The newest art exhibit in the Santa Clarita Valley opens March 17 at 7 p.m. at The Main in Old Town Newhall. “Stillness in Chaos” by artist Aazam Irilian will open with a free artist’s reception including art, music and light refreshments.

Paintings in this exhibition are selections from two different bodies of work, Indigo Dreaming and Beyond The Veil, created during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Irilian said the primary hues of the Indigo Dreaming series are various shades and intensities of blues.

“These paintings are atmospheric and dreamlike in composition, with soft colors overlapping, blending to create a sense of depth on the canvas,” she said.

In contrast, the paintings selected from Beyond the Veil series are mostly in warm hues and earth tones with sharp brushstrokes that are absent in paintings from the Indigo Dreaming series.

“These paintings function as metaphors for the moments of stillness that punctuate the usual chaos of life, soft and tranquil, blurring the boundaries of recognized and unknown. As the impacts of the pandemics devastated the world, I took refuge in the studio, pouring the paint and allowing it to dance onto the canvas,” said Irilian. “With it, my mind flowed, losing itself in the moment, opening a window to a world that is beyond, one that is calm, quiet and tranquil. Painting was not a physical experience any longer but only a process and a tool to tap into the stillness that existed deep within me.”

Irilian said the exhibition is an invitation to the viewer to pause, become present in the moment and allow the mind to flow, experiencing the joy of each moment instead of focusing on the chaos.

For more information on the artist visit Aazam Irilian.

The reception will be held Thursday, March 17 at 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The MAIN, 24266 Main St., Newhall, CA 91321