Providing an outlet

Lolita Harper

Amid the boxy, drab industrial buildings on Logan Avenue, a burst of

creative color shines through. Brilliant hues -- brought to life by

the creative brush strokes of artist Lisa Eddy -- make their lively

debut on the walls of Art Martyr Gallery, housed in a monotonous

rectangular building in Costa Mesa.

The self-proclaimed “nontraditional, alternative venue” gallery

shares a renovated industrial space with the Corner design firm. Amid

the working space of graphic designers Tony Colombini and Anne Westin

hang rotating exhibits from local artists. Eddy’s works decorate the

walls through Sept. 30.

“This space brought together many loves,” Colombini said. “If the

art fits with our vision, we make it happen and create value and have

fun.”

Fun is the word that best describes the small suite. The ceiling

is painted blue with the supporting walls in white and black. On the

white walls are Eddy’s creations. On the black -- and everywhere else

-- more fun.

Just under a drafting table, near the garage entrance to the space

sat 11 scuffed bowling pins. At 4 p.m. weekdays, the Kona Lanes

remnants -- Colombini bought them just before the demolition --

relive their purpose during “totally ghetto alley bowling,” Colombini

said.

Just before quitting time, Colombini and Westin release some

stress by hurling a bowling ball along the asphalt of the industrial

park to shatter a makeshift pyramid of pins. It gives a whole new

meaning to the term “gutter ball.”

There are displays of model cars, art on skateboards, hand-painted

furniture, coffee tables on shopping cart wheels and a mini-bar with

old matchbooks fixed into the countertop. High above the computer

workstations are more original pieces of art. A rendition of the

traditional Tide detergent box brightens the south wall and a series

of three desert highway landscapes adorn the northern wall.

“Those are mine,” Colombini said quietly.

But the focus for this exhibition is on Eddy, he quickly reminds.

Huntington Beach resident Eddy depicts dreamy imagery and reality

through mixed media in the exhibit “Framing the Unconscious: A

Portraiture of Dreams.” The reveries take form on canvas, furniture

and small-scale hand-painted prints, using oil paints and mosaic

tiles.

Westin, the gallery coordinator, said she was enthusiastic about

getting the community-grown gallery up and running. Eddy is the

second artist to showcase at the Art Martyr Gallery, which is barely

2 months old, Westin said.

“I always wanted to be a part of a gallery where I could work with

emerging artist and help them get a foot in the door,” Westin said.