Feb. 8, 2012 — Los Angeles-based artist Mary Weatherford is bringing an outsider's perspective of Bakersfield to the Todd Madigan Gallery at California State University, Bakersfield with her exhibit, "The Bakersfield Project." A free artist lecture and opening reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the gallery, 9001 Stockdale Highway. Parking is $5.

Weatherford is a Los Angeles resident who has been visiting Bakersfield and getting to know the area since October. Her research has led her to explore the various libraries, museums, oil fields and bars around town. She has spent many hours meeting residents from all walks of life, including the sheriff. In the last five weeks, Mary has been living in Bakersfield assembling this exhibition with the assistance of CSUB students.

"Mary Weatherford's work grows from her understanding of a particular site," said Joey Kotting, gallery curator. "She works in a very subjective way, taking what experiential knowledge she has garnered, and transforming it into intuitive expressions of color and light. She paints the forms of nothing: the atmosphere, the light, the particles of pollution. Mary's paintings try to capture the void."

The artist's visit and exhibit is at the invitation of CSUB's Art Department.

"Every winter quarter the gallery invites an artist to make a show, teaching the students along the way. It is an amazing experience for the students," Kotting said.

Weatherford was born in Ojai and currently resides and works in Los Angeles, with exhibitions both internationally and in the U.S. She studied at Princeton for her bachelor's in Art History/Visual Arts and at Bard College for her MFA. Her most recent one-person exhibition is "Cave at Pismo" in New York City.

The artist lecture begins at 5 p.m. with the opening reception following from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through March 10. Gallery hours are from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sunday, Monday and Friday.

For more information contact Joey Kotting at (661) 654-2776 or by email at jkotting@csub.edu.