By Dylan Slusser

On Display (Roxann Rapahael)
By Dylan Slusser
In life intention and interpretation are often askew. Unlike countless other instances, in the realm of art, this is not a bad thing.
“The way that the light refracts through the glass makes this piece appear to be a single tear drop over a lost love,” said Shawn Nelson while he mused on the art at the exhibit called Refraction: An exploration of light and color in the A.G. Paul Quadrangle.
Part of the glory of artistic expression is found in artisans creating something with their own explanation woven through each nuance and having each set of eyes to later see the same piece but find their own meaning in it.
“This reminds me of a tornado ripping through a meadow of lilies,” said Frank Lewis while interpreting a magnificent piece named “Wheel within a Wheel 50,” done by Lorien Suarez.
This acrylic watercolor gouache is an exquisite example of how many different images are conjured by a multitude of people from a single painting.
Tiffany Stueland saw it as a tribute to “The Fourth of July with the explosion of fireworks,” while Jeremy Reise said “It looks like a slinky entwined with flowers.”
Another man, Christian Hudson, commented “This is what I imagine the product of an artist on a psychedelic trip would look like after the artist stared at his own hand for about an hour.”
Suarez specializes in geometric abstract compositions and creates a level of depth in design scarcely found amongst watercolor mediums.
She has had her art included in exhibitions at the Riverside Art Museum, the Millard Sheets Gallery, the Riverside Community Arts Association, and now has an oeuvre on permanent display at the University of California’s College of Engineering in Berkeley.
Suarez has a bachelor’s degree with high honors from University of California Berkeley, a master’s degree cum laude from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and is doing graduate work in Spain. She has received numerous prizes and honors and now resides with her husband right here in Riverside.
As Adonis Blanchard perused a translucent work by Roland Reiss, he gave his insight on what it meant to him as he gestured to particular portions
“This is the embodiment of confusion. The lines that wave from this side represent our thoughts as do these lines that overlap here. Where they collide represents the turmoil of arranging our priorities and produces confusion,” Reiss said.
Nelson saw “a portrait of the rolling hills of Ireland with streams carved throughout its interior.”
Reiss is a sculptor and painter who has had exhibitions in Brazil, Mexico, China, Canada, Italy, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan.
Reiss studied at the University of California Los Angeles and the American Academy of Art. He was Chair of the Art Department at Claremont Graduate University for 29 years and holds many other achievements.
One piece done by Charles Arnoldi “is the visual manifestation of the Beatles’ song ‘Strawberry Fields,'” said Bridgette Camargo.
There are also many blown glass pieces in the exhibit done by John Ruth, Michael Hermann, and Gina Lunn.
The next exhibit will be the Student Holiday Exhibition and sale; beginning Dec. 8 in the Quad Gallery.