Location: Oceanside Public Library’s Civic Center Branch from April 1 to May 12, and at their Mission Branch from May 12 to June 23. Opening Reception and artist talk Apr. 8 at 5:30 p.m. From the organizers: Marisa DeLuca (She/Her) is a post-contemporary artist working in painting, drawing, and photography. Her practice examines intersections between time, memory, impermanence, and critical theory. Marisa comes from a background of community engagement through nonprofit service in the arts sector. She is founder and President of the nonprofit Artists in Solidarity, an artist collective that raises funds for migrant families through charity art auctions. Marisa is a San Diego native based in Oceanside, California and received her BA in Visual Arts (Studio) from UC San Diego in 2021. She is currently pursuing her MFA at San Diego State University's School of Art + Design. This solo exhibition is a reverent meditation on the disappearing spaces in DeLuca's home, Oceanside, CA. Originally in response to increasing gentrification in the region, these paintings have developed into an investigation of personal feelings around home, impermanence, and remembrance. An urgency to preserve that which is being lost, while paying homage to the spirits of Oceanside that fade into homogeneity, is the driving force behind this work. This exhibition is the culmination of a three-year artistic project that was intended to be shown in the community it honors. As a realization of this vision, DeLuca has chosen to show the work in its entirety at the social center of the city - the library. She hopes the community will see themselves in this work and find their own personal connections.
