by Jessica Robles

The month of March is Women’s History Month. In honor of this, the COS Art Gallery will feature three female artists in the upcoming exhibit, Layered Perspectives featuring works by Lisa Occhipinti, Jessie Hornbrook and COS’s own Laura Melancon. The show will open March 11 and run through April 2, 2014 with a reception held on Thursday, March 13 from 5-7 p.m. (At press time the reception has already taken place)

Each of the featured artists deal with layers, not only with the medium they choose but also with what each of their pieces depicts. Lisa Occhipinti explores new ways to ‘read a book” with her sculptural interpretations of print media – assembling them in such a way that the viewer feels connected to a universal sense of a story, while simultaneously seeking more from the sculpture.

Lisa Occhipinti "Circulation (Things Worth While)" Cut Books, Beeswax, Varnish

Occhipinti is currently an instructor at Brentwood Art Center in Los Angeles. She has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and has studied in Europe at the Parsons School of Design and School of Visual Arts. She has been featured in The New York Times, Australia VOUGE Living and The New Yorker. She also wrote a book, The Repurposed Library which talks about new and creative ways books can function in new forms.

Laura Melancon considers symbols and metaphors in her artwork, making sure each image developed delineates somehow her personal life and the people, places and things that have influenced who she is today. Melancon received her Master of Fine Arts degree at the University South Dakota, and is currently an instructor at College of the Sequoias. Her prints have been featured in various exhibitions state and nation-wide.

Laura Melancon "Separated Affection" Lithograph

Jessie Hornbrook asks the audience to turn inward, drawing a similarity between the micro and macro scales of nature through relating the human body to bodies of water and other organic shapes that loosely represent life and death. Hornbrook attained her Master of Fine Arts Degree from Louisiana Stare University and is presently an instructor at Baton Rouge Community College.

Jessie Hornbrook "Relict Form: Journey" Monoprint, Ink, Encaustic, Chine Colle

The COS Art Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Kaweah Building, room 214. Our gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. For any questions or information regarding the show, you may call the COS Art Gallery at 559-737-4861 or email jessicar@cos[dot]edu. Visit the COS website at www.cos.edu. Don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook to receive news on upcoming events.

Jessica Robles was born and raised in Visalia, California. She studied fine art at the College of the Sequoias, then went on to receive her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and her MFA from Northern Illinois University, both with an emphasis in printmaking. She is now an adjunct art instructor and the Gallery Director of the COS Art Gallery at the College of the Sequoias.