by: Amanda Trei
Walking into Cypress Art Gallery this May, visitors are greeted by Evolving, a featured show pairing the Japanese-inspired work of C. Wood and woodworker Chuck Klein. It’s a two-for-one experience in the front room: her layered acrylics and collages hang above his carefully crafted vessels and trays, the two in quiet conversation.
The show's tone is set by Wood’s large painting, “The Quiet of Movement.” As the gallery’s largest piece, it glows on the wall, anchoring a collection defined by an intentional balance of muted and vibrant color. Across her paintings, Wood threads carefully chosen bursts of brightness through neutral bases. In some works, bold hues lead the way while softer passages create resting points for the eye.
In her mixed-media pieces, Wood’s influences are especially clear. Using Japanese-inspired patterns, text, and layered papers, she evokes traditional designs through a wabi-sabi lens—incorporating torn edges and palette knife marks. Because she leaves traces of the process on the surface, viewers can follow how each layer builds on the one beneath it.
Beneath Wood’s work, Chuck Klein’s woodwork offers a grounded counterpoint. Many of his pieces are enclosed, lid-topped vessels. While the understated bodies highlight the natural patterns of the wood, the lids are where Klein plays. In one piece, the lid rises into an elegant fan shape, turning a quiet container into something ceremonial. In another, a carved emblem transforms the vessel’s personality entirely.
Klein’s serving tray, built from many small pieces of laminated wood, reflects a Japanese sensibility through its clean lines and attention to craft. In his other works, the focus shifts entirely to form. His wall piece “Nautilus” incorporates a fossil to connect polished surfaces with ancient natural history, while his lidded vessels feel more like ceremonial objects than mere containers. Whether standing as independent sculptures or quiet contemplations of wood and grain, Klein’s work sits firmly in the realm of fine art.
In true evolving fashion, growth requires reflection. That idea carries into the back room, where Lee Hill’s abstract acrylic “Reflections” serves as a natural bridge to the main gallery.
Here, Diane Atturio showcases her range across three mediums: the warm acrylic portrait “Guess Who?” featuring Cypress Gallery president Jasmine Gonzalez, a detailed pencil-and-ink drawing of a Coast Live Oak, and a soft watercolor-and-collage piece with feathers. Together, they highlight how one artist’s eye moves across paint, drawing, and collage.
Nearby, Jean Rutherford’s painted glass piece, “Enchanted Forest,” glows with layered color. Light passing through the surface gives the impression of foliage emerging from within the glass, making the piece feel both solid and luminous.
The show ends on a strong note of color with “Iris Parade” by Chris Jeszeck. Irises in varied hues march across the canvas in a palette that feels exactly right—rich without being overwhelming, with cool greens supporting blossoms of blue and purple, their layered petals creating a sense of rhythm and movement. It’s a fitting finish to an exhibition that explores how artists evolve their materials, influences, and ways of seeing.
The Lompoc Valley Art Association is a 501c(3) non-profit organization, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. For more information visit lompocart.org. Follow us on Instagram @cypressgallerylompoc and Cypress Gallery. The Cypress Gallery is located at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc. Hours 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Thursday – Sunday. Phone (805) 737-1129.
CAPTIONS
1. "The Quiet of Movement" by C. Wood, acrylic; below: "Asian Fan," "Serving Tray," and "Fish" by Chuck Klein, mixed woods
2. C. Wood, Left- "Kanji VII" Collage, Right- "Together Space" Acrylic, Bottom- "Kanji VI" Collage
3. C. Wood "Breathe" Acrylic
4. Chuck Klein "Asian Fan"Mixed woods
5. Chuck Klein "Nautilus" Mixed woods and fossil
6. Detail of the lid for "Fish" by Chuck Klein, mixed wood and beads
7. Lee Hill "Reflections" Acrylic
8. Diane Atturio (L-R) "Guess Who?" Acrylic, "Coast Live Oak" Pencil and ink, "Natures Gift 2" Watercolor collage
9. Jean Rutherford "Enchanted Forest" Painted glass
10. Chris Jeszeck "Iris Parade" Acrylic