ARTZONE 461

September 4  - October 19, 2008

PORTRAITS IN PENCIL

Artist Reception

SAT. SEPT. 6TH,  2008,  5-8 pm

KEITH  GASPARI

ALLEGORY

ArtZone 461 Gallery presents “Allegory”, its inaugural solo show opening September 4, 2008, featuring Keith Gaspari’s soft lead pencil portraits that are unlike any others.  Ben Cooper, Collections Manager for the DiRosa Preserve commented, “It’s refreshing to see something that hasn’t been done before, and of such high quality.”

Using colored pencils as the medium and paper as his canvas, Gaspari says his portraits “Peel away the subject’s façade to reveal their hidden truths … truths informed by their experiences, perceptions and their relationships with the world and fellow man.  By exposing this layer of allegory I challenge the viewer to examine and connect with the beings laid bare before them.”

The colors in these portraits reflect emotional and spiritual essence, and the lines, words and forms found within the subjects’ skin reveal gentle clues, guiding the viewer on a path of discovery.  The works reveal a journey through a world of colorful chaos filled with energy, vitality and true narrative complexity.

Keith Gaspari enjoyed a successful career in fashion and interior design before dedicating himself completely to his visual artwork. He has a degree from the International Fine Arts College in Miami, Florida.  Gaspari studied photography at Bucknell University, PA after receiving the Governor of Pennsylvania Scholarship for the Arts in 1985.  His designs in fashion were featured in Paris’ Louvre Museum as part of the Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode in 1993.  The gallery is privileged to present his work as its first solo show.

ArtZone 461 is San Francisco’s newest fine art space, built on the foundation of the most solid presence in the Bay Area, the Charles Campbell Gallery that closed in April 2008.  Owners Eric Koehler and Steven Lopez bring experience and commitment to this venture that promises a continued and noteworthy contribution to the Bay Area cultural landscape.  Keith Gaspari’s inaugural show of colored-pencil portraits sets the stage.

“Arrete de me chercher”, 2008, soft lead pencil on paper, 35” x 24”

“Coulomb’s Law”, 2006, soft lead pencil on paper, 22” x 30”

“Gentle Inquisition”, 2006, soft lead pencil on paper, 22” x 30”

TEL: 415.441.8680