I am perpetually fascinated with ideas that come from the Unconscious. They seem to bubble up and become visible in the form of color, line, and shape inter-relationship. It is part of the journey of understanding the Self and this amazing LIFE we are living.

The most current abstractions on paper are compositions that reflect this ethereal meaning. As in poetry, interpretation may be very personal. The titles I give the works generally relate to my immediate quirky understanding of the pieces when they are completed, however, there is no reason why the paintings should carry conscious meaning to everyone. Most important is that each piece has visual integrity.

These small paintings from 2002 into the present are partly informed by three decades of disciplined brushwork using traditional Asian calligraphy brushes and ink to express emotional and physical response to nature in it's various forms. Also, figure drawing has been very helpful. I have found that the effort it takes to draw the figure "correctly" gives strength to the eye and hand when painting non-objective works.

Regarding the expressive brushwork (1970s to the present):
I've shown internationally with a group called Art of Ink in America, which is an international contemporary calligraphy association. I feel honored to be a part of it, especially since I do not do calligraphy in any traditional way. The brushwork that I have been known for and which I developed and practiced for more than 20 years, is calligraphic in the sense that it makes a statement with focus, integrity, spirit and emotion. Also, each stroke came as a result of concentration on someone/thing I was looking at, thinking about, feeling. It was "written" as one would write a character, but abstractly, with the brush. When I went to China to participate in a grand show at the Shanxi Historical Art Museum in Xi'an, I was in the company of accomplished artists who had made it their lives to pursue an artistic extrapolation of the basic calligraphy with which they had grown up. Their expressive brushwork has moved into what seems to be a marriage of contemporary abstraction and ancient symbolism.

Seyburn Zorthian
PO Box 1007, Solvang, CA 93464 ; 805 688-8160 (studio);
Fax: 805 688-6168; email: seyburn@skypipeline.com; seyburnzorthian.com

Education

San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA  1966-1967
Chouinard, Los Angeles, CA  1967-1968
California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles, CA, B.F.A., 1971
Kyoto, Japan, (studied Shodou with Shiryu Morita), 1974

Solo and Semi-solo Exhibitions

1997-2011  Annual Studio Exhibitions, Seyburn Zorthian Studio, Solvang, CA

2006    Seyburn Zorthian/Sally Chiu, Recent Work, Caruso-Woods Fine Art, Santa Barbara, CA

1998    "Stroking the Dragon", Pacific Asia Museum, The Contemporary Gallery, Pasadena, CA

1995    DesignARC Gallery, with Bud Tullis, Santa Barbara, CA

1990    Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Installation, Santa Barbara, CA

1989    "Spirit Lines", Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA

1988    De La Guerra Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

1982    Hancock College Art Gallery, Santa Maria, CA

1981    De Vinci Gallery (dealer, Carolyn Watson), Santa Barbara, CA

1980    Vorpal Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1978    Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA

Group Exhibitions

1998-2011 Represented by Indigo, Santa Barbara, CA

2011 “Energy”, an international exhibition juried by Howard Fox, Curator Emeritus of Contemporary Art at
        Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA.

        “The Abstract”, a juried exhibition of California artists. Juror, Phil Linhares, Chief Curator of Art, Oakland
        Museum of California. Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2010 "Bugs", Indigo, Santa Barbara, CA. Juried group show of Santa Barbara County artists.

        Small Images Exhibition, Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara City College. Juror, Thomas Lawson, Dean of the
        School of Art, California Institute of the Arts. Merit Award 2D for " Cicada Speciosa, 6"

        "Art of Ink in America - 2010, Florida", The Gallery at Eissey Campus, Palm Beach Community College,
        PalmBeach Gardens, Florida

        "Art of Ink in America - 2010, Florida", University Art Gallery, California State University, Dominguiz Hills,
        Carson, CA

2009 "Vino de Sueños", Participating Artist (Painting for wine label design representing Buttonwood Winery). Benefit
        for Santa Ynez Valley Vineyard and Farm Workers. Buellton, CA.

2008 "EDGE: Santa Barbara County Artists Respond", Ro Snell, Curator, Channing Peake Gallery, Santa                 Barbara, CA

        "Santa Barbara Abstractions", five artists from Santa Barbara County at the Collector's Gallery, Bakersfield         Museum of Art, Bakersfield, CA

        "California Visual Artists," Jay Belloli, Juror. 2nd City Council Art and Performance Space, Long Beach, CA

        "Art of Ink: An Exhibition of International Contemporary Calligraphy", Irvine Arts Center, CA

2007  "Shades of Green", an exhibition of recent work by members of Mobilé, contemporary furniture design,
        sculpture, painting and design. Living Green Gallery, Culver City, California.

        "Art of Ink in America 2007", April 17-27, Paris, France, September 5-16, Ulsan, Korea September 5

        "A Body of Work", an exhibition of work by two dozen area artists who meet regularly at Zorthian's studio.         Edward Cella, guest juror. Elverhoj Museum of Art and History, Solvang, CA.

