Mary Anna Pomonis
12 GAUGE: A Rapid Fire Study of Los Angels Art
June 18-20, 2009

Torrance Art Museum
3320 Civic Center Dr.
Torrance, CA 90509
310-618-6341
www.torranceartmuseum.com

The Handwriting is on the Wall    

by Sandra Vista

Mary Anna Pomonis' three day exhibit is part of a two month series at the Torrance Art Museum curated by Max Presneill.  These exhibits are designed to showcase Los Angeles artists that Presneill feels represent current trends in the city's art scene.  Each artist is given the opportunity to exhibit their work followed by a lecture and reception.

I was present for Mary Anna's exhibition in which she openly discussed her creative process-skeletons and all.  Mary Anna's graphite drawings are overflowing with psychological metaphors and references to psychoanalysts like Jacques Lacan and his theory of the "mirror stage".  The drawings are Mary Anna's guide dogs-helping her navigate through her inquires about her life as an artist and a woman.

She asserted that marks on a drawing were relatable to a person's signature.  Quality of lines, along with their movement, rhythm, and form can provide psychological interpretations.  Tearing, burning, and crumbling of paper that Mary Anna uses as her drawing models already lends to emotional analysis.  And the labor intensive nature of each drawing expresses her diligence and unyielding vigilance to her craft.

The exhibit named 12 GAUGE... also combines images of crumbled firing range targets.  Integral to her drawing process is acquiring bullet shot targets from firing ranges as well as purchasing new target sheets.  She humorously described the clandestine nature that is a buy product of buying new targets.  Fact or fiction, I imagined the targets being relegated to dark corners of the gun shop.

The intricacies of Mary Anna's drawings are achieved by a humble graphite pencil.  She emphasized the portability of her drawing medium.  She brings a pencil in her purse and draws anytime-any place.  It's a concealed weapon she can carry without a license and it's loaded.