New art lines the walls of café gallery in Bird Rock

Through the month of September, internationally acclaimed artist Peggy Hinaekian is exhibiting her abstract work on canvas, along with signed and numbered prints, at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 5627 La Jolla Blvd. Also on exhibit are the photographs of La Jolla High School sophomores Mack Bonebrake and Arénui Frapwell, and the latest collection from French artist Elisabeth Azzopardi.

In discussing her career, Hinaekian said she was the sole American among the 60 artists chosen to participate in the Milan Universal exhibition last year, where two of her paintings were projected on giant monitors. She also has participated in the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland three times, which some consider the most prestigious art fair in the world.

“People will of course wonder why I am doing such a small exhibition if I am a well-established artist,” she said. “The reason I am doing this is to make art assessable to everyone and not only to the very wealthy. That has always been my motto.”

Armenian-American Hinaekian studied in Canada, New York and in Europe. She lives and works in California, Florida and Switzerland, and her work can be found in many corporate and private collections.

As her artist statement reflects, “I am foremost a color-field painter … my colors are evocative of the Egyptian landscape — the quality of the light of the Sinai Desert and the turquoise-blue of the Mediterranean Sea. This has left an indelible impression on me and has influenced most of my work. I rarely work with a preconceived vision for the final product, thus allowing the possibility of ambiguity and surprise. Conceptually, I try to immerse the viewer in the perceptual experience of space, color and light.” Read more at peggyhinaekian.artspan.com

Frapwell said he has a passion for photography with roots in the arts that run deep. His great-grandfather was a contributing photographer to National Geographic, as was his father, David Frapwell. He is already a seasoned world-traveler and takes full advantage of the many opportunities to capture images.

Bonebrake said he also grew up with an appreciation for the visual arts, influenced by the many artists and designers in his family. He is a self-taught artist, learning from the advice provided by more-experienced local photographers. “There’s so much to learn, and so many possibilities,” he said.

Fresh from the southern coast of France, Azzopardi uses master gilding techniques and natural elements in her compositions that bind ancient techniques and modern forms into beautiful abstracts.