From one angle, the towering overhead sculptures evoke leaping flames and dancing figures. Take a walk across the room and look back, though, and the same totems take on the profile shapes of animals and birds.
Legendary musician Herb Alpert reaches far beyond creating new sounds.
A renowned abstract artist, Herb is currently exhibiting his latest sculpture and paintings at the Robert Berman Gallery of Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station Arts Center.
Herb’s new exhibition, “in.ter.course”, opens today and features his “Black Totems” series of towering bronze sculptures, inspired by Pacific Northwest native art. On the walls are paintings in a range of warm earth tones: his “Coffee Series”.
Herb says that warmth is natural, as the medium in which he’s worked is organic coffee! These “coffee stain paintings” originated as a gift for his daughter, who likes organic foods. A close-up look reveals coffee grounds used for texture and layers of earth tones, contrasting with white acrylic paint.
Herb talked about his experiences of creating his art, and the work involved in discovering and exploring personal creativity.
The opening reception for Herb Alpert’s “in.ter.course” exhibit runs from 6 to 9 this evening, Saturday, May 4, at Bergamot Station Arts Center’s Berman Gallery.
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