Liber Art at SoBoBo : January 2013

Liber Art Begins the New Year... Benjamin Casiano, a man of strong stature, enlightens us with fluidness in his works that extends outward reaching, touching each of us. One cannot walk-by without looking, you stop, turn and gaze. A remarkable ability to attract. That in itself explains who Benjamin is...

Benjamin Casiano, attracting, gathering creating once again, but this time a group of five artists, Liber Art. As a group their work flows, connecting creating an energy that abounds. Feeling its pulse you become one with the creations.

Individually, each artist is just amazing; from spiritual a connection with Universe, to florals a connection to Earth, from humans and structures to the abstract a psyche of human form.

Claudio Altesor, the spiritual - a connection with Universe, states it quite eloquently "I paint what I can't see, but I firmly believe in its existence. I create a vision that takes place in the land of surrealism and social realism, overturning the ideas that formant in my mind about existential issues. I think realty is much more profound than what we can see, and this is precisely what I paint. My goal is that the observer interact with the painting, taking the main object and connecting them with their surroundings; where each part represents a fragment of the paintings idea. These paintings invite thought and imagination."

When looking at "Meditation" it is profound in itself. Seeing is believing perhaps? The unilateral connection we all have becomes universal; becoming intertwined, connected through all realms seen or not seen; but yet Claudio, the spiritual, the unseen energies brings what we call surreal to the real world so we claim "seeing is believing" - the faith we always had in the unseen, believing if we "tap" into it the "Law of Attraction" will apply and our Faith becomes tangible, we can touch it and embrace it feeling its energies embracing us in return.

"Law of Attraction" is the key: Benjamin Casiano, the gatherer and creator is more to the point about how it works for him: "After so may years as an art director, graphic designer and even a creative director, I felt the need to turn a new leaf. I reinvented myself and followed what I have been doing all along. I found the one thing that was missing in my life; substitution of a keyboard for a paintbrush was the best decision I have ever made. I found wealth not measured in numbers but rather a joy and happiness unseen in most of my work experience. Being a professional artist allows me the privilege to endeavor a direct role, contributing to our modern society and American culture. Something I hope to be doing years to come."

Benjamin's professional career was based on design and art to attract consumers, attention getter works and without realizing it it is his own ability as an individual, as a person. Many don't see this quality in him, and it is seen he himself might not realize it either. His own desire to change, at least that is what he thought, by "becoming an artist" to capture people's attention through his work, to see the pure joy and happiness he experiences in others is what brings the two together.

Looking at "Pink Sunset" it is as if you are looking out a window; you are there, you can feel the sun's warmth come through the window and it slowly becoming cooler, chillier as it (the sun) escapes slowly below the horizon.


Seeing "Salsa" you can feel the movement of the couple gliding across the floor around the room, you can feel the emotion the two have, their senses melding together creating the elegant movement without flaw. You are attracted to it!

You find yourself wrapped up in it, you become one with it: you are woman, you feel the embrace of your male partner pulling you close you automatically are in unison - feeling your strength and control becomes one with his; you are man, you feel your female partner fall into you both of your strengths and control creating "one single being" moving across the floor with ease, both breathing in unison, both experiencing the feeling of being free yet you are not. How exhilarating!

Florals experiencing movement, freedom knowing no bounds but yet connected to Earth, Rosa Colon understanding the fluidness of life and its attraction through creation is rather amazing: "I like to capture significant moments from my life and my background. I am fascinated with nature, its outside forms, shape and vibrant color. I deeply believe that in nature we find a lot of inspiration. That is my case, I pick and process different kind of flowers and leaves from my garden and my friends' gardens. I use them for my artworks, first of all because they are an organic material and secondly I don't have to use additive colors or other substances to enhance its colors. Sometimes I use watercolor, acrylic or pastels for the background only.  My designs usually are simple and other they are complex and through them I try to conserve the nature's grandeur for the future generations."

