There are two things Marka Burns does best: shopping and making art.

Though shopping is a strength of hers, the former is a passion Burns has been striving to fully tap into after lecturing about art and working for 30 years at Cal State Long Beach.

“When I retired I said, ‘What am I going to do now?’ You can only go to so many movies or do much shopping,” Burns said. “But the last two shows [where I exhibited my art] have really pushed me… Every artist wants to be validated.”

Burns’s next endeavor includes her upcoming exhibition at the Long Beach Playhouse, Allegories of Spirit in Nature, that will feature over 20 pieces of collage and mixed-medium art that she started earlier this year. Burns’s paintings are inundated with motifs like Buddhas, hidden faces, iconography and even pieces of stripped tree bark.

There are three different sets of paintings slated for Burns’ exhibition: Portals, Ancient Manuscript, and The Allegories of Spirit of Nature.

All of Burns’s paintings include depth and vivid colors that almost transforms the viewer into a nature-filled setting much like an exotic country like Thailand or Singapore, complete with surrealist touches and details. The complexity of each painting varies on the lighting of the room and the way the paintings are grouped together, guaranteeing a new perspective during each new look.

“I just make the art and gather the materials,” Burns said. “Eventually some kind of muse intervenes and it all comes together with some kind of envision, but it’s always a surprise to me in the end.”

Pieces within the Ancient Manuscript set specifically exemplify Burns’s passion in creating art and describes it as “an archeology digging of past knowledge.”

“It’s all about the impulse to create something that hasn’t been there before,” Burns said. “Things that are created—whether it’s important or not—they’ve never been on this earth before… The beauty of art is that when you create something, you’re filling in some kind of calling or giving creative insight into the culture of your time. It’s layers of discovery, it’s all about finding your center.”

Despite having sets within sets, Burns’s 20-plus paintings are consistent with the overall theme of capturing another realm of fantasy.

One of Burns’s favorite pieces is The Nature of Duality, which features a man and woman embracing admits a myriad of nature-like elements. The painting could even be called Adam and Eve or Loving the Alien (a nod toward David Bowie) but despite whatever a painting is titled, Burns said she prefers the audience to interpret it themselves.

“There are many layers and I don’t want to explain it because I want people to turn to their own interpretations,” Burns said. “I want them to stay within the whole cycle of nature; it’s about the beginning, middle and end of life, it’s about the symbol of love, lust and death… It’s all of those things.”

Although Burns is aware that her artwork may not appeal to all viewers, she said the important thing is having the impulse to create something that hasn’t been done before.

“There isn’t going to be an explanation for you because you have to be drawn in, and if you’re not into it you’re going to move on,” Burns said. “I’m sure this won’t appeal to some, but that’s just the name of the game, but if it comes from the heart and your creative impulse, then that’s all you can do.”

Marka Burns will showcase her exhibition Allegories of Spirit in Nature will open on October 16 at the Long Beach Playhouse, located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., and will run until November 30. The preview reception will be held on October16 from 6PM to 9PM. For further information regarding Burns’s artwork, click here.