by Helena Mitchell, Breeanna Jent on 2013-06-21
On Thursday, June 6, dozens of art aficionados gathered at Yojie Japanese Fondue in Diamond Bar for a night of creativity, viewing the works of artists hailing from throughout the Inland Empire and surrounding Los Angeles Areas, at the Waffurusoru: Vans Sneaker Cultural Art Exhibition.
Local graphic designer and artist Alyssa Mees was one who displayed her work, which will hang in the gallery through mid-July. Mees, a 24-year-old San Bernardino resident, began painting eight years ago after taking an art class in high school, she shared.
“I took an art class in high school, and my teacher looked at what I had and said, ‘You’ve got something here,” Mees said. “She pushed me to do more.” But art seemed to be in her genes, taking after her 28-year-old brother, Daniel Mees, who is also an artist.
“My family used to joke and say that I was a late bloomer,” said Mees of her artistry. “My brother and I used to stay up late and paint together. He’s one of my main influences and only people I trust to critique my work.”
Mees’s work is Asian-inspired with a style developed over the years, she shared, and her medium of choice is acrylic on wood, with a watercolor piece here and there. Mees started painting on wood—a switch from canvas—thanks to the inspiration from some of her favorite artists.
She comments on the differences in painting on the two materials. “There’s a definite texture difference. Treated canvas tends to be a lot smoother and wood can be temperamental because it’s porous and paint can sink into it,” she said. Still, she enjoys it.
So far, Mees has shown her work in two solo shows, she shared, and in the coming fall months she will display her artwork at a gallery in Los Angeles.
“It’s my outlet. Last year, I wasn’t able to paint as much as I usually do. When I started painting more this year, it just helped me become a happier person,” said Mees of painting, and the interest she garners in her work is just a plus. Ruben Arthur Duran of Chino Hills, 23, first came across Mees’s work about a year ago, after he viewed a time-lapse video she posted on Vimeo of a painting of a tiger. He’s been captivated by her work ever since, he shared.
“Alyssa has a beautiful style that is well developed and unique—on its own,” said Duran. “Her work is vibrant and mesmerizing, while also playful and deeply inspiring. I enjoy seeing her work and always look forward to her new pieces.”
You can find Mees’s work by following her on Instagram: @alyssamees, Twitter:@alyssamees, on Tumblr: alyssamees.tumblr.com and on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/user2896343.