JENNIFER MAHAL -- In the Wings

On first glance, David Wirkkala’s new series of oil paintings, titled

“Presence,” appear to depict groupings of large, pebble-shaped blots.

Until you notice the way the muted colors seem to blend and swirl. Until

you see the way the wooden panels hold your attention. Until you get

captured by the ghosts under the surface.

OK. So there may not actually be ghosts, but there is something

ethereal about the gliding sweep of these abstracts. Wirkkala, a Costa

Mesa resident, said the series was influenced by the works of painter

Chuck Close and sculptor Richard Serra.

“I had done a lot of work that was social commentary,” the artist said

over a cup of coffee at Cafe Ruba. “I wanted to get back into painting,

but I didn’t want people to recognize the images.’

Six of the series -- there are 14 all together -- will appear today

(along with art by Pla, Paul Schneider, Denise Marie Moritz and Ski

Bassham) in “12 Hours,” a half-day art show from noon to midnight at

Schneider Studios, 1060 E. First St. in Santa Ana.

Wirkkala started working on “Presence” during a seven-month sabbatical

he took last year from his aerospace job at Titan Systems in Santa Ana.

The 38-year-old said he completed nine of the pieces in three months.

It was Serra’s “Torqued Elipses,” a sculpture using 13-foot tall

rolled steel shells, that helped inspire Wirkkala to try and use the

optical qualities of paint to achieve a similar effect.

“It was something to walk around and see how it manipulated the

space,” Wirkkala said. “I wanted to do something like that in two

dimensions.”

Wirkkala’s interest in art goes back to his childhood in Pittsburg,

when he visited local art museums. He still remembers the paintings --

like Monet’s “Water Lilies.”

“You can sit there and look at it as an abstract piece and then put it

together,” he said.

As he grew up, however, Wirkkala left art behind for the more

lucrative world of math and science. He received his master’s in

engineering from Cal State Fullerton and began working in the aerospace

industry.

About 12 years ago, Wirkkala decided to start getting back into the

arts, taking classes at community college. He said he enjoys the work of

pop artists Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.

“I think I take a lot from different artists,” he said.

Warhol’s influence can be seen in some of Wirkkala’s other works, like

his series of American flags made with such diverse materials as lottery

tickets and electrical boards. The flags have been exhibited as part of

“Exhibition VII” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Rental and

Sales Gallery.

That show was just a few steps away from Wirkkala’s dream.

“Ultimately I’d like to have work in museums some day, so others can

appreciate my paintings.”

* * *

Do you know a local artist, writer, painter, singer, filmmaker, etc.,

who deserves to get noticed? Send your nominee to In The Wings, Daily

Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, by fax to (949) 646-4170 or

by e-mail to o7 jennifer.mahal@latimes.com.f7

* JENNIFER MAHAL is features editor of the Daily Pilot.