ISNIA Exhibit: About the Artists

ISNIA stands for the collaborative team of Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam, renowned for their intricate, nuanced and time-intensive textiles. They are widely acknowledged as the first artists in Indonesia to go beyond the boundaries of modern batik painting and extensively explore the medium of Javanese batik as contemporary textile art. Ismoyo’s ancestors produced batik for the royal court of Surakarta in Central Java; Fliam was born in the United States and studied at the Pratt Institute, New York, traveling to Indonesia in 1983 to study batik, where she has lived since. In 1985 they established the batik studio Brahma Tirta Sari (“Creativity is the source of all knowledge”) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Semar Jalan-Jalan, 2009.  Batik on Silk

Embracing artistic traditions and philosophical ideas that span continents, Ismoyo and Fliam have conducted numerous workshops in Indonesia, Africa, the United States (including Bainbridge Island, Washington), and Australia, working in collaboration with Australian Aboriginals, Native Americans and Asian artists. Their collaborative work in Australia, Africa and Indonesia has had the sponsorship of the Ford Foundation and the American Embassy in Indonesia. One notable collaboration, with a group of Aboriginal artists from the Utopia Community in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, began in March 1999 and continued for more than two years, producing 20 large batik art pieces subsequently exhibited around the world, including a 2005 exhibit at The Island Gallery, Bainbridge Island. This series, along with the consistent quality and scope of their entire body of work, has garnered Ismoyo and Fliam critical acclaim for successfully exploring their own creativity while pursuing a broader understanding of the value, role and meaning of tradition in the development of world culture.

Ismoyo and Nia explain:

“Our world culture is, in fact, one, and has arisen from the strength of ‘budi’ or human intelligence, and the spirit of humankind motivates this intelligence. This spirit is the oneness or unity we speak of. In any creative work, an awareness of our position within its framework is of utmost importance. With this in mind, it is our commitment in our creative work to devote ourselves to the work of the spirit in exploring aspects of the heritage of our world culture and its role in the shaping of contemporary culture. At the heart of it our ancient cultural traditions are the roadmap of the future.”

The duo has exhibited extensively in Indonesia and at many prestigious locations around the world. Most recently they were recipients of a Fulbright Scholarship, which brought them to Michigan in 2007-2008. During this time they presented “Fiber Face”, a very well-received exhibition of their works, at the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C., where their work is part of the permanent collection. This exhibition has also shown at the Netzorg and Kerr Gallery, Richmond Center for the Visual Arts, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., here at The Island Gallery, and at the cultural center of Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia.  Their current exhibit, Out of Southeast Asia:  Art that Sustains, opened Friday, April 12, 2013, at the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C., and runs through October 13, 2013.

Their adjunct show here at the Gallery is Symbols of Nature & Man:  A Journey of 40,000 Years.  It will run May 3-24, 2013 with works available for Preview from April 26th.  The official opening is First Friday, May 3 (featuring Peter Spencer & Friends in concert; more on that shortly); the artists themselves will join us for a reception on May 10th, 6-8 pm.

March 2013 Gallery Picks

Happy March... MARCH??!

Actually, somehow, it's already the middle of March, which means it's time for our Gallery Picks Newsletter to hit the presses.  For more information, click on the title of any individual piece for a quick visit to our web shop.  Enjoy!

(By the way. if you'd like a monthly reminder that the Gallery Picks Newsletter is viewable here at the Blog, plus notices of upcoming shows, sales, and musical events sent directly to your inbox, send a note to sr@theislandgallery.net to subscribe.)

Sycamore Table with Black Steel Legs
Dimensions:  76" x 36" x 2"

If you've never seen quartersawn hardwood before, this table is a perfect example
of the beauty of this particular cut.  Quartersawn lumber became very popular
during the arts and crafts movement of the early 1900s.  It is a process in which logs
are cut into quarters and then the boards are sawn at an angle away from
the center of the log. This causes the growth rings or "grains” to pass through
the boards at a more perfect 90 degree angle. The benefits of quartersawn boards
have been known to Europeans for at least 600 years: Quartersawn boards
are not as prone to twist, warp or cup as they age, very important in bygone days
before modern wood treatment was an option; they are also stronger,
hold a finish better and do not allow liquids to easily pass through.

