Camarillo, Calif., Jan 12, 2012 – The CSU Channel Islands (CI) Art Program is pleased to announce “The Space Between: A Retrospective Project,” an exhibition by Oxnard artist Christine Morla.  The exhibition of paintings, influenced by Morla’s own history and heritage as a first-generation Filipino American, will be on display in the Art Gallery at Napa Hall, the University’s premier art exhibition space, from Jan. 26 through Feb. 24. A free public reception will be held Thursday, Jan. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Morla’s work is a vibrant patchwork of colors that recall both natural and digital environments. Each piece literally weaves in materials that represent the personal and cultural influences in her life and incorporates hundreds of two-dimensional paper constructions adhered to wood panel.  Morla uses multicolored packaging from Filipino snack foods, which are cut into thin strips and meticulously woven together, to create geometric and floral shapes. She employs unconventional, cast-off elements to offer an elevated or renewed life to materials that are otherwise thought of as trash.  The paintings also show the influence of Morla’s father, a professional weaver in the Philippines, who taught her to use these techniques as a form of meditation.

Morla, an Oxnard native, is the Chair of the Art Department at Oxnard College.  Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in Germany, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, and throughout Southern California. She received a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University and an M.F.A. from Claremont Graduate University.

In addition to her practice, Morla is an independent curator.  Her curatorial projects include “The Color of God: Contemporary Expressions of Spirit, Race and Justice” at the Laband Art Gallery at Loyola Marymount University and “Tabo(o): An exhibition of Filipino-American Artists” at Claremont Graduate University’s White Room Gallery. From 2002-2004, she served as an independent co-curator of exhibitions at Crazy Space Gallery in Santa Monica.

The Art Gallery at Napa Hall is located on Ventura Street on the CI campus. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For additional information contact the Art Department at 805-437-8570 or art@csuci.edu.

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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

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