Held In Motion: Duo Exhibition at Rubenstein Chan Contemporary Art

I'm thrilled to announce my upcoming exhibition at Rubenstein Chan Contemporary Art! Here are the important details. Below, I share my inspiration and process for the works in the show, as well as my personal connection to the theme of meditation. 

• Exhibition: Held In Motion
• Artists: Clara Berta & Chenhung Chen
• When: January 17th – March 1st, 2026
• Opening Reception: January 17th, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
• Where: 410 Palm Avenue, Unit B3, Carpinteria, CA 93013

 

 

There are moments in an artist's life when the stars seem to align, and the fabulous future we envision during our morning meditations finally becomes our reality. After a year of big transitions—including finding my feet in my new home in Laguna Beach—I am so incredibly grateful to share my latest journey with you.

 

From January 17th through March 1st, I am exhibiting in a stunning new show titled Held in Motion at the Rubenstein Chan Contemporary Art gallery in Carpinteria. For me, this show is about more than just paint on a canvas; it is about the "Chi"—the life force—that moves through all of us.

 

 

I’ve always said that water is my medicine. Whether it's the therapeutic thermal springs of my Hungarian heritage or the majestic Pacific Ocean that I now call home, water represents the ultimate flow.

 

Carpinteria, with its gentle tides, is the perfect place for this exhibition. It is also the perfect setting to debut a piece that has recently taken on a life of its own. Early last year, my painting 'Island' was featured in a Super Bowl commercial by Ray-Ban X Meta starring Kris Jenner, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt.

 

 

Seeing 'Island'—a work born from a quiet, meditative state in my studio—shared on the world's biggest stage is a powerful reminder of how far our energy can reach. This piece captures that exact boundary between imagination and reality. This work is currently available for acquisition and will be shown as part of the Held in Motion exhibition. It is a rare opportunity to own a piece of art that has been woven into such an iconic moment in pop culture.

 

 

When people ask me how I prepare for a new series, I tell them it begins with stillness. I start with meditation to clear away the preconceived notions of what a painting should be.

 

For the works in Held in Motion, I don’t use a brush in the traditional sense; I use my body. I move around the canvas, pouring and manipulating the paint, allowing my intuition to guide every burst and every flow. It’s a practice in Neuroaesthetics—finding that perfect balance between color and negative space until the painting feels right in my soul. I want you to feel that same sense of peaceful serenity when you stand in front of these works.

 

 

Alongside my work, Taiwanese-American artist Chenhung Chen is showing her 2020 Vision series. During the pandemic, she developed a body of collage and mixed-media drawings inspired by the National Audubon Society Guide to Birds. The careful act of liberating hundreds of birds from the pages became a meditative, soothing process, calming her nerves in a time of high anxiety and tension.

 

Grounded in Taoist concepts of Chi and balance between opposing forces, Chen’s work reflects a process-driven practice that bridges ancient craft traditions, daily materials, and a contemporary Taiwanese-American identity. Fluid movement throughout her work mirrors the flow of energy within the self and the world at large.

 

“Rooted in the belief of the universal nature of human beings and drawing from my connections with the urban environment and ancient craft traditions, my work negotiates spaces of cultural, environmental, psychological, and temporal change. By using an array of commonplace objects, my art seeks to discover the link between one’s personal narrative and our collective humanity.” - Chenhung Chen.

 

 

I would love to see your faces and share this experience with you in person. We are hosting an Artist Reception, and it would be the perfect excuse for a beautiful Saturday drive up the coast.

 

• Exhibition: Held In Motion
• Artists: Clara Berta & Chenhung Chen
• When: January 17th – March 1st, 2026
• Opening Reception: January 17th, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
• Where: 410 Palm Avenue, Unit B3, Carpinteria, CA 93013

 

You can also read about the show here in the Santa Barbara Independent.

 

As I reflect on this new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about the word motion. We are all moving, but are we flowing? I’d love to hear from you: Where do you find your sense of flow?

 

Let’s keep supporting one another on this journey of healing and joy. I hope to see you in Carpinteria!