May flowers... that's what we're enjoying at the moment, along with atmospheric landscapes... summer wearable art... vintage furniture... journals for saving your innermost thoughts... All of which sound like the perfect aids for sliding into summer mode. And all because of our fabulous artists; thanks, everyone!
Enjoy browsing through this month's Gallery Picks, and don't forget to click on the links of each individual piece to be mystically transported to our online shop for more information. Or, if you're in the area, please stop in; we're always delighted to see you.
VISUAL ARTS
Our current exhibition, Studies in Light and Space: The Art of Jen Till
continues through June, so it isn't too late to trot in and experience in person
Jen's latest collection of oil paintings on canvas, wood and paper, and a few acrylic
or charcoal on paper pieces, including several charming triptychs.
Remarkably, this show consists of 39 individual works of art from our
prolific Bainbridge Island artist, each one a special journey,
evoking a memory from long past, a reflective vista, a new - yet somehow
familiar - moment in time.
Several of these new pieces are very large, and magnificent.
Whether you are already familiar with Jen's work or
seeing it for the first time, this exhibition is something to enjoy and cherish.
About Jen (with an extra peek at some of her smaller works):
Jen Till spent her
childhood years in a seaside village, Manchester-by-the-Sea,
Massachusetts, along the New
England coast. Surrounded
by the seasons during
her formative years led Jen to look to nature as the
basis of all her work
as a painter today.
Her love of painting began at a young age. Jen's childhood
experience in her
New England surroundings was
filled with the richness of colorful, sweeping fall,
quiet, bleak winter,
spring's lush bloom, and summer with its green warmth.
Inspired by her many
creative family members, she was fortunate to be entirely
embraced in her
budding love of art throughout childhood.
Jen went on to
the Rhode Island School of Design where she studied
Painting and Textiles.
After graduating,
Jen moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where she began to
explore
painting the vast landscape and light of the Southwest.
Eventually making her
way to the West Coast, Jen now lives, paints, teaches
and works as a freelance
textile designer on Bainbridge
Island, Washington.
I am inspired by the many ways light casts
itself on our earth.
Moments in my life when I behold such beauty inspires me
to create
its memory in my work. Nature provides me with a foundation upon
which I can build paintings to express a wide range of feeling.
The process I use is meditation with my brush
in hand. This enables
my creative energy to flow, uninterrupted and fueled by
intuition. By creating
layers with glazes I try to explore the inherent aspects
of paint itself while
keeping my mind focused on a feeling and place.
My painting experience grounds me and reminds
me to be aware of the
presence of spirit in all of life's moments.
I search for
this essence and mystery as I dwell on a place filled with
light. My hope is to
engage the viewer and to share the mystery and
calm I so cherish. My work
reminds me that by painting the experience
of the material world around me I
can move toward the intangible,
ethereal mystery of life.
FURNITURE
Whimsical? We think so. In fact, this table suggests that
Dr. Seuss himself wandered into the Gallery late one night
and waved his paintbrushes here and there.
All fanciful speculation aside, however, there is a bit of mystery
surrounding this piece. It is a mid-century modern vintage studio craft
table
in Claro walnut and oak which we know was crafted by a gentleman named
Dane Newcomb. We believe he was from California, possibly the Napa Valley area.
We also know this is a striking piece that would make a splendid
laptop desk or hall/entry table, but beyond its obviously
pleasing characteristics, we know absolutely nothing about the artist.
If anyone reading this has any information on woodworker
Dean Newcomb, please contact us - we'd love to know
more about him and his work.
Another amazing piece from Wendy, this one a table
lamp with enough whimsy to make it stand out
while remaining a functional spot of light for any corner
of your room that needs a warm glow cast upon it.
(It would also look wonderful sitting on one corner of
the above Seussically-inclined table, wouldn't you say?)
See this and Wendy's other fabulous works of art
in the online shop,
here.
WEARABLE ART
Ah, yes. Can you imagine how happy we were
to discover these?!
