Exhibit: Against the Grain March 2, 2007

"Against the Grain," an exhibition of woodcuts by Anthony Lazorko in the Directors Gallery of the Las Cruces Museum of Art, will open on Friday, March 2, with a reception for the artist from 5 7 p.m. Spanning a 50 year career of printmaking, the exhibit depicts the American experience and focuses on beauty found in the ordinary. The show will run through Saturday, April 28. All Museum exhibits, programs and receptions are accessible and free of charge.

Anthony Lazorko resides and shares a studio in Mesilla, NM with his artist wife, Marguerite Biddle. He was employed as Art Director of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before retiring to New Mexico in 2000. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA, he exhibited briefly in the 1960s, but worked primarily as a commercial artist. He returned to fine art printmaking when he moved here. Recent exhibitions are numerous, including the 90th Anniversary Show, Society of American Graphic Artists, 2006; Originals 06, MallGalleries, London, England; the 28th Annual Paper in Particular National Exhibition, Columbia College, MO; Boston Printmakers 2007, North American Biennial; and Small Says It All, The Foundry Gallery, Washington, D.C. Galleries that represent his work include Joe Wade Fine Art, Santa Fe., NM.

Lazorko says, "Ive always had a keen interest in American art and in defining that durable quality that we all can connect with. From something that is very every day' to something more fleeting, I hope to make visual images that offer an iconic connection and to push the limits of wood grain." The exhibit includes familiar images of Americana. Among them are "Eat-Rite at Nite," the beacon light 24-7 for travelers on Americas byways, and "Truckin' at Sunset," another image witnessed close to home, as products and raw materials are transported on I-70 from unknown origins to unknown destinations. Using several blocks and a limited color pallet, Lazorko graphically shows us cross-country America.

The museums Main Gallery will continue "North & South of the Border" through Saturday, April 7, followed by the annual Las Cruces High Schools Seniors Exhibition from Friday, April 20 Saturday, April 28. The Las Cruces Museum of Art is located at 491 N. Main St. For information about exhibits, programs and Museum Studio classes, call 505-541-2137 or visit the website: museums.las-cruces.org.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of lcms.