MIKE BLAHA: Subsupernal

Opening August 30, 5-7pm

• Artist/Member Private Preview 4-5pm

• Community Opening 5-7pm

Exhibit dates: August 30 - October 25, 2025

 Michael Blaha is a contemporary abstract artist with a degree in anthropology. His first showing was in the 1982 Idaho Biennial Exhibition in Boise and then in Northwest Juried Art 1983 in Spokane, Washington. Blaha currently lives, makes art, and exhibits in Santa Barbara, California, and works with people with intellectual disabilities.

MICHAEL BLAHA/ARTIST STATEMENT   Painting and drawing commenced about 50,000 years ago and is considered one of the markers that separate modern humans from our more primitive, non-art making ancestors.

Why did people begin making art? Besides the obvious illustrative drawings meant to be instructive and informative, other, less objective and abstract art was also being made, and the reasons why are open to speculation.

I personally tilt toward the abstract, less objective, and fancy feeling kindred to the early cave artists. Granted, I paint at home and am not limited to ochre and charcoal, but making art is simply a sincere effort to create something interesting and maybe, to seek answers to undefined questions.