The landscapes of Lilian Garcia-Roig open at the Rauschenberg Gallery

COURTESY PHOTO Lilian Garcia-Roig, St Marks Inlet, oil on canvas. The paintings of Lilian Garcia-Roig are anchored in the tradition of landscape painting, but that is just a stepping-stone to what are her main concerns. While her paintings first look like landscape "interiors," her work is less illusionistic than a first glimpse might suggest.

Ms. Garcia-Roig's work will be featured at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery on the campus of Edison State University beginning Friday, Jan. 16, and running through Feb. 21.

The opening reception is Friday, Jan. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m., with Ms. Garcia- Roig giving a gallery talk at 7.

"By creating the illusion of recognizable trees, I draw the viewers comfortably into an assumption that what they perceive will be glimpses of conventional space," she said. "Up close, however, the images break down and the lush, gestural paint marks, the squeezed-out patches and the occasional raw canvas help instead to reinforce the two-dimensional character of abstract painting."

Ms. Garcia-Roig was born in Havana, Cuba, studied at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and received an master's of fine art degree in painting from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2006, she received the Joan Mitchell Foundation Award in Painting and a State of Florida Artists Enhancement Grant. In 2004, she was the featured artist for the State of Florida during the National Hispanic Heritage Month. She currently teaches painting at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

A chamber music performance will be held in the gallery during this exhibit at 1 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26, with Wendy Willis on flute, Diane Coffman on cello and Ron Doiron playing the harpsichord. The theme is "Going Baroque."

For additional information or to schedule a group visit, call 489-9313, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery hours are: Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The gallery is closed Sunday and holidays.