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| Roost. Michelle de la Vega |
Michelle
de la Vega is known as a metal artist, but that description barely scratches
the
surface of her many talents. This large piece, entitled Roost, has
an initial feel
of
minimalism. Upon contemplation, however, there seems a calm yet precise
interplay
of, perhaps, twigs and branches with empty space; or is it space that one
might
fill with personal delights? The vertical "bamboo" motifs
suggest stability, a
comforting
commodity for turbulent times.
Created
from archival ink and charcoal on canvas and standing 7 feet tall by 3
feet wide,
it is a
significant work that would make an excellent focal point on a large wall.
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| Hand-woven Shirt. Bryan Johnson |
You'll be seeing more of these as we head into the winter season.
Not only because these shirts are hand-woven, nor because the artist is
an awesomely talented weaver and designer who lives right down
the road, nor because they are snuggly-soft and hand-washable (destined
to become even more snuggly-soft when washed).
Not even simply because they are beautifully constructed, make great clothing
for both you gentlemen and we ladies, and are guaranteed
to drive the cold winter away...
No, you'll be seeing more of these because they... are... FABULOUS!
Please don't take our word for it. Come in and admire.
(Touching is encouraged!)
And while we're gushing...
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| Hand-woven Scarves. Bryan Johnson |
Bryan also makes these wonderful scarves and shawls that, once
again, are perfect for both Him and Her (what terrific gifts!).
He works with combinations of many fibers, such as alpaca, angora, mohair,
wool, cotton, rayon and silk, for creations that are as beautiful as they
are warm and practical.
Here's a little more information about Bryan:
Weaver Bryan Johnson
was born here in Kitsap County and went to design school
in Seattle .
He was recruited by Ocean Pacific in 1978 to design outerwear in
creating both
fabric and silhouette. Bryan returned to the Kitsap peninsula
to
“retire” and create on a much smaller and rewarding scale.
You can visit some of his available pieces in our online shop, listed separately:
And there will be more to come! Watch our online shop, here.
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| Neckpiece, Painted Sunset. Christine L. Sundt |
Tiny gourds? Berries?? Something nearly ripe from the autumn harvest???
Actually, these are beads wrapped in hand-painted silk, artfully strung onto khaki
nylon cord with repurposed aluminum bead caps, brass spacers and tubing, and a
Chinese freshwater cultured pearl dangle. Delicious!
About the artist:
Christine L. Sundt's designs can be considered wearable sculpture as much
as they are
jewelry. Beyond her interest in jewelry
creation, Christine is a visual
resources curator and art historian. With
degrees from the University of Illinois , Chicago
and
the University of Wisconsin-Madison , she began her career in visual
resources at Madison .
Prior to moving to Oregon in 1983, she was the
founding president of the Visual Resources Association and was named
Technology Editor of Visual Resources. As a faculty member and visual resources
curator in the library at the University of Oregon
to full professor in 1999. She has served as a
consultant regarding imaging management
and technology for academic
institutions as well as corporations.
About her jewelry style and technique, Christine comments:
Pieces of metal, faceted or natural stones, colors, textures around me are
the forces that help me shape and make my jewelry designs. I drawPieces of metal, faceted or natural stones, colors, textures around me are
inspiration from art and nature, but seldom start with a firm idea of what my
final design will be. My drawings are merely records of thoughts rather than
plans or patterns. Works come together on my workbench as elements
find each other through proximity, association, and chance.
I enjoy working in precious metals, but cannot resist the possibilities of
other metals and even found objects such as coins, parts from old, discarded
jewelry, and broken or shattered stone (the slate in some of my pieces, for example).
I am inclined to produce geometric, highly stylized and polished pieces,
despite the unstructured nature of some of these elements.
The Painted Sunset neckpiece has matching earrings; visit them here.
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| Autumn Throw. Frantastic |
We promised you comfy and cozy, didn't we?
In our humble opinion, you can't get more cozy
than when wrapped up in
this gorgeous hand-knitted throw by Fran
Goldberg, the happy knitter behind
the Frantastic line of knitwear. Orange,
rust, brown, and grey, in the softest
combination of mohair, wool, nylon, and
raw silk fibers, it is one-of-a-kind.
As the season progresses, keep an eye on our
online shop for more items from Fran
- we usually have a good selection of
her scarves, fingerless gloves, hats,
purses, shrugs, and neck warmers.
We muse aloud over that eternal dilemma:
Was winter invented solely so Fran could knit
something warm to keep it from us...?
Hmmmmm..........
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| Woodfired Mortar and Pestle. Robin Hominiuk |
Head to the kitchen for autumn cooking, baking, and a little
wildly-abandoned spice-grinding.
One of Robin's best-sellers, these little mortar and pestle sets
are not only sweet, but both functional and decorative. A quick look through
her listings in our online shop show the versatility of this artist, who
works successfully in a wide range of sizes and styles, ranging from serious
art pieces (torsos, large sculptural vases) to the functional (coming soon, e.g.:
juice-sized cups, butter dish, gravy boat). Her comments:
A lump of clay is a seductive thing - it is the
beginning of a journey, an
exploration of possibilities. My
clay work is inspired by many things, from the
practical considerations of the everyday
utilitarian - the plate-cup-bowl…
that you envision and know will give joy in its
function and beauty, to the
natural world that surrounds us, like the
softly rounded water-etched rocks
that are formed by the river near our
home. Inspiration also comes from
sources a little more obscure – a dream from
the previous night, or perhaps
from that weird thing that just happened to the
piece you are working on!
Incidentally, Robin is also a wonderful
jeweler!
Explore her diverse talents in the Gallery, and here on these pages.
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| Fringed Vest. Lou Zeldis |
In keeping with our promise to bring you all things comfy and cozy, how about
a little more of that fab fringe?
(Warning: Proximity to this item may bring you in touch with your Inner Hippie,
unabashedly yearning to flash a Peace Sign, grow an Afro, or groove to Hendrix.
Or the Beatles. Whatever. Totally up to you.)
The incomparable Lou Zeldis gets funky with this warm-toned vest in hand-drawn
cotton batik and orange-tan ikat, replete with fringe, reversible, pockets inside
and out, and decorated with tiny mirror insets.
To quote John Denver, "Far Out!"
And now, last but not in any way least:
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| Party Cups, Red-Orange. Ted Jolda |
The sparkling glow, luscious color and jaunty demeanor of these
harvest-red Party Cups practically demanded a place on the list.
harvest-red Party Cups practically demanded a place on the list.
I know, I know, we've recently featured the little darlings on these pages,
but who would deny them another turn?
Not us.
They're available in a standard size or as Minis (about shot-glass size, or
for you civilized types, just right for a sip or two of sherry. Dry, of course.)
Visit them with all their relatives here, or come on into the Gallery to touch:
they are the most comfortable glasses you will ever hold, and make perfect gifts.
We'll be back soon with October's Picks; in the meantime, if you'd like notice sent right to your inbox when it's ready, or for advance warning of exhibits, concerts and sales, pass along your e-mail address to sr@theislandgallery.net. We'll put you on the list. You can also join the RSS feed - see link at the bottom of the page. Oh, and if you notice a broken link, let us know, if you have a moment. Thank you!
Happy Autumn!