2006  "Small Images", Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara City College; juror, James Elaine.

2005  "Art of Ink: An Exhibition of International Contemporary Calligraphy", W. Keith and Janet Kellog University Art          Gallery, California State Polytechnic University, Pamona

        "Art of Ink in America-2005 International Contemporary Calligraphy", New York Hall of Science, Queens, NY.

        "Portraying Women", Jewish Federation, Santa Barbara

        "Mobilé: Local Treasures", Livingreen Gallery, Santa Barbara

2004  "In the Abstract", Fielding Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, California

        "Art of Ink in America-2004 International Contemporary Calligraphy Exhibition", the 10th International         Contemporary Calligraphy Exhibition Mobile Museum  of Art, Mobile, Alabama; Museum purchase of 2 works for         the collection.

2003  "Art of Ink in America-2003", the 9th International Contemporary Calligraphy Exhibition, Shanxi Historical Art         Museum, Xi'an, China

2002  "Saks Fifth Avenue Invitational", Santa Barbara, CA

        "Women Beyond Borders: The Art of Building Community; A Ten-Year Retrospective" Guest Curator Anette         Kubitza, Ph.D, University Art Museum, University of California Santa           Barbara, CA

        "Art of Ink In America-2002", the 7th International Contemporary Calligraphy Exhibition, Contemporary Crafts         Gallery, Portland, Oregon

        "Art of Ink - 2002 LA, International Contemporary Calligraphy Exhibition", Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles,         CA

        "Art that Works", a three-part exhibition to benefit the Environmental Defense Center, Santa Barbara, CA,         featuring 2 screens, collaborations with furniture designer, Bud Tullis.   

2001  "Women Beyond Borders Ten-year Retrospective", Fowler Museum, UCLA, Los Angeles and University Art
         Museum, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA

         "Working from Life: The Figure in Drawing", Westmont College, Reynolds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

         "Mythic Images", 3 artists; black and white, Santa Barbara Arts Fund Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

         "Chouinard, a Living Legacy", Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA, Catalog available.

2000  Traveling exhibition;  "Art of Ink in America-2000", International   Contemporary Calligraphy, Newark Museum,          New Jersey, and National Taiwan Arts Education Institute, Taiwan, Taipei. Catalog available.

1997  "LA Slide", Living Room Gallery, Los Angeles, CA and Gallery 25, Fresno, CA

1996  "West Coast Works on/of Paper ‘96", The Ink People, Eureka, CA, Juror: Peter Frank

1995  "Scissors, Paper, Stone: 9 Women Working", Museum Art Center, Santa Maria, CA

1994  "Alchemy of Fire", Peake Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

         Group Show, Karpeles Manuscript Library & Museum,  Santa Barbara, CA

1990  "34  5" x 120  15’ Santa Barbara Artists", The Woman’s Building, Los Angeles, CA

         "10 + 10, 10 Artists Invite 10 Artists", Santa Barbara Arts Festival, De La Guerra Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

1989  Santa Barbara Arts Council, Arts Festival, Santa Barbara, CA, Juror: Joan Hugo

1987  "Garden of Earthly Delights", Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA

1986  "Portraits" Santa Barbara Arts Council Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

1984  Sumie Society of America, International Juried Exhibition, New York, NY

         Santa Barbara Arts Council, Arts Festival, Santa Barbara, CA Juror: Melinda Wortz

1982  Carolyn Watson Gallery, Group Show,  Santa Barbara, CA

         Santa Barbara Arts Council, Arts Festival, Santa Barbara, CA, Juror: Peter Selz, (purchase award)

1980  "Santa Barbara Select ‘80", Atkinson Art Gallery, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, CA

1974  Kyoto Municipal Museum, National Shodou Exhibition, Kyoto, JAPAN

Teaching and Demonstration Experience

2005  Japanese Abstract Brush Painting Class, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, for graduating seniors from the Visual
         Art and Design Academy (with Ronald Robertson)

        "Principles of Drawing from Life", workshop presented for the Artists' Guild of Santa Ynez Valley.

2000  Semester at Sea, Spring 2000 Voyage, Professor of Studio Arts. Taught Foundation Painting and Foundation
         Drawing to undergraduates.

1999  Spring semester, Santa Barbara Arts Mentorship Program, taught abstract painting to gifted high school
         students.

         "Chinese Calligraphy: Two Contemporary Views", Seyburn Zorthian and Ronald Robertson, Santa Barbara
         Museum of Art, lecture and panel discussion.

1998  "East Meets West, Contemporary Brushwork Painting, a demonstration/workshop with Seyburn Zorthian",
         Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA.

1980s Teacher for Arts Outreach, Santa Ynez Valley, CA. Taught fourth through eighth grades as visiting artist.