Camarillo, Calif., October 10, 2007—CI Exhibitions gallery in Camarillo has announced its next show will be a three-person exhibition titled: "The Weird Worlds of Wyatt Vandergeest, Nedda Shishegar and Alex Violet Bast." The show will begin Thursday, Oct. 11 and continue through Friday, Nov. 9. There will be a reception for the artists at the gallery from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18. The reception is open to the public.

CI Exhibitions is located at 92 Palm Drive in "Old Town" Camarillo, Calif., 93010. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“The Weird Worlds of Wyatt Vandergeest, Nedda Shishegar and Alex Violet Bast” features a collection of recent paintings, photography and illustrations by three CI student artists whose work focuses on bazaar fantasies and introspective subject matter.

“While attending CI, these talented artists have evolved to the point where they each present a stunning, congruent body of work,” said Jack Reilly, Chair of the CI Art Program.

The artists and their work:

Wyatt Vandergeest:  His paintings are based upon direct reflections from childhood to adulthood. He paints fascinations and life observations that have never departed from his mind, enabling him to commit a memory directly to canvas. His paintings are vehicles for self-expression as he emulates his personal vision of a corrupt world, full of greed, poverty and arrogance.

“We all exist in a constant struggle between synthetic and natural elements that cannot be balanced. I believe that too many aspects of life are overlooked and taken for granted. All we have to do is open our eyes to see something much greater than anything we can ever imagine,” explained Vandergeest.

Nedda Shishegar:  Combining subterranean visages of the subconscious and the darkly mythic aesthetic of fairy tales, this collection of digitally manipulated photographs eloquently imbues a surrealist palette combined with the gothic shadows of an old children's storybook. In this bazaar and mysterious series, she investigates themes of identity, rites of passage and new awakenings, portraying a dark, adult world that exists on the periphery of child-like innocence.

Alex Violet Bast: Her painted illustrations are venerations of ancient spirituality and human romance infused with modern feminine and feminist sensibilities. She employs meticulous technique and attention to detail, combined with cryptic references to art history and anthropology. Her complex use of symbolism refers the viewer to the indomitable and sometimes ferocious parts of “the self.”  These works bring to mind forgotten feelings; sometimes sweet, sometimes visceral and frequently confrontational. “I whisper to you in the moonlight and invite you to gracefully dance, just for the sheer joy of doing so.”

For additional information, contact the CI Art Department, 805-437-8863, email: art@csuci.edu, or visit the

For media inquires about this release contact Ceal Potts, communications specialist at CI, 805-437-8940 or cecilia.potts@csuci.edu.

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