Skeletons in the Toyroom

Once again, the Toyroom Gallery has proved that it is truly an art alternative in Sacramento. It’s quite a feat that this gallery manages to find quality local and national artists to exhibit month after month. This time around is a perfect example: Sacramento-based artist Olivia Coelho will show alongside New York-based J. Spica. Coelho’s small, colorful pieces read almost like design, with the figures painted in outline and with stripes entering the image for seemingly no apparent reason. But there is a reason: While being simple in approach, these paintings could teach a lot of established artists a thing or two about balance in color relationships and composition. Spica, too, proves to be in complete control of his medium. His series “The Skeleton Diaries” are small images drawn and painted on cardboard with felt-tip pen and Wite-Out. Although it sounds easy, Spica creates fun images with a technique that is sophisticated and unique.