ENCINITAS, CA – November 29, 2007 – Lux Art Institute, San Diego’s new interactive art destination that has been nearly 10 years in the making, will welcome Astrid Preston, acclaimed landscape painter, as the second resident artist.

Visitors can “see art happen” when Preston moves into the Artist Residence for a nearly two month-long stay from January 31 to March 22, 2008.

During her stay, Preston’s work will not only be on exhibit, but visitor’s can watch Preston paint her commissioned work: a 16”x16” painting of the nature preserve that is visible from the large barn door that opens in the artist’s studio. Visitors will actually be able to look over Preston’s shoulder to the spot she is painting in the preserve beyond.

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Preston is known for her highly refined images of plants, foliage and flowers and idealized and detailed recreations of the planet. From the soft, impressionistic brushstrokes of the plein air painters of a century ago, Preston has learned to sharpen her vision and brushwork to reveal a fresh view of our surroundings.

An 8’x10’ painting of Preston’s will be a part of: Plein Air Past and Present: A Collaboration Between SDMA and the Lux Art Institute, February 2 though April 27, 2008, at the San Diego Museum of Art. Featuring dozens of works from the Southern California region, the exhibition will include works from SDMA's collection as well as local private collections, most of which were painted in the open air (plein air) during the late 19th and early 20th century.

This collection of century-old works from California’s early landscape painters will be transitioned to the present with the inclusion of ‘Surrender’, 2004, by Preston.

Lux director, Reesey Shaw, has sought out and worked with Preston since commissioning her Apple valise in 2002, as part of Lux’s Valise Project — portable works of art that are brought to schools offering students a tangible way to interact with art. Preston also designed the “Garden of Apple Delights”— the garden of 15 Anna Apple trees on the Lux grounds.

“Given our interest in the indigenous landscape of the site, the re-vegetation of the native landscape that was disturbed during construction, and our green building interests, we knew that working with such a luminous and gifted painter would bring immeasurable rewards.” says Shaw. “We are thrilled and proud to present this artist to the community.”

About Lux Art Institute

Lux Art Institute, located in Encinitas, opened its doors to the public in November 2007, and is redefining the modern museum experience with its artist-in-residence program. Artists live and work on site, while producing a commissioned work of art.

Throughout the year, Lux will invite an array of artists to take up residency in the studio and encourage visitors from across the country to observe and engage with real-world working artists. This one-of-a-kind institution invites visitors to not only “see art” but also to “see art happen.”

Slated to be the first “green” (LEED certified) museum in California and located alongside one of Southern California’s few remaining coastal wetlands, Lux’s four-acre site overlooks the San Elijo Lagoon and is surrounded by a wildlife preserve that stretches to the Pacific Ocean. In an effort to seamlessly meld the conservation and restoration of art beyond the museum walls, an array of rare native plants blend naturally into the nearby preserve.

Santa Monica, California based Renzo Zecchetto, AIA – whose other significant architectural projects include the award-winning Church of the Nativity in Fairbanks Ranch, Calif. and the Alusa Printing Company in Santiago, Chile – designed the two-story building to natural light and recycled materials to preserve resources for future generations.

Lux Hours: Thursday and Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For further information about Lux Art Institute, please visit www.luxartinstitute.org or call 760.436.6611.