Joe Gutierrez Office of Strategic Communication (909) 537-5007 joeg@csusb.edu
Rinoi Imada, a Cal State San Bernardino student who will earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts this year with an emphasis in glass, will have her exhibit, “Handful of Life,” on display at the Little Gallery of San Bernardino beginning May 25 through June 20. An opening reception for “Handful of Life” will be held Saturday, May 25, 4-9 p.m. at the gallery. Parking and entry are free. Suggested donation is $5. According to Imada, she grew up in a large city, which often left her detached from nature. However, she enjoyed looking at animals and plants in pictures and books. She found that the natural elements gave her immense inspiration. “The environment around me and my experiences with nature gave me the idea of recreation of wildlife with glass, as it is one of the processes of the interaction between myself and the outside world,” she said. “Through the delicateness and strength of the creatures around us, I am expressing my admiration and my respect of life in my artworks. Glass is the material that responds to my thoughts, as it is unstable when it gets hot and it is hard to control. Also, it is very fragile; it is like the fragility of living creatures. This contradiction of materiality is the best way to express my concepts.” One of her favorite species to sculpt is the goldfish. “This fish is a popular ornamental fish that is bred artificially for people to enjoy with their eyes,” she said. “It cannot survive in real nature as a goldfish lost its ability to live in the wild. They are somewhat pitiful, human-manipulated fish, yet, I like their beauty and their strength of living in among the beauty.” Imada's “Handful of Life” is one of two simultaneous solo shows. Her other solo exhibition, “Dialogue,” is on view in Gallery 106 in the CSUSB Visual Arts Building. About The Little GalleryThe Little Gallery was started by Cal State San Bernardino adjunct professor Andrew K. Thompson and local artist Eric Servin. Their mission is to spotlight curated, contemporary art from San Bernardino County and beyond. The Little Gallery’s exhibition program relies on donations. The Little Gallery is located at 459 W. 4th St. Suite #12 in San Bernardino. It is open Fridays noon-10 p.m. and by appointment. Appointments can be made by contacting thelittlegallerysb@gmail.com. The gallery can also be reached at @the_little_gallery_sb on Instagram and Facebook. For more information or to make a donation, visit The Little Gallery website at TheLittleGallerySB.com.