Julia Bui: The Couch Surfing Paintings
Sat, Sep 30
|Costa Mesa
On display at Orange Coast College’s Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion from Sep. 25 until Nov. 30, "Julia Bui: The Couch Surfing Paintings" explores international cultural exchange and hospitality through oil painting portraits
Time & Location
Sep 30, 2023, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Costa Mesa, Merrimac Way, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
About the event
On display at Orange Coast College’s Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion from Sep. 25 until Nov. 30, "Julia Bui: The Couch Surfing Paintings" explores international cultural exchange and hospitality through oil painting portraits. My models were “couch surfers,” members of an online network connecting travelers for free lodging and cultural exchange. I offered them accommodation in exchange for modeling. As a professional counselor and self-taught artist, I merge art and psychology in my work.
While each painting was completed within a few hours, the entire process spanned days, including time spent interacting, sharing meals, and exploring Los Angeles with these “strangers” turned house guests. The series consists of over forty paintings, featuring travelers from nineteen different countries.
Receptions Preview reception: Sept. 28, Thursday, 5-7 p.m. Opening reception: Sept. 30, Saturday, 1-4 p.m., with short walk-through by artist at 1 p.m.
Artist Talk Oct. 5, Thursday, 12:15-1 p.m., artist walk-thru with Julia Bui