You can understand my hesitation about going to see the exhibition of this year's MFA graduates at UCLA's New Wight Gallery. What tempted me was the modest, well-designed brochure presenting a sample of work from each artist. I decided to stop by the exhibition, planning to spend there only a few minutes; instead, I ended up staying for over an hour. Not only did I like the works of all four graduates -– three painters and one video artist -– but I was also surprised by the level of professionalism with which the exhibition was installed. As an extra bonus, two of the painters, Claire Baker and Benjamin Britton, happened to be there, and I had a delightful chat with both of them... Both artists, already in possession of their own style, demonstrate surprising assurance working on a small as well as a large scale. Both have a predilection for bravura brushwork.
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