September 5, "Neofolk" by Anne Faith Nicholls, La Luz de Jesus Gallery September 5, 2008

LA LUZ DE JESUS GALLERY
4633 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-666-7667 Fax: 323-663-0243

Anne Faith Nicholls
NEOFOLK.

Sept. 5 – Sept. 28, 2008
Artist Reception: Friday, Sept. 5, 8 – 11 pm
www.laluzdejesus.com
Online press release with images:
http://leejosephpublicity.com/show/annefaithnicholls

“Neofolk” is a new kind of folk art inspired by the narrative paintings of early colonial American and European folk art and the subconscious roots of Surrealism. “Neofolk” is the perfect way to describe multi-talented artist Anne Faith Nicholls’ current style. ”I like the way folk artists used paintings as a way to chronicle their day to day lives. So now, I am doing the same with my new experience in Los Angeles. It's about change, relocation, growth, uncertainty, emotion, fear, love and perseverance. The show is unapologetically autobiographical and a great opportunity for a collector to obtain a deeply personal work,” states Nicholls, whose story is as colorful and unique as her art.

Nicholls’ life began in the provincial setting of Victoria, British Columbia in 1979 where she was born with a backwards heart. After open-heart surgery, she moved with her mother to Seattle where she was raised an only child. Nicholls credits these early experiences, as well as her upbringing, as the foundation and fuel that transformed her affinity for art into a necessity for expression. Themes of uncertainty, loneliness, urban chaos, flight, relocation, decay and growth can be identified by recurring images, symbolism, and characters within all of Nicholls’ work. Her highly personal messages are delivered in a whimsical, untraditional and often experimental painting style. Using a broad range of materials on each and every work, Nicholls often paints, sculpts, builds, designs and illustrates intuitively, allowing ideas to take form while in progress. Each one of her gallery exhibitions has featured site-specific installations relating back to her paintings. An avid antiques collector, animal lover, and art history junkie, she finds her inspiration in salvage yards, on walks in the city, and on walls of museums.

“Neofolk” consists of oil and acrylic paintings, drawings, installation and sculpture. The artist uses distressed wood and canvas for an antiquated look and feel that is part of her signature style. Drawings and supportive imagery will also be on display along with an installation that will give some insight to her creative process. Each work, true to her illustration background, has a story or mystery to it. Like a dreamscape, several different scenes appear to happen concurrently within one piece. Heavy with mood, her work is emotional and symbolic with her signature characters and imagery. “This will be my first major solo show in the Los Angeles area and I am excited to win over my new hometown. My goal is to make each and every work a lovely collector's piece, with its own unique story that someone can relate to personally and hopefully pass down to loved ones in years to come, like a family heirloom,” states Nicholls.

http://www.annefaithnicholls.com

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La Luz de Jesus is located at the Soap Plant/Wacko building, in Los Feliz at 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Gallery hours are Monday – Wednesday: 11am – 7pm, Thursday – Saturday: 11am – 9pm and Sunday 12-6pm. For high resolution jpegs, interview requests and more information contact: Lee Joseph Publicity, 359 E. Magnolia, Suite F., Burbank, CA 91502, [email protected], p (818) 848-2698 f (818) 848-2699.

Official Website: http://laluzdejesus.com