Not Just Pretty Pictures : Works at Woodbury University challenge viewers with ideas about contemporary life and painting itself.

In the waning years of this century, art world aficionados have declared several times that painting is finished, dead. Despite their proclamations, artists are still painting--even those just coming out of school.

Yet many contemporary artists offer something quite different from the widely regarded Impressionist landscape in a gold frame or still life watercolor of fruits or flowers. The content and materials of their compositions challenge the viewer to contemplate more than a pretty picture.

To inaugurate its new art gallery, Woodbury University in Burbank is presenting a contemporary painting show that reveals a variety of ways artists use paint to communicate ideas about the medium itself and about contemporary life. “Peculiar Paintings,” as the show is called by guest curator Randy Sommer, brings together an unlikely grouping of 18 paintings by 18 artists. Art gallery director Carolee Toon-Parker describes the show as “peculiar in its commentary on the traditional, historical basis of painting.”

“We wanted to bring in contemporary artwork to introduce students and faculty to what’s happening in the fine arts world in Los Angeles, things that our students have not seen,” Toon-Parker said. “We also wanted to introduce Woodbury to the community--it’s another opportunity to invite people in.”

The paintings range from figurative to pure abstraction, and the show brings together work by artists who have achieved varied levels of recognition. Some of these artists are represented by galleries. Others are still in school or have not exhibited before. Sommer, co-director of Food House gallery in Santa Monica, visits art schools and studios to see the work of new and emerging artists as well as those who are established.

“I’m interested in people who are under-recognized. It has nothing to do with age,” he said. “I feel a sense of discovery and sharing with the world. And the artists are interested in getting into communities that are not used to contemporary art.”

Sensuous abstract formations share the gallery walls with humorous depictions of life’s conundrums and somber, disturbing musings. Several paintings suggest dilemmas in conforming to traditional ideas of gender. And despite the paintings’ differences, Sommer and Toon-Parker found frequent common elements, they said, when they hung the show: circles, dots and the color pink, for instance.

“Sacrifice Fly,” Perry Vasquez’s large latex on canvas painting of a man in a baseball uniform, gives new meaning to that strategic baseball play while it comments on standard notions of masculinity.

Patty Wickman’s oil on linen “Within (Without): Brown” depicts a woman in underwear standing before a bevy of mirrors. The loose brush strokes surrounding that image aid in spotlighting the intensity of the highly defined figure, and her confrontation with these looking glasses.

Kim Dingle nudges viewers to think about child abuse. Her three oil-on-wood “Babies with Shiners” are surrounded by round, 10-inch diameter frames. Each child portrayed has a black eye.

Steven Criqui used oil, sign enamel and pigmented resin on wood to create his “Beverly Center Remodel.” With a stylized rendition of the shopping center in the background, Criqui brings images of charming architectural elements that would add some flair to the big brown monolith.

The playful mixed media on panel “Drip Painting,” by Jason McKechnie, drips right off the panel. Incorporated into his work is glittery stuff and tiny round, colorful balls that look like the sprinkles used on a cake.

“We wanted to make the show accessible, and to be invigorating to people who are very versed in contemporary art,” Sommer said.

Other artists represented in the show are Michael Anderson, Amy Ellingson, Sharon Ellis, Nancy Evans, Julian Goldwhite, Robert Gunderman, Brian Mains, Monica Majoli, Daniel Manns, Steven Roden, Adam Ross, John Souza and Linda Stark.

Where and When What: “Peculiar Paintings.” Location: Woodbury University Art Gallery, 7500 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank. Hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Ends Nov. 13. Panel Discussion: Curator Randy Sommer and artists Amy Ellingson and Jason McKechnie will discuss the paintings in the show in relation to gender orientation at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the gallery. Call: (818) 767-0888.