STREET WISE — ASHLEIGH SUMNER
FEBRUARY 2–26 · 2012
OPENING RECEPTION: FEBRUARY 2 · 5–8 PM

ARTAMO GALLERY proudly presents Ashleigh Sumner and her newest work in a solo exhibition, a first in Santa Barbara. Ashleigh Sumner is a Los Angeles based actress and artist, originally from North Carolina.

As an actor, Sumner has appeared in popular television drama shows has starred in the comedy movie “And Then Came Lola”, a loose remake of the classic German film “Run Lola Run”.

As an artist, she makes the most amazing paintings — comparable to an explosion on canvas. Sumner gravitates toward the Abstract Expressionists of the 60’s. She says, her paintings are inspired by urban environments. The lines, frenetic energy, and movement of a metropolis are inspiring. The raw, gritty textures of industrial areas are oddly beautiful to her, and she tries to capture this essence in her work. In part, this is why she chose the industrial area of downtown Los Angeles as location for her studio.

In her early days as an artist, her goal was to create controlled work as close to realism as possible. Now when she paints, she has an explosive emotional experience. She expresses her way through the canvas. The canvas or wood panel in front of her represents a kind of intimate confrontation that manifests itself in a “flurry or action painting” that can feel angry, joyful, or sorrowful. The process feels like a fight or exuberant dance; an entangled, raw back and forth.

During this evolution, Sumner abandoned her brushes and began working with palette knives. This technique helped capture the rough texture and energy in the abstract urban landscapes she was creating.

In her latest work, she has started integrating collage, often with a strong Asian influence. This work has begun to reflect her personal and spiritual journey with eastern philosophy. And she began incorporating text through a stenciling technique that has a rough “street art” feel. — A raw, truthful, abstract representation of her emotional existence.

Downloadable images for publication (300 dpi cmyk) double-click on images Ashleigh Sumner Revolution mixed media, resin finish on panel, 48" x 36" Ashleigh Sumner Torn Buddhas mixed media, resin finish on panel, 48" x 36" Ashleigh Sumner Satori mixed media, resin finish on panel, 48" x 36" Ashleigh Sumner Home mixed media, resin finish on panel, 48" x 36" Ashleigh Sumner War & Peace mixed media, resin finish on panel, 36" x 24" Ashleigh Sumner Paris, Day One mixed media, resin finish on panel, 24" x 24" Ashleigh Sumner Revolution mixed media, resin finish on panel, 48" x 36" Ashleigh Sumner The 4 As mixed media, resin finish on panel, 59" x 36"