An Invitation to First Friday Art Exhibition in Downtown Phoenix by Li Hua Mahalik

Hi Friends,

You are cordially invited to come to my solo First Friday art exhibition on July 5, 2013, from 6PM to 8PM in the Cityscape Phoenix downtown development.  

My art is in a beautifully designed new restaurant called Squid Ink Sushi Bar, located right at the SE corner of Jefferson St and Central Avenue. The address is 2 East Jefferson St., Ste. 108, Phoenix, 85004.

There are several large pieces, as well as smaller pieces of Abstract Expressionism art which I dabbed "DreamScape Series". Please come and visit.

Warm Regards,

Li Hua Mahalik

dreamcobbler@cox.net
480 947 4741

"Untitled T1"

Oil on wrapped Canvas, 24x24

Recently, I was led to an amazing and interesting online tutoring website, www.kahnacademy.org. In it, it has all kinds of subject matters that you've probably known or have take in high school or college. I wanted to see how much of the Calculus I remembered. Subsequently, it led me to the creation of a triptych, and this is the first of the three.

Cy Twombly is one of my favorite abstractionists. I love his scribbles. Looking at his work, it inspired me. I forgot how to talk gibberish, mathematic equations as scribbles seem natural, that is, if you don’t think too much.

More to come, later,

Li Hua 

Email, Website

"A Road Traveled"

Oil on Gessoed Masonite, 6"x6"

I have traveled near

And far, on a road that is

Yellow, blue, purple and at times

gray, a long time ago

Then I learn to love 

The grays, the sorrows

Mother of all

©Li Mahalik

I was trying out the newly bought burnt sienna oil stick, and got into painting this little piece. I added a little blue and transparent oxide red and lots of white. It's  spontaneous, and it's a good experience to help me paint looser in the future.

If you're interested in purchasing my paintings, please email me. 

To view my other work, please visit my other blog, or my web site. 

Thank you!

"Alone in Winter" By Li Mahalik

Oil on Gessoed Masonite, 6"x6"

This painting was  based on a picture I took during a plein air paint-out at the Pebble Beach along the Bush highway. The green tree stood out amongst the grey leafless trees along the creek. I added some horizontal elements to break up the many vertical lines.

Please contact me if you have any comments, questions or have something in mind  for a painting. Or visit my website, and my blog. Thank you so much for viewing

"Land of The Mescalero"

Oil on Canvasbord, 16"x16"

For my friend, Fourhawks. The world is kinder and more beautiful because of you.

"From My Heart" By Li Mahalik

Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 20"x16"

I painted this a week ago and let it sit in my studio while pondering about it. It had a lot more red then and had no dark value, and it seemed too sweet. So, I revised it a bit today. Even though it's an abstract, a focal point or area still helps tying everything up. I would have loved all my abstracts to look good no matter how you placet it. Not this one, though. It wants to look like a bunch of flowers, from my heart.

Please contact me if you have any comments, questions or have something in mind for a painting. Or visit my website, and my other blog. Hope you have a wonderful week!

An update of my 4'x4' commissioned abstract painting: I'm painting it in my mind, no kidding!

"Forget-me-not" by Li Mahalik

"Forget-me-not"
Oil on Gessoed Masonite
6"x6"

A month ago, I did a painting called In the Blue, of some penstemen flowers by the road superimposed on the blue shadow of a tree. Sometimes, when I do the house chores, I would think about the etherial image, about how best to show the feeling. Today, I put it down after a few tries, going a full circle and came back to my original imagination. I think the name "Forget-me-not" is fitting. Don't you think?

"Untitled IV"

Oil on Gessoed Masonite, 6"x6", $125

To me, Abstract is more difficult to paint than representational painting because the process tends to go through different kinds of preparation, research and techniques. But in the end, it will have to meet the criterias of what makes a good painting: composition, values, color harmony, proportion, depth, eye movement, etc. There are so many ways an abstract can turn out: a little darker here and more color there; warmer here and less busy there. So, here it is, an exit way appeared and I called it a day. 

Please come visit my other blog to see more recent paintings, or my website to see other paintings. If you have any suggestions, comments or interest to purchase, please feel free to contact me via my email. 

"A Promise"

Oil on Gessoed Masonite

6"x6"

Before I posted this, I had to think about how this painting came about, even though I only started it two days ago, changed it, let it sit there and finished it today. Then I remember it was a landscape with a big Agave in front and a graceful Mesquite tree in the back and a strip of light in between the two. I still have the picture in my file, but come to think of it, it's really not bad, but I started over and here it is. 

Please visit my blog and website to see more paintings. If you're interested in purchasing, please email me. The small 6x6's are around $125 including shipping in the US. Thank you so much for looking!