Patricia Knop at the Trigg Ison Fine Art Gallery

Online, June 6, 2013 (Newswire.com) - The Patricia Knop exhibition at the famous Trigg Ison Fine Art Gallery in West Hollywood recently opened. The opening was hosted by owner Trigg Ison along with actor and art enthusiast Martin Sheen and his wife Janet, the exhibition showcases the American artist's brilliant original art and clay sculptures from 1968 to 2013, the majority of which has never been seen until now.

Knop has lead an eclectic life with plenty of experiences to draw from, which is very much a key component of her work. She was the wife of late film director, writer, and producer Zalman King, and together they worked on several films such as 91/2 Weeks (1986), and the TV series Red Shoe Diaries (1993 - 1996). When they first moved to LA in the early 1960s, Knop began sharing a sculpture studio with ceramic sculptor Jerry Rothman in Downtown Los Angeles. She developed a love and fascination with art, seeking out and collecting rare pieces that hid remarkable stories behind every bend, curve, and brush stroke, drawing inspiration to create her own life-sized, one of a kind masterpieces that embody her vivid imagination and view of the world. With the passing of her husband a few years ago, Knop has picked up right where she left off and now gives us a rare glimpse into her genius that has been in the making for over 30 years.

Knop's biggest inspiration has always been the things closest to her; her family, husband, parents, her two children, and most importantly, herself. She takes inspiration from her dreams and often uses herself as the subject, even creating a life-sized sculpture called Blue Pat. But Knop also has an uncanny ability to bring to life the dreams and yearnings of those around her. Her sculptures and painted canvases effortlessly capture the emotions and desires of her subjects. In a series of paintings called Dreams of the Women of Alta Avenue, Patricia uses her neighbors on Alta Avenue as her muses and depicts them candidly in the comfort of their elements, telling distinct stories through their eyes. One of those women immortalized on canvas is actress Valerie Harper, whom Knop painted holding a ziplock bag containing a sandwich. Harper later revealed that she was bagging sandwiches for kids as part of her work for The Hunger Project when Knop captured the intimate moment.

Knop's sculptures are raw, passionate, whimsical, and embedded with a montage of emotions. The very size of her sculptures mirror the amount of love and attention she has poured into each one, and the depth of the tales that accompany them. They command presence and humble the spectator. But the true brilliance of her work lies in the fact that it is accessible; you need not be an art connoisseur or philosopher to feel, live, and experience the beauty of the world through Knop's eyes.

For more information about the Patricia Knop exhibition at the Trigg Ison Fine Art Gallery, please visit www.triggison.com

- Angela Reid
Angela Ried writes for Revere Magazine a high-end regional lifestyle magazine that combines the best of both worlds: the quality and style of a national publication with smart, locally relevant editorial. With a focus on Southern California's most vibrant and beautiful areas, we have created a publication to explore the finest the region has to offer in luxury and the pursuit of happiness. Readers depend on Revere for its exciting mix of entertainment and recreation, health and fitness, sports, beauty and fashion, dining out, cooking, wines and spirits, travel, and, most importantly, the extraordinary people who call this unique region of Southern California home