Line, Smudge, Shade showcases works on paper by sixteen Los Angeles–based contemporary artists who consider drawing an integral part of their studio practice and explores the emotional, formal, and environmental dimensions of mark-making on paper and beyond.

Three common drawing techniques are the framework for this exhibition: line, which reflects the deliberate act of mark-making and the conceptual choices behind using drawing as a foundational mode of expression; smudge, which represents the ways in which the Los Angeles region shapes these artists and their work; and shade, which references the personal and intuitive aspects of each artist’s process.

Featuring experimental and traditional drawings, artists’ sketchbooks, and other works on paper that span form, movement, and intention, Line, Smudge, Shade highlights a range of approaches to drawing that move fluidly among representation, abstraction, memory, and observation. At a time when artists have access to an unprecedented variety of media, Line, Smudge, Shade returns to the immediacy of drawing as a means of reflection and relation, both personal and public. Despite their varied presentations, all the works included in the exhibition reflect a shared commitment to drawing as an exploratory, embodied, and place-based act.

Organized by Solomon Salim Moore, academic curator, and HeeSoo Alice Lee, curatorial assistant.

Image: Carlya Franca, Home, 2025. Reclaimed charcoal from the Eaton Fire on paper. 18 x 24 inches. Lent by the artist.