Stefan Duerst & Alex Couwenberg

June 1st - June 30th, 2023

Opening Reception: June 1st 5-7pm and June 3rd 2-5pm 2023

Born and raised in Southern California, painter Alex Couwenberg creates images that are inspired by the elements indigenous to his surroundings.  From Los Angeles, Couwenberg’s work references and suggests the aesthetic associated with mid-century modernism, car culture, skateboards, and surfboards.  Not to leave out, paying homage to the historical styles of post-war art making associated with Los Angeles and Southern California throughout the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s.  Couwenbergs paintings give a nod towards the Hard-edge abstractionists, the finish fetish, and the light and space artists.  Not content to replicate, he uses the sensibility of Eames-era design and hard-edge geometric abstraction as points of departure for creating paintings.  His process, an additive and reductive series of moves and passes, creates multilayered environments that are deep and sensual.  He harnesses these ideas into harmonious results, reflecting the visual landscape of his environment.

Stefan Duerst is a metal-smith and sculptor whose work is inspired by the natural environment and an interest in human behavior. Born and raised in Munich, Germany, Duerst completed an apprenticeship in metal design, fabrication, and blacksmithing along with completing his Masters in Metalwork with distinction. In between schooling, he worked under a Master Blacksmith whose ability to realize just about anything he imagined in metal greatly inspired Duerst. The importance of achieving perfect harmony and minimalism within his sculptures is a guiding principle of Duerst’s work and an emphasis on clear lines and harmonious proportions is a common trait within his sculptures. These themes represent transformation and possibilities in the material and to a greater extent, the human experience.