Brett Wesley Gallery shares unique power of art

What makes Brett Wesley Gallery distinctive is its selection of works by emerging and established painters, photographers and sculptors from around the world. The gallery also hosts several cultural events, speaking engagements and educational seminars throughout the year.

"Our primary goal is to show works of art that are bold, relevant and well-crafted across several media and ultimately expand the visual dialog among collectors and artists," owner Brett Wesley Sperry said. "Brett Wesley Gallery will reflect my desire to share the unique power of art, the joy of ownership and the enduring value of owning original works. And each month, whether you love what we're showing or not, there will always be something here that's memorable and worthy of discussion."

Brett Wesley art receptions are held on the Thursday of every month prior to First Friday. The gallery building, located at 1112 S. Casino Center Blvd. is a nod to midcentury modernism, urban chic and classic American roadside architecture. Sperry recently won the prestigious Urban Design Award from former Mayor Oscar Goodman for the building design.

Brett Wesley currently is presenting an exclusive showing of fine artwork from fashion photographer Jana Cruder. In 2010, Cruder produced a compelling body of work titled "What Lies Beneath" that explored femininity and the lasting effects of Barbie's iconic influence on culture and perceptions of beauty.

In her new series "Great Expectations" she has brought Ken into the picture. With Ken and Barbie, she takes a humorous approach to sexuality, personal identity and the dichotomy of the male-female relationship in the 21st century.

Opening Nov. 1 is an exhibit by digital artist Kevin Mack from Los Angeles. Mack is an Academy Award-winning visual effects designer. He received the Oscar for his work on the film "What Dreams May Come."

Mack's fine art is focused on philosophical, spiritual and scientific imponderables. His goal is to create compelling psychoactive objects of contemplation that inspire a transcendent experience of awe and mystery.

The son of Disney artists, Mack was drawing and painting before he could talk. At 16, he received a scholarship for drawing classes at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. At 18, he was accepted into the college program, where he studied fine art, illustration and film.

After college, Mack supported his experimental art and music by working in the film industry doing traditional glass matte painting, scenic painting, sculpting, model making, animation, storyboards, concept art and set design for commercials and movies.

In the mid-'80s, Mack began experimenting with computers to make his art and music. Recognizing its potential for film work, he helped pioneer the use of computer graphics for visual effects and became a creative leader in the digital revolution. In 2007 he received an honorary Doctorate of Science from the Art Center for his contributions to the field of motion picture visual effects.

Mack's work is the result of research in a wide range of fields - from neuroscience to quantum physics. His work in artificial life and rule-based systems, used on "What Dreams May Come" and "Fight Club," inspired the development of tissue simulation software that has been used in virtual stem cell research.

In 2006, Mack received the title of honorary neuroscientist, from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, for his lectures there on perception, visualization and creativity. Mack is currently consulting with CERN on the visualization of recent discoveries in particle physics.

Mack's fine art has been exhibited at The Laguna Beach Art Museum, Carnegie Melon University, Siggraph Art Gallery and Animation Festival, The Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, The Barbara Mendes Gallery, Banzai! in New York City, Visual Amalgam and various Los Angeles art events.