Alan Deforest & Bethany Pratt

Alan Deforest:

“At first glance Alan’s work seems to have an eerie feeling of a Catholic fascination with the collective memories of his youth. However, Alan goes beyond to bring forth emotional action by subconsciously choosing subject matter filled with cultural connotation. Ventriloquist dolls, Catholic artifacts, insects, bones, textural mediums and forgotten antiques engage his audience not entirely with their own love for oddities but with the introduction of their calming cultural familiarity into unsettling formalities.

Alan’s artwork is a reminder that there is much more after death. That the essence of life in a forgotten metal, or organic being is just the beginning. He wants to show the beauty in the after life, and allow others to celebrate it as well.

Plainly ingrained with Mechanical, and religious references, Alan’s work is not only inspired by ancient history, but also the works of past experts amongst his influences Georgia O Keefe, Georges de la TOUR and Philippe de Champaigne with additional influence by French and Spanish religious paintings.

Alan is constantly exploring and finding new ways to express his idealistic beliefs with an underlined dirty romance of stylistic creation and technique with social connection. Alan was first thrust into the art world at a gallery called The Hive where he is now currently a full time resident artist there. He has now shown in other galleries throughout the United States, and has a constant need to create for his collectors.

Alan Deforest grew up in San Diego CA. He has been self taught, but has attended Otis in Los Angeles CA. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles where he paints, sculpts, assembles happily amongst his endless collections of marionettes, taxidermy pieces, paintings, bone, books, and odd antique toys.”

Website: www.lostmuertosart.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1117872343

Bethany Pratt:

“Bethany Pratt has attended many art schools including Oregon College of Art and Craft, California College of Art and Craft, Pacific Northwest College of Art and Otis. She was raised in Portland Oregon by two successful ceramic tile artists. During her childhood she learned much from her parents in the way of arts and crafts. The first of many was jewelry making. Through out high school she continued to make jewelry and took classes at the local art school in metalsmithing. After learning to knit and crochet she started to incorporate this into her work, and thats were the creation began of Bethany’s wire sculptures’. She makes jewelry using semi precious stones and sterling silver. and small sculpture using textile techniques in wire. Bethany owned and ran the venue Nocturnal for 4 years she had events such as art shows, swing dancing, craft night, and independent film night. Now Bethany currently resides in LA where she continues to work on her art and jewelry, and she is a resident artist at The Hive Gallery, and is attending FIDM for jewelry design.”