Porcelain, modern, lightweight, casual enough for everyday wear,
simple but easily paired with something fancy, clean
design... did we say modern?
As well as her earring designs, we are also carrying some of
Jessica's necklaces and her noodle/serving bowls, which are also just wonderful
functional works of art. We'll have those pieces listed in the online shop very soon.
In the meantime, here's a little about Jessica:
Jessica Wertz is a ceramic artist
creating functional pottery and
fine porcelain jewelry in Berkeley,
California. Originally from Pennsylvania,
Jessica studied at Moore College of
Art and Design in Philadelphia before
graduating from Penn State University
in 2010 with a BFA in Ceramics.
Following school Jessica apprenticed
as a master potter for two years in
Floyd, Virginia. During the
apprenticeship she simultaneously found work for
a jeweler. Her idea for porcelain
jewelry was birthed from these combined skills.
Jessica now resides in Oakland,
California.
Jessica's strong work ethic and her
appreciation of the natural world comes
through her years growing up in the
family's landscaping business. She spent
many hours exploring the alchemy of
things that grow, and cultivating a love for
the rich earth. Drawn to develop her
tactile skills in the arts, Jessica combined
her appreciation for the elemental
world with her relationship to home and was
called to the work of being a potter.
All of Jessica's work is hand thrown
on a wheel or hand built using stoneware
and porcelain clays. Her work
captures the energy of a lively yet soothing
mood which is essential to her
creative self. Jessica's forms are visually proud
and welcoming to touch; her glaze
palette uses cooling shades of blues,
yellows, greens, and whites to engage
the calm mind.
Jessica’s work was recently featured
on the Today show, and in an exhibit at
the de Young Museum in San Francisco,
which also featured our wonderful
textile artist Carol Lee Shanks.
About Jessica’s work and philosophy:
“I'm attracted to the way wearable
art enhances and alters a person’s image.
My joy in creating jewelry is that
it lives so intimately with the body. I want
women to feel beautiful and empowered
in embellishing themselves with
one-of-a-kind art work.
"Pots embody our sacred
commonalities such as family, food, and
self expression - gratifying the
body as well as the soul. My family's
tradition of eating meals together
has taught me the importance that pots
facilitate in bringing people
together. Because pots offer a unique tactile
relationship I elevate them to the
ideal that a culture is rich when it can
(visually and emotionally) coalesce
engaging art with an everyday
purpose and function.”
Another delightful piece from Spirithouse, this little blue
jacket/cardigan is lightweight for summer, prettily striped and
great for layering. It has button detailing on the back which is
charming, and pairs beautifully with the dark royal blue leggings
and/or long tank/tunic, or jeans, a white or ivory skirt, or... anything!
Also, because it is seriously
Gorgeous:
This just arrived yesterday, one only, in size medium.
The fabric is very lightweight, a bit mesh-like, and hangs
beautifully.
We have also received a number of Spirithouse pieces in
a lovely ivory shade, tops, tanks and pants, sets in
burgundy, teal and purple, and a perfect Big White Shirt,
all in plenty of time for summer.
Penny for your thoughts?
Or rather than sell them, you could record those thoughts forever
or at least all summer in one of Bainbridge Island artist Karen
Chaussabel's journals, whose covers are graced with
photos of her own encaustic paintings.
Her work will be appearing in our July show - more
about that later - but her beautiful journals and totes
are available now in the Gallery.
~o0o~
That's almost it for May, except for one last thing.
Simply the most beautiful orchid we have ever seen:
 |
| Black Sapphire Orchid. Photo: S. Roth |
And that is it from us in May. We have a full roster of summer shows coming up, including wonderful musical groups who will be playing outdoors on the Plaza. We'll be back to report on it all right here, but if you'd like to have advance notice for any and all of our upcoming delights, simply send us a note - to sr [at] theislandgallery [dot] net and we'll add you to our mailing list.
See you in June!
