Kevork_Cholakian_Tim

Tim Anderson, Phoenicia, 2009, 46" x 46", oil on canvas

Kevork Cholakian, Organic Apples, 2004, 48" x 48", oil on plywood

Kevork Cholakian’s second exhibition at Lawrence Asher realizes another dramatic step in this accomplished painter’s series of contemporary still-lifes. These precise, richly crafted scenes provide clear narrative on the essence of color through the clarity of light. More specifically, it is the tastes, smells and emotions of the seasons that guide us through these sensual allegories.

Tim Anderson employs metaphor and nautical reference to present a profound collection of masterfully-realized paintings on the lessons and richness of life’s travels. This Chicago painter and student of life changes tack with this new series as he continues to unveil more of life’s secrets.

Please join us for the opening reception of these two exceptional solo shows on Saturday, May 30th, 2009, 6 – 10 pm.

Lawrence Asher Gallery is located at 5820 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, across the street from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and adjacent to the Craft and Folk Art Museum. Free parking is available on Wilshire Blvd. and behind 5858 Wilshire Boulevard. Enter on Stanley Ave. For more information, please call 323.935.9100

Tim Anderson - Squared away is a nautical term to describe when yards are held rigidly perpendicular to their masts and parallel to the deck. This is rarely the best trim of the yards for efficiency but makes a pretty sight for inspections and in harbor. The term is applied to situations and to people figuratively to mean that all difficulties have been resolved or that the person is performing well and is mentally and physically prepared.

Tim Anderson lives and works in Chicago. Born in 1954, he has exhibited continuously since 1978 in Chicago and internationally. Anderson is one of the founders of “The Coldhouse Group” that, in 1987, initiated a new and successful exhibition concept by using abandoned cold storage warehouses and rail terminals slated for demolition as temporary exhibition halls. These shows led to an international exchange of art and artists. In 1989, he started exhibiting his paintings in Europe and continues to do so in Edinburgh, Moscow, Munich, Regensburg, Krakow, Wolfenbuttel, Italy, and Paris. From these travels, Anderson has researched and referenced portraiture as his subject matter. The consummate skill and painterly finesse he brings to these works elevate his themes to those that encompass man’s confrontation with humanity.

Kevork Cholakian - The paintings in this series are an exploration of color inspired by the four seasons. Every season conveys a particular mood reflected through light and color. There is an emotional connection engrained in our senses as the changing light marks the passage of time. In the series of paintings titled “Transitions”, “Winter”, “Spring”, “Summer”, “Fall” the seasons are represented by vertical bars of color arranged almost like a barcode for each season. When each of the four panels are viewed together they span the full color spectrum. Whether a series or a single painting, each work is a celebration of seasonal change. ~ K.C., 2009

Kevork Cholakian was born in 1955 and raised in the Bronx. His interest in art began at a young age, and he excelled in school art programs. At 15, he enrolled in weekend painting classes at the Art Students League. The school influenced him strongly to continue his art education which he pursued The High School of Music and Art. Developing a strong interest in printmaking, he received many achievement awards as well as a partial scholarship to Pratt Institute where he majored in printmaking and graphic design. During his junior year, he took a summer job at CBS-TV as a graphic designer for news broadcasts. A year later he was offered a permanent position. Kevork went on to win many design awards for his work in broadcast graphic design and animation. His interest in fine art always played a strong role. He later moved to ABC where he became creative director for ABC News. It is during this period in 1989 that Kevork began painting. The Dutch masters and American still life painter James Peale influenced him heavily. Within a year he was exhibiting and selling his work. In 1996, he accepted a new position as Creative Director of Design for ABC Entertainment in Los Angeles. The demands of his new position made it difficult to keep pace with the demands of painting, but within a few years, Kevork rebuilt his garage into a studio and began painting again. His work took on new proportions, larger in scale and bolder in color than the small traditional still lifes he had painted previously in New York. His work continues to evolve and change.