When looking at "Bamboo Forest" you can't help reach out to touch it. Bamboo grows quite quickly you know...it is a wonderment in itself and Rosa captured its energy you are attracted to it, you have to catch yourself before you trip over the frame falling into the forest being enveloped by itself grandeur. 

Walking by "Pink Lotus" you can see it "floating" on the water, yet it is connected through the depths of the pond to its bottom its "connection" for life, the softness of the petals, its elegant poise proudly radiant.

Attracting you to look at her as "Bamboo Forest" attracted you to step over the frame and enter the forest, stepping onto the forest floor, it becoming tangible, real.

The tangible, the human and structure Hernan Restrepo brings it all to life: "I'm highly interested in all aspects of visual communication. My love for painting started in my early adolescence, and all throughout this time, painting has never ceased its power over me."

We talk about the "cookie cutter" houses that are popping up all around us; however Hernan's capture of architecture, the structures of the porticoes, porches, decks, balconies becomes the life of the hardness of each building. He captures the strength and its rigidity and at the same time shows the life of the structure, its soul that attracts us to look up to see what is taking place. Balconies are the attraction for souls, Life, whatever action or inaction is taking place - a morning cup of coffee and a yawn perhaps a call out to the rising sun, the dawn of a new day;
sitting in the corner on a chair, a yoga position finding serenity a time to meditate to take pause and escape from reality, the tangible the human surroundings, the structure seeking and delving into our own psyche.

Sandra Rossini - the abstract a psyche of human form is poignant to our innerself: "In my work, my main focus is in the color patterns in an effort to invoke emotion and/or metaphorical symbols. The colors should project not only my emotions as the artist but also as an effort to be a reflection of the viewers reaction back onto the painting. My main inspiration has been the female figure and representation of femininity. This is established not only through the main focal point but in the brightness of the colors chosen. I enjoy working with sharp angles, repetition of shapes, and the rounded figures in my female subjects incorporating musical instruments to echo femininity and the many shades it carries. My paintings are a mixture of quick anxious taps to short flowing brushstrokes. I like my pieces to be light, colorful and happy but at same time adding the darker shades to contrast the warm colors as a grounding effort on the painting. The characters in my paintings are at times not as easily to catch, in an effort to persuade the viewer to look deeper into the piece. I am a believer in simplicity and beauty, light and fluffy. I allow the true meaning of my paintings to reach the viewer through a pseudo-happy bridge in order to lure them deeper into the metaphorical, political, emotional thinking behind it."

A woman's psyche is very mysterious and almost taboo to try to delve into...but Sandra's works allows a glimpse into what it is, but not too transparent. Looking at "8 am Saturday" shows us a convoluted woman, perhaps with so much activity the transparency becomes not the focus. A sense of urgency and a sense of complacency, and yet a sense of commitment, trust and self-assuredness. The vibrancy of color shows the energies, the life force that can be felt when you look to see what it is that attracted you to it.

And then when viewing "Cocoon", you can feel the vulnerability, the sense of loss and at the same time being wrapped, enveloped in warmth creating the change, evolving into a new being a life changing affect - the subtly of the color invigorates the mind to seek the new, a refreshing outlook on what is to come.

Sandra's ability to express what can be perceived all at once enhances the viewers' eye to look beyond and give back to herself/himself something that wasn't realized. Some may not appreciate the "design" while others can say "Oh, it says exactly what I am feeling, what I have felt" for the woman's psyche is very mysterious, a taboo that is so magnetic people are attracted to, whether it is in a creation as Sandra's or a discussion, a poem, a novel...woman's transparency isn't all that transparent...but yet

"The Law of Attraction" is the connectedness to everything...

Get connected, and see the attraction of Liber Art...for they will be exhibiting at SoBoBo Gallery for the month of January 2013. An exhilarating experience, the energies, the life force, feel its pulse and get connected becoming one with their creations....

DO ATTEND their Opening Reception on Saturday, January 5th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at SoBoBo Gallery, 42 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford, CT.  Come and experience it!