.
Tegenfeldt opened her show, which runs through July 21, with a splash as local art luminaries poured into the ample gallery/studio complex to view her work.
The exhibition features an interactive wall that Tegenfeldt conceived while hanging small paintings. The wall is furnished with moveable pegs and small square or long rectangular blocks of painted canvas. By rearranging the pegs, visitors may arrange the blocks in an endless variety of configurations. The wall was a way for Tegenfeldt to go outside the box and take the viewer with her. “There is also the idea of having a viewer connect to the paintings by touching them and moving them, to build a physical relationship,” she explained.
With an almost hyperawareness of her surroundings, Tegenfeldt experiences and paints the subtleties of her environment: "Leaves dancing in the light, the patterns on the kitchen wall."
Open for just more than a year, Sea Breeze Gallery is becoming a powerful presence in downtown Ventura’s art scene. More than 10 artists occupy studio space there forming a vibrant, supportive community.
Following Tegenfeldt’s show, resident artist Stacie Logue will open her installation honoring the planet titled,”Go Zero: The Quick Way to Offset your Carbon Dioxide Footprint.”
Sea Breeze Gallery hours are: Fri.-Sat. 12-5:30 p.m. and by appointment. 643-3973.