“Color and Line,” is an exhibit of Loretta Paraguassu’s paintings that goes beyond the limits of paper and canvas. Her opening at the Timothy Michael Gallery, 39 Oak St., Roswell, is Saturday, November 14, 6:30-9 p.m. will include a fashion show of her original designs created with artist Amandine Drouet.

“I love using intense color and combining it with the elegance of line,” Paraguassu says. It doesn’t matter if I’m using watercolor or oils. I enjoy them both, but the last thing I want to do is create something that just lies on the paper or canvas and is totally boring. I’d rather it were offensive. Just pretty is not enough.

“Working large is another thing that fascinates me. I’ve been working bigger and bigger, because I enjoy the impact that a big splash of color can create. There is no way to overlook something that is almost eight fee long and 45 inches wide. Not easy working on paper in that size, but it’s thoroughly rewarding. I can get my transparency and accent it with inks,” Paraguassu explains.

Paraguassu’s background is also anything but boring. She spent most of her career as a journalist. Her experience includes being a writer/editor for Women’s Wear Daily, feature writer for the Honolulu Star Bulletin and columnist for the Los Angeles Times. She also did documentaries for PBS Hawaii, wrote a children’s musical in Los Angeles, been a screenwriter and most recently has produced her own video shorts.

“If I’m given a choice, it is painting that is my love,” she says. “However, in the videos I enjoy combining my art and live action. “Color, Curves and Motion,” a video I made with the improvisation of three Atlanta Ballet dancers does exactly that,” she explains. That video will also be shown at the current exhibition.

“The venture into fashion is pretty much a fluke. I was encouraged to do it recently and found that it was something that – with the help of Amandine – I was able to do. My grandmother was a very successful New York dressmaker in her day and I learned how to sew at her knee. Putting a garment together without a pattern is something I can do very easily. We combined the idea of recycling fine fabrics from garments that have gone out of style with doing something very edgy and new. It was a shock when I opened a current edition of Vogue and found that we were running along the same path as high fashion designers. They say when you have ideas they are in the air. I guess it’s true. We didn’t intentionally copy anyone and I don’t think you’ll find anything exactly like what we’ve done.”

Paraguassu was originally from Connecticut and lived in California, Hawaii, Mexico and New York before moving to Georgia in 1991. Her education includes a bachelors degree in English from UCLA and a masters degree in film/video and art from Georgia State University. On the business side, she is also a Registered Investment Advisor with Woodstock Financial Group.

Her work paintings will be on exhibit until early December. For more information, contact the Timothy Michael Gallery at 770-594-9511 or info@timothymichaelgallery.com