The foundation of Ned Evans’ artistic life is rooted in the light and space of his Southern California upbringing and his life-long connection to the ocean and surfing. His career trajectory began with an education at the seminal UCI Art Department in the early 70s, where LA legends Robert Irwin and Craig Kauffman inspired the next generation of conceptually adventurous artists such as Chris Burden and Alexis Smith. The physical and compositional “bones” of Evans’ art-making were developed through years of designing and building artist studios, and working with artists like Ed Moses, who shared his interest in architecture and painting. His new exhibition, FLUX MAZE combines all of these histories and elements. Distinguished art writer, Richard Davey suggests that the early lessons in visual relationships that Evans’ learned from reading and observing Josef Albers, were put into functional practice while he was constructing studios. “Overseeing the project and undertaking much of the work, Evans would record the process in photographs that captured small architectural details rather than the whole building. He would focus on the edges and joins, documenting those overlooked points of intersection and intervention where he knew it all came and held together. This distinctive sensibility is reflected in Evans’ most recent paintings, where his use of simple planes of color and interlocking shapes is not about exploring pattern or revisiting formal relationships of minimalist repetition, but about revealing the moments of subtle vibration and visual energy that stitch forms together or push them apart.”

Ann Chamberlin’s paintings draw inspiration from fantasy, myth, local stories and the depths of the artist’s imagination. The small scale of the works belies the detailed narrative that each depict: they act as windows into larger worlds, giving only a snippet of the overarching story implied in each. Her paintings evoke the traditions of magical realism, presenting a world just adjacent to our own where the fantastical and mundane blend. In these worlds, mermaids and snakemen exist as readily as roadside bandits or firemen. There is a sense of detachment in the pieces, figures removed from one another, on the edge of some peril or personal strife. Chamberlin layers the paintings with character’s thoughts, warnings, and words, creating a rich narrative for the viewer to unfold and settle into. Chamberlin lives and works in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a town steeped in artistic tradition and history. Wishful Thinking is the artist’s first exhibition at Craig Krull Gallery.