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By Daily Bruin Staff
Nov. 30, 2000 9:00 p.m.
 CHRIS BACKLEY Alejandro Plascencia,
left, a first-year graduate student in urban planning, and
first-year student Diane Blackburn study front of
the art-adorned walls of Northern Lights coffeehouse. Northern
Lights is located in North Campus near Rolfe Hall.
By Amy Shen
Daily Bruin Contributor
Just as the aurora borealis adorns the skies of the Northern
Hemisphere with a glowing display of colored lights, the Northern
Lights Coffeehouse graces UCLA’s North Campus with a
different, but equally beautiful, visual spectacle.
Since its opening four years ago, the coffeehouse has become
popular among the legions of artists who flock to its ambient
atmosphere, pulsating beats and sleek, modern decor. A sign above
the entrance way proclaims: Northern Lights “˜Stellar
Coffee.’ But more than coffee, the café serves the UCLA
community with a special blend of artistic flavor. A trip into the
coffeehouse will bring you into the midst of a unique exhibition of
visual and performance arts.
Every two weeks the yellow walls and clay-colored hallways of
the café are bedecked with the work of a different student
artist. The exhibitions showcase talent from all media and styles,
ranging from oil paintings and water colors to sketches and
photography. The café has even been known to collaborate with
the nearby Seeds University Elementary School in creating exhibits
that allow children to display their artistic skills.
The atmosphere created by the structure and decor of the
coffeehouse lends itself well to the exhibits.
 CHRIS BACKLEY Currently on display at Northern Lights
coffeehouse is the photographic work of Ariele De
Paolo, a third-year psychology and English student. Her
work, which includes some nudes, has elicited mixed reactions from
coffeehouse patrons. “Northern Lights has more of an open,
airy … gallery feel to it. Look at the walls and the way
it’s designed ““ the decor is stainless steel and art
deco and modern,” said Tim Killops, the café’s
manager.
“The sky is the limit,” Killops said, referring to
what kind of art is shown at the café.
Some nights the café hosts poetry readings, small plays and
musical acts ““ all of which are provided free of charge to
loyal customers and artists. The Associated Students of UCLA see it
as a way of giving back to the students who have supported the
coffeehouse for the past four years, allowing them to showcase
their talents and to enjoy the unique talents of their peers.
On display until Dec. 9 is a photographic study of the human
body by third-year psychology and English student Ariele De Paolo.
Her collection of 46 black-and-white photographs capture the body
from various angles and perspectives ““ ranging from head
shots to full nudes ““ all exhibiting a beautifully artistic
use of light and shadow. The artist’s accompanying poem,
entitled “46 Exposures,” discusses the relationship
between identity, appearance and reality.
“(Northern Lights) is one of the only on-campus venues
that artists can use to display their work, (if they are not) art
majors, so I thought it would be a great opportunity,” De
Paolo said of the chance to display her work at the coffeehouse.
“I think being able to exhibit my art sort of gives it a
purpose as opposed to just having a hobby … you actually get to
do something with it.”
According to De Paolo, the reactions she has gotten from the
exhibit have been mixed. Many people have responded positively to
the work, while others have conveyed a sense of shock at the
somewhat controversial nature of the art displayed in the
café.
“That’s the whole point, almost ““ it’s
shock value,” De Paolo said. “I think people have a lot
of inhibitions…they have to come to terms with.”
The opportunity to display her work at Northern Lights has given
De Paolo a certain personal and universal satisfaction ““
allowing her to share her love of photography, while being able to
open the eyes of others to the world of art.
The management and staff at Northern Lights hope that the
students of UCLA ““ both those who get the chance to display
their talent, and those who come to enjoy it ““ will gain
something valuable from these exhibits.
“We want to encourage creativity and student participation
and appreciation of other students’ work … and just an
appreciation of diversity and art in general,” Killops said.
“So many artists don’t have the opportunity to display
their stuff and have this type of exposure.”
“(For) the people who see the work, just to see
what’s going on in the art world ““ it exposes them to
it,”he continued. “And perhaps when they read in the
newspaper that there’s an art exhibit somewhere,
they’ll go, “˜Hey, I really enjoy that stuff at Northern
Lights, why don’t we go check this one out?’ So it just
kind of builds on itself.”
Upcoming events at Northern Lights include an art exhibit by
Dominick Chen on Dec. 11 and an exhibit by David Stromberg in
February.
EXHIBIT: Artists interested in upcoming events
or showcasing their talents should contact Tim Killops at Northern
Lights Coffeehouse, (310) 206-0373. Northern Lights Coffeehouse is
open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
