SANTA MONICA

A gallery press release likens new work by David Trowbridge to the Haiku form of poetry and yes, these paintings are unmistakably Zen. In explaining his work, Trowbridge refers to a quote by Matisse that goes, “I don’t paint things, I paint the relationships between things.” Trowbridge does a surprisingly good job of conveying this rather ethereal notion with these 10 mixed-media pieces. He addresses the “relationships between things” by combining disparate elements in such a way that they seem to be in harmony while simultaneously asserting a sense of separation.

In “Psalm Number 36,” a charred wedge of ebony stands on the floor in front of a large canvas broken down into three sections; a vertical band of white binds together two stacked rectangular abstractions painted in soft, brushy pastels. As in all the paintings on view, the colors in this flawlessly assembled piece are luminously rich.

The materials Trowbridge uses--exotic woods, linen canvas, gold leaf--underscore the basic belief governing the work, which is that an artwork is a combination shrine/oasis/confessional. Toward that end, it should be neutral yet compelling, simple but perfectly crafted, authoritative and soothing. Trowbridge’s work is all of those things. (Angles Gallery, 2230 Main St., to March 8.)