The six artists portray nature in their own way and in their chosen media, said Cathy Billings, art librarian and gallery manager for the Brand Library & Art Center.
Other artists in the show are Erika Lizee, Joe Merrell, Charla Puryear, Andrea Raft and Jill Sykes.
“It is an exciting opportunity for gallery visitors to see brand-new work that covers such a wide array of styles, including oil and acrylic painting, collage, graphite drawings and video,” Billings said.
The interesting thing about the show is that each of the artists’ work on nature is different, Shakhbandaryan said.
“Our work is cohesive in the theme but not the technique,” she said. “You can observe nature depicted by six artists in six different ways because each artist sees nature differently.”
Shakhbandaryan’s artwork reflects her Armenian heritage but speaks to fundamental values shared by all people, Billings added.
“The Maps Series, which will be on display, depicts geopolitical landscapes and are an interesting contrast to the other artists, whose depictions of nature are more direct,” she said. “Arpiné’s interest in biological sciences and public health are also evident in her work.”
Shakhbandaryan has been painting since 1998, beginning her art training at the Atanian Art Center in Glendale.
After graduating from Glendale High School in 2000, she earned a degree in biology with a minor in fine arts at USC.
She has exhibited her work professionally since 2005. Her shows have been at college campuses — UCLA, USC, Glendale Community College — and churches, including the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America in Burbank.
