Sneak Peak at new artwork- OC Blog visit’s artist Laurie Hassold

29 Apr Sneak Peak at new artwork- OC Blog visit’s artist Laurie Hassold

Last week I zipped over to Orange Coast College (OCC) to see what local artist and professor Laurie Hassold was preparing for the upcoming show at the Laguna Art Museum entitled Art Shak.  The exhibition will run from June 13th to October 3rd, 2010 – opening night festivities will be Saturday June 12th, see the website for tickets.

the 'bone cave' in progress

above:  Laurie Hassold and student, OCC sculpture Lab 

Laurie teaches Beginning and Advanced Sculpture at OCC.  Her students were preparing for a group show held on campus in the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, now run by Andrea Harris – previously director extraodinaire of the Grand Central Art Center.  

If you have never taken a class from Laurie, you are missing out. Back in grad school I was lucky enough to have her for a 'Studio Expanded' class which explored performative and installation aspects of fine art.  It changed the way I see, create, and relate to art even today.  Thanks Laurie! You can catch her at Orange Coast College, Santa Ana College, and Irvine Valley College next semester.  

Student Artworks – OCC Beg. & Adv. Sculpture w/prof Laurie Hassold

Now lets get on to Laurie's newest and in progress artwork.  She gave us a sneak preview of what is affectionately being called the bone cave.  It is a re-appropriation of artworks or carcasses from her Strange Attractor series, coupled with found objects.  

Although there is a veil of mystery around this piece, I did manage to discover that the underlying concept for the bone cave reads more like a science fiction novel than a seductive interlude of mediums.   

Implications of global warming, post consumerism, and the predatory nature of evolution resonate as one's eye meanders through this "dwelling, constructed of remains and human detritus of post-human extinction," states Hassold.  References to the structures made of mammoth fossils in the Ukraine thousands of years ago are present, and she states "the cave seems to be turning into some sort of altar, which may contain an item preserved from the former culture that hints at the appearance of the new occupants." (Laurie Hassold).  

To see more artworks by Laurie Hassold drop in to one of these upcoming shows:

Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach CA   June 13th – Oct 3rd, 2010

Bert Green Fine Art, Los Angeles CA    Nov 10th – Dec 24th, 2010

Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester University, Rochester NY 2011, stay tuned