FIRST THURSDAY

Amy Sol spent her childhood years in Korea then moved to Las Vegas, NV where she currently lives and works. When asked why she chooses to live in this city, she states, "I live on the outskirts of town practically in the desert. Its very quiet and simple here. This environment is very conducive for creating and daydreaming." Though the style of her work is greatly influenced by a combination of manga, folk-art, vintage illustration and modern design, she remains a self taught artist. She has dedicated many years of her life mixing pigments and mediums to achieve a unique color pallet of subtly muted tones. The artist works intuitively from the beginning to end of each piece, with the intent that each painting's theme or message can be interpreted subjectively. Within these delicate works, you may often find whimsical landscapes populated with exotic plants, animals and females... Amongst the expressions of eachcharacter, notions of peaceful reflection and a sense of companionship is shared.

The themes in Audrey Kawasaki's wildly popular art are contradictions within themselves. Her work is innocent and erotic. Each subject is attractive, yet disturbing. Audrey's precise yet fluid technical style is influenced by both Manga comics, and Art Nouveau at the same time. Her sharp graphic imagery is combined with the natural grain of the wood panels she paints on, bringing an unexpected warmth to enigmatic subject matter. The figures she paints are seductive and contain an air of melancholy, and exist in their own sensually esoteric realm, yet at the same time present a sense of accessibility that draws the observer to them. These mysterious and elusive young women captivate with the direct stare of their bedroom eyes.

Mari Inukai was born in Nagoya, Japan. In 1995, along with her daughter, Sena, Mari came to the US to pursue her studies in Art. She attended Santa Monica Community College (Mentor program), Santa Monica, California, Associate in Arts, Sherman Oaks, California, and California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, where she received her BFA in Character Animation in 2004. Besides drawing and painting gallery work, she is often creating new animation work for clients like Nickelodeon, New York, Nylonmotion Inc, Los Angeles, and NGTV. She also designs ceramic toys, apparel and other novelties, which are sold internationally.