Artist Conversation 2

Artist: Oscar Pearson
Exhibition: Near Far Exhibit
Media: Oil on Canvas
Gallery: LBSU School of Art, Dennis W. Dutzi Gallery
Instagram: oscarpearsonofficial

About the Artist

Oscar Pearson is going into his senior year at CSULB under the College of the Arts (COTA) studying the Drawing/Painting program to receive his BFA. He enjoys drawing and sketching while taking public transportation, which can be seen through his art work. After taking a look at all of his sketches, he finds pleasure in making a more finished piece from his many bus sketches. Oscar Pearson especially emphasizes metaphors when discussing his paintings. The process of working with four other artists in this exhibit was an aspect that Oscar really enjoyed as well.

Formal Analysis

A Drop in the Bucket, the art piece made by Oscar Pearson, is painted using oil. The canvas is filled with vibrant colors depicting his view of the inside of a bus and the outside street. It consists mostly of primary colors but it is not exclusive to that. It is a large painting, which can be viewed from far away or close-up to fully witness the various details of the painting. The image portrayed is one that is very familiar and relatable to many people, especially since Oscar stated that the McDonalds and KFC that he included in the background are near Long Beach State. There are different lines and textures of the oil that further enhance the image he was trying to portray. The people painted all appear to have their attention on everywhere and every one but each other.

Content Analysis

The process of making “A Drop in the Bucket” lasted about a year as he was working on another piece consecutive to this, with a rough estimate of 40 hours spent on this piece. Oscar Pearson received inspiration from his many sketches that he took while on the bus to create a composition that formed this final product. Thus, the people he drew may not have all been there at the same time, as he incorporated various sketches into one painting. Oscar was portraying the idea that everyone on the bus has their own destination in mind that is all different, but also the same in a way. Public transportation highlights the fact that we all have the same destination, but we think of them as a unique experience to us. For a few moments, the bus acts as a component that makes everyone appear near to each other, yet also far. Hence, the idea fits perfectly with the name of the exhibit (Near Far).

My Experience

I particularly loved hearing about how this painting was inspired from sketching while on the bus, on his way to whatever destination he had that day. It depicted a care-free nature that I strive to have and act on throughout my daily life. I rarely stop to think that I should sketch, as I am constantly stressing on my next move of the day and planning my schedule. The exhibit itself also reminded myself of how far something feels, when in reality it is a lot closer or vice versa. I believe that society has become detached from making these types of realizations and we tend to focus on ourselves more than anything else. Although it is not necessarily a bad thing, it does leave many people feeling more distant from humanity.