Tuesday, August 30, 2016

You're Invited: Artwalk, September 2, 2016

Lovely autumn is on its way, and we say goodbye to summer - and hello to a grand holiday weekend - with another fun Artwalk.  Stroll downtown, say hello to friends, have a sip of wine, and enjoy the best of contemporary art.  Did we mention music?  Ranger and the Re-Arrangers will be on hand to get everyone's feet tapping with their much-loved gypsy jazz.

Here's what's happening:

 
Dynamic Dozen:
Fall Art Fête



September 2-30, 2016

Paintings & Prints: Irene Yesley, Renée Jameson, Karen Chaussabel, Andrea Lawson
Gerardo Aguayo, Lisa Wederquist
Furniture & Sculpture: Wendy Dunder, Carl Yurdin, Tom Johnson, Chris Thompson
Textiles: Mary Jaeger; Ceramics: Delores Fortuna

Introducing Chiho Kuwayama (Textiles) and Joan Cihak (Ceramic Jewelry)

Reception with the Artists
First Friday, September 2nd, 6-8 pm

In Concert on the Plaza:

Ranger and the Re-Arrangers
Bainbridge Island’s Own Gypsy Jazz Band

Art pieces shown above, left to right:
Chris Thompson, Mary Jaeger, Gerardo Aguayo, Delores Fortuna, Lisa Wederquist, Tom Johnson, Renee Jameson

The Island Gallery  is pleased to present new work from twelve of the artists it represents: Paintings and Prints: Irene Yesley, Renée Jameson, Karen Chaussabel, Andrea Lawson, Gerardo Aguayo, Lisa Wederquist; Furniture and Sculpture: Wendy Dunder, Carl Yurdin,  Tom Johnson, Chris Thompson; Textiles: Mary Jaeger; and Ceramics:  Delores Fortuna.  Also introducing New Artists Chiho Kuwayama (Textiles) and Joan Cihak (Ceramic Jewelry).  As the summer draws to a close and fall beckons, our artists continue to experiment and delight.

            Here’s a bird’s eye tour of our September show!

Irene Yesley has created a geometric minimalist painting of playful vertical stripes upon a horizontal canvas occupying an entire gallery wall, juxtaposed with Tom Johnson’s sculptures.

Andrea Lawson has rendered her concept of brain functions, wild and colorful random movements across nine painted panels, which represent different parts of the brain seen at different levels of magnification. Andrea has just won a public art competition to create a larger permanent installation based on this study, called Brain Beauty, Beauty Brain, for the Camano Island Public Library’s Reading Room.  After exploring several scientific fields for inspiration, in response to the Library’s call for a hanging work with a scientific theme, Andrea chose to concentrate on the brain. The brain controls our cognitive processes, our physical movements and even our memories. On another level, the work relates to the library, reading and brain development. Both the organ, and the learning process, give us the ability to think at a high level and to create, functions which distinguish us as human beings.

Gerardo Aguayo’s work is reminiscent of the confident color blocs of Manet and Cezanne, and Rivera and Kahlo’s figurative paintings.  The monotypes of Karen Chaussabel and Renée Jameson are saturated with the color of summer seascapes, while the minimalist works of Lisa Wederquist remind us of our environmental fragility.

Carl Yurdin’s long sleek walnut bench reflects his 40-year background as an industrial designer. His style can best be described as the “geometry of wood.”  Wendy Dunder, well known for her organic sculptural illuminations created from wood and paper, has created two new wall and table pieces, Carolina and With a Twist.  Chris Thompson’s whimsical functional furniture pieces are for humans and some for birds!  The textiles as wearable art from Mary Jaeger reflect her background in the Asian textile traditions of shibori, using natural indigo dyes to create contemporary American fashions.
Delores Fortuna's work uses basic wheel thrown shapes as a starting point. The clay wall becomes a fabric, a diary rich with gestural marks and intent. As a seamstress would cut, fold, and dart cloth to make a garment, she uses this clay fabric to shape utilitarian vessels.

Fortuna divides her time between her studio in Galena, Illinois and teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Early influences in Fortuna's work were the simple yet intense forms of Hans Coper, Lucy Rie and Ruth Duckworth and the color theories of Josef Albers. Fortuna had the honor of studying with Ruth Duckworth at the University of Chicago for her undergraduate and graduate degrees and Richard Lafean was pivotal in developing her wheel throwing touch. Fortuna has always responded to work which is form simple but structurally complex and derives much visual information from a diverse array of contemporary clay artists as well as historical ceramics. Her current work is shaped as much by simple thoughts as by elaborate clay working ideas.

Delores says:

My passion is to make pots for people to use. My current work attempts to synthesize the causal and spontaneous traditions of pottery with a modernist and contemporary design sensibility. My 30-year journey continues to challenge and fascinate me with the magic and joy I found when I first touched clay.
And, at our fête, the full complement of Ranger and the Re-Arrangers will play gypsy jazz on the plaza, with refreshments from Bainbridge Crêpes.  Come celebrate early fall days among friends, good music and, most of all, the artistic talents of our Gallery artists!
           
            For more details on the artists, please contact the Gallery.

About the Band:  Bainbridge Island’s Ranger and the Re-Arrangers play “Gypsy jazz” or “hot jazz,” an upbeat style created in the 1930s by Django Reinhardt and other European stringplayers who embraced American jazz. The band’s repertoire appeals to everyone who enjoys swing standards, traditional Gypsy jazz songs, and world music originals. The band features young violin phenom Ranger, whose creative, syncopated leads complement the band’s steady, swinging rhythms.

Ranger Sciacca’s performances and compositions reflect his extensive studies in classical, jazz, and folk music. His Suzuki teacher, Alice Kanack, publishes books and CDs on improvising classical music.  Ranger also studied folk and dance music for seven years with renowned Seattle fiddler Stuart Williams.  Ranger’s main influences include guitarist Django Reinhardt and jazz violin greats Stuff Smith, Claude Williams and Stephane Grappelli. Ranger studied jazz theory and history at Whitman College.

Michael Sciacca, Ranger’s dad, has been his rhythm guitarist for many years; they have performed as a swing jazz duo since 2001.

Percussionist Jeffrey Moose has a 30-year career in both music and fine art. His collaborations and band projects include work with Joined at the Head, Heliotroupe, Dog Superior, Stiff Kitty, Atoke, Zayah Emmanuel, and Sam Andrews, founder of Big Brother and the Holding Company. He is currently director of Jeffrey Moose Gallery in Seattle.

Mandolin player Dave Stewart is also a classically-trained pianist.

Event Location: 

The Island Gallery, 400 Winslow Way E, #120, Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Underground parking is available at The Winslow off Ericksen Avenue.
(Parking is monitored; please use Visitor spaces.)

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