On Monday, Aug. 13, the Los Angeles-based artist Devon Tsuno will give the curving façade of the College of the Canyons Art Gallery a makeover with his largest public art project to date. “California Seedlings” will cover 702 square feet of the COC Art Gallery’s exterior with a graphic film wrap, a project that will mark the beginning of the gallery’s new initiative to activate the college’s public space through dynamic contemporary art.

“There are so many issues and ideas that Devon is investigating with his art practice that are relevant to our time and our community,” said Pamela Bailey Lewis, COC Art Gallery Director. “This work will not only be exciting to look at, but it will provide an opportunity to engage our students in new ways in discussions about contemporary art, sustainability, and our environment.”

Tsuno is known for his abstract paintings, artist books, and print installations, and social practice projects focusing on native vs. non-native vegetation, water use, and the Los Angeles watershed. Influenced by Japanese, 19th century Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and fabric, Tsuno’s rich, densely layered works are inspired by the vigorous and dynamic flora competing for space in our urban environment.

“California Seedlings,” will be on view through Friday, May 31, 2019.

A public reception for the artist will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18.

This project is generously supported by the COC Foundation Patrons of the Arts, the school of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Chancellor’s Office.

The College of the Canyons Art Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Those unable to visit the gallery during normal hours are welcome to contact the gallery to schedule a viewing appointment.

All gallery exhibitions and related events are free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit the COC Art Gallery web page.

More about the artist
A Los Angeles native, Devon Tsuno has exhibited his work widely both nationally and internationally. Tsuno is a 2017 Santa Fe Art Institute Water Rights artist-in-residence, the 2016 SPArt Community Grantee, and was awarded a 2014 California Community Foundation Emerging Artist Fellowship for Visual Art. His long-term interest in bodies of water in Southern California has been central to his collaborations with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Big City Forum, and the Theodore Payne Foundation. Tsuno received an MFA from Claremont Graduate University and a BFA from California State University, Long Beach. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Art and Design at California State University, Dominguez Hills.