Good wood: Show mixes art and furniture

GALLERY REVIEW:

In the latest art exhibit, John Cederquist creates a different world in wood with his optical illusions.

The Pictorial Illusions exhibit toys with reality through wooden sculptures and quirky furniture done in a cartoony, colorful style.

Smooth, flat wood pieces joined together with inlays in intricate detail give the viewer a three-dimensional image that is both frozen and flowing.

San Juan Capistrano-based artist John Cederquist’s show is presented in multiple series with different themes that tie together. He includes references to Japanese culture and WWII in his Heavenly Victory series, featuring large kimono-shaped bureaus decorated with airplanes and bold red Japanese characters. Triple AAA in the series is dark and ominous, sprinkled with small, stylized orange bomb blasts, and planes with red circles on the wings, reminiscent of the Japanese flag. The furniture pieces are functional with working doors and drawers.

The Mickey’s Mandalas series uses Mickey Mouse’s iconic white gloves holding paintbrushes, screwdrivers and various artistic tools. Each hand is curved in the same direction, creating a continuous circle. The large self-framing pieces play tricks on the viewer’s eyes, appearing as complex layered structures while they are really flat palettes with cutouts.

Such a high level of craftsmanship should not be missed. The exhibit will be on view in the Main Gallery of the C-building until Nov. 1. Open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.