Rara Avis 61

Rara Avis 61

Cover | Jylian Gustlin

Rara Avis 61 (mixed media on panel, 2012). In her “Rara Avis” (Latin for “rare bird”) series, Gustlin’s abstract figures—the foundation of her painting repertoire—are frequently set in an alien-like landscape, moody and brooding, depicting a sense of the future and complexity of the past. Vibrant mixes of color and texture, the figures transcend race, ethnicity, and even evolutionary life forms. Each piece poses existential questions on the choices we make in life and our emotional existence, says Gustlin, who received her bachelor’s in fine arts from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has a background in computer science and mathematics. “Rara Avis 61” will be shown with her most recent body of work at the San Francisco Fine Art Fair with Stephanie Breitbard Fine Arts at Fort Mason from May 16-20. For a complimentary one-day pass to the San Francisco Fine Art Fair, courtesy of The Monthly: themonthly.eventbrite.com. For fair info: (415) 577-8007 or sffineartfair.com. For more artist info: jyliangustlin.com.


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Faces of the East Bay