The Lux Art Institute in Encinitas announced its 2012-13 season on Thursday, bringing in artists whose work ranges from lead panels to pastoral tableaus, from the pioneering rock band Sonic Youth to artistically adventurous sculptures made from sugar and porcelain.
Each year, Lux brings in artists from around the world who take up temporary residence, living in the quarters below the main gallery.
The artists appear frequently at the exhibits featuring their work. They interact with guests, teach classes for children and work on commissioned pieces while guests watch them in action.
"From what I've seen, it's a unique program internationally," said Lux Art Institute executive director Reesey Shaw. "I've traveled around the world and looked at all of the residency programs in the country, and ours appeared to be different because the artists aren't just working in an abstract way, they are commissioned for a specific project on site."
For the art to have enhanced value for the observing public, there is "a complete trajectory," Shaw said, including a beginning, middle and end to the on-site work that happens.
"And in turn the audience reacts," she said. "It's a reciprocal process."
Here are the artists scheduled for stays, with descriptions of their work provided by the Lux curators:
Susan Graham, Sept. 6-Oct. 6 (work on display through Oct. 27): Using sugar and porcelain, Graham transforms unwieldy industrial items that reference fear, anxiety and growing up in the American Midwest into elegantly surreal objects of domesticity and fragility.
Alan Feltus, Nov. 8- Dec. 21 (Dec. 29): Rich hues and a sense of unspoken narrative fill the masterfully rendered works of the painter. Based on the artist's own image, his poignant figures invite contemplation while seeming lost in their own worlds of memory.
Carlos Vega, Jan. 10-Feb. 2, (March 2): Vibrant fields of oil paint, stamps and collage material reveal themselves beneath the geometric patterns that undulate across the surfaces of Vega's carved lead panels, hinting at the traditional latticed screens found in his native Melilla, Spain.
James Chronister, March 14-April 13 (May 18): Armed with a tiny brush, the San Francisco painter meticulously applies dots of white pigment on to a black background, until the images of snowy forest landscapes, palatial interiors and rock-music legends magically emerge.
Melissa Miller, May 30-June 29 (July 27): The symbiotic relationship among all living things is at the center of the Texas painter's vivid pastoral tableaus, as seamless brushwork renders themes common to both man and beast, such as power, instinct, co-existence, survival and affection.
Also appearing at Lux during the season is Wes Bruce, the recipient of the Creative Catalyst Fund Grant sponsored by the San Diego Foundation.
Bruce spent the year interviewing San Diego residents through photography, video and audio recordings, and will use his findings to create two small structures on the property. Following an opening reception Oct. 25, Bruce's work will remain on display through Dec. 29.
Lux Art Institute overlooks the San Elijo Lagoon at 1550 S. El Camino Real in Encinitas. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Admission costs $5 for two visits during the same residency. Lux is closed to the public in August. Visit www.luxartinstitute.org or call (760) 436-6611.Lux