Female Artists Of The 1970s Featured At The Muckenthaler

FULLERTON, CALIF. — “Defining Ourselves: A Matriarchy of Artists” is an exhibition with a selection of paintings by Los Angeles women artists of the 1970s and beyond. Curated by artist Margaret Garcia, the show examines the emergence of female artists who helped define many different styles during this period. The show will open at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center on Thursday, September 1, at 6:30 pm and is free to the public. Zara Gomez will be making an ephemeral sand painting during the opening reception of the exhibition.

The show features Gomez, Leigh Adams, Sandra Cornejo, Lynne Dwyer, Kikki Eder, June Edmonds, Cathy Garcia, Margaret Garcia, Amy Inouye, Bonnie Lambert, Heather McLarty, Sybil McMiller, Marylucille Nuñez, Ester Petschar, Marcie Swet and Suzanne Delacruz Urquiza.

Kikki Eder, “Last Embrace,” 2011, oil on canvas, 18 by 24 inches.

García studied at California State University, Northridge, Los Angeles City College, and the University of Southern California, where she received her master of fine arts degree in 1992. Her work has been exhibited in group shows throughout southern California as well as in Texas and Mexico. García teaches and lectures extensively on art in different cultures.

She has said that her work “provides a look at [her] community through the presence of the individual.” Although she does not consider her portraits overtly political or even socially conscious, in time she has come to realize that their very specificity belies the stereotypes given to any one culture by the media. In curating her show, she sought out women who she saw as women in Los Angeles who were improving the community through their art. The women in her show are of Chicano, Hispanic, El Salvadorian, Mexican backgrounds and use different mediums. McLarty is a blacksmith, someone who manipulates steel and molds it into a desired shape. Gomez makes ephemeral sand paintings, and Adams is a glasswork artist.

The show will remain on view until October 17.

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center is at 1201 West Malvern Avenue. For information, 714-738-6595 or www.themuck.org.