WILSHIRE CENTER

Los Angeles printer Lynton Kistler was influential in introducing color offset lithography to the fine art world and worked with numerous prominent artists based in Southern California. June Wayne studied with him before she formed the Tamarind Lithography workshop in 1960.

But most of the 57 artists represented in an exhibit of 88 lithographs pulled under Kistler’s supervision are long forgotten. Their work in this medium suggests, alas, that their oblivion is not undeserved.

There are pleasing works here, like Helen Lundeberg’s “Moonrise” (a wispy patch of trees and the soft blackness of foggy sky enveloping the moon) or Clinton Adams’ tightly configured little still life, “Fish Bottle.” Wayne’s “The Jury” (figures emerging from a big, faceted crystal hold glowing stones in their spiky fingers) has an eerie power.

But there are far too many humdrum nature studies and excursions into panting symbolism, fake primitivism and School of Paris posturing. Amusingly, an unremarkable image of a gold dredge on the Sacramento River turns out to be by Wayne Thiebaud when he was 32. It’s enough to give a young artist hope. (Tobey C. Moss Gallery, 7321 Beverly Blvd., to Sept. 19.)