Michael Sokolis: Balancing Act

With an eye for elegant form and graceful line, Michael Sokolis creates dreamlike scenes of contemporary life far above the cityscape. The viewer shares the aerial perspective of characters in precarious circumstances. Echoing the dramatic flair of a film still, we glimpse the psychological terrain of these mysterious men and women. The realistically painted figures hold aloft briefcases, shoes, or other objects as they traverse a tightrope over the urban environment.

Like a high wire acrobatic act, an element of mystical performance suffuses these compositions.

A master of the subtleties of glazing, this artist creates a sense of mystery in the shifting pastel colors of sunset and sunrise. Sokolis focuses on the ability of individuals to find magical inner resources that enable them to cope with the challenges of achieving balance in the carnival of modern life.

Michael Sokolis studied art at California State College-Long Beach, and he lived in the South for many years before returning to the West Coast in 1998. His paintings are exhibited in Nashville and Atlanta as well as the Los Angeles area, and his work is represented in significant collections throughout the country. His “Balancing Act” series offers complex and beautiful paintings that reflect our collective psyche.

- Nancy Clare Caponi, Director of Contemporary Art TO PREVIEW THE EXHIBIT ONLINE, PLEASE VISIT:

http://www.sullivangoss.com/exhibits/michael_sokolis_2006.asp EXHIBITION LIST Cover. Hop Louie (detail) | 40 x 30 inches | oil on canvas 1. Neighborhood Sunset | 33 x 24 inches | oil on canvas 2. High Anxiety | 40 x 30 inches | oil on canvas 3. Genuine, Balancing Act | 40 x 30 inches | oil on canvas 4. Balancing Act Nocturne | 16 x 20 inches | oil on canvas 5. The Bough and the Balancing Act | 24 x 20 inches | oil on canvas 6. Balancing Act at Dusk | 40 x 30 inches | oil on canvas 7. Deep Sunset | 24 x 30 inches | oil on canvas

S A T U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 4 1266 COAST VILLAGE ROAD FROM 5-7 PM Please join us for a magical evening with the artist in our elegant Montecito gallery. Champagne and good conversation will be served.

Sullivan Goss AN AMERICAN GALLERY

7 East Anapamu Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 730-1460 P L E A S E VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE: h t t p : / / www.sullivangoss.com