Events

Poetic and captivating narratives weave in and out of wide-eyed women, plucked from modern day fairy tales, at Thumbprint Gallery’s most recent exhibition. The show titled “Once Upon A Time” presents eye-catching works by L.A. artists Mimi Yoon and John Park, opening June 9, 2012. Mimi Yoon’s artwork draws the viewer into her own in-between world where nude women stare out, yearning for our attention. Yoon’s images expose a talent for poetic painting which leads us into her wandering imagination, also reflected in her biographical poems, “I’m a gentle rabbit / restless inside, a fire breathing dragon.” Personal reflection is evident in her work, which often features beautiful women caught in the artist’s profound story telling. According to the artist, these “beautiful faces are simply the instruments I use to allure my audience with.” It is an entrancing tool to draw us into the darker underworld of Yoon’s imagination. Mimi Yoon studied illustration at Otis/Parsons, art center college of design, and earned a BFA in graphic design from California State University, Long Beach. As a freelance graphic designer, she won several design awards, including on win HOW magazine, and has been featured in top art/design publications, such as Bluecanvas and Juxtapoz. She started to paint for herself in 2007 and has since exhibited nationally and internationally, alongside founding and teaching at Artis Art Academy. Artist John Park’s images build new realms where human-like beings almost jump out from the canvas wrapped in a swirling vortex of color. His technique combines the structure of cubist works with the vision of surrealist expression. He uses geometric shapes to form a lively background and forms futuristic grey figures with multiple eyes caught in motion. His body of work effortlessly synthesizes his classical painting background with the more urban aesthetic of the new contemporary art movement. John Park is an artist and teacher based in Venice, CA. He received his training from the Rhode Island School of Design where he studied classical painting, sculpture, and anatomy. Park’s skill is evident in his live painting sessions at numerous public events, where he creates a work form start to finish in one evening. “Once Upon A Time: New Works by Mimi Yoon and John Park,” opens on June 9, from 5pm until 10pm. The exhibition is on show at Thumbprint Gallery until July 8, 2012. Thumbprint Gallery is located at 920 Kline Street 104, La Jolla, San Diego. There is no dress code and no cover. All ages are welcome.