The honey/butter tone of the sycamore is beautifully set off by dramatic round
black steel legs, which add to the contemporary look of the live-edge table top.

Tree of Life VI.  Isnia
Batik on Silk Reverse Applique
150 x 80 cm

This magnificent wallhanging is a double-sided reverse applique collaboration by
Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam (Isnia) of Yogjakarta, Java, Indonesia.
Generally speaking, reverse applique is a sewing or "quilting" process in which
two or more layers of cloth are stacked one over the other, each layer being
cut away in turn to reveal the one below.  In this case, the artists first batik their
silk fabric, then cut, place, and sew the pieces together using variations in thread
colors, producing a vivacious 3-D artwork that is quite different on either side.
In this case, the artists have used cool teals and moss greens on one side,
with flaming reds and intense blues on the other.

A motif seen with almost complete universality across cultures and religions,
the Tree of Life alludes to the interconnection of all life on our planet.
This motif is frequently seen in the work of Isnia.

Early warning:  This particular wallhanging and a number of Isnia's other
extraordinary pieces will be available for viewing in the Gallery during a special
May 2013 exhibition, which will be attended by the artists themselves.
More details will be available soon.  Stay tuned!



Basic Short Black K Dress.  Carter Smith
Black Leather Capelet.  Mabel Mae Designs

We've sung Carter Smith's praises many times here on the blog, and it's hard to find
more superlatives for this artist's consistent and gorgeous work; but let's face it,
this go-with-anything bias-cut mid-calf length dress in silk georgette is ready to
take you dancing!  Cut to conform to any woman's body, its voluminous skirt is
flowing and swirly - a great look with heels or your most spectacular
boots - and is available in S/M/L/XL sizes.

We've paired it with Mabel Mae's soft-as-silk black leather capelet, a lovely
little accessory with a magnetic button closure and edges subtly studded in pearls.
 
When they say you're looking good, simply reply, "What, in this old thing?"



Small Madrone Bowls.  Curt Minier
Dimensions (bowl on left): 5" x 4-3/4"

The Pacific Northwest is home to many amazing wood artists, and we love them.

Curt lives on Vashon Island, and after an illustrious career in furniture-making that included

apprenticing at the Baulines Crafts Guild in California where he studied the Espenet

style, a contemporary California craft movement, then being a founder of Northwest Fine

Woodworking in Seattle, he is happy to explore new forms and styles.

These madrone bowls are turned end grain, dyed, with clear lacquer finish.  Sounds

easy enough, but how does he do this:  They seem to glow, as if some inner light

is trying to escape the slender walls of the vessels.

Is it magic?

We're not quite sure...



Walnut Hall Table
Dimensions:  58" x 33" x 1-1/4"

Stunning!

This live-edge walnut hall table is a beauty, with its simple, modern feel
and Pacific Rim sensibilities.  Created from local salvaged hardwood, it has
a conversion varnish finish.  We have three of these currently on display in the Gallery,
which the artist dubbed Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear; this one is the mid-size.
Each is different in wood grain and markings.  For further information on this one
(Mama Bear), click on the title above to visit our online shop.

Or stop in at the Gallery and say hello to the whole family!



"Duchess".  Carol Campbell

Ascot, anyone?  A quick turn around the manor grounds, perhaps?  A spot of tea in the parlor?

It's almost impossible to look at Carol's marvelous hats and not feel a tug of
nostalgia for long English summer days, swans swimming in castle ponds, or a
Royal Wedding or two - even if we've never personally experienced any of those things!
We can always turn on the telly and dream, can't we?
(We can also hope for Easter Bonnet weather, which so far proves elusive.)

Carol has graced us with a must-see collection of her chapeaux - variously
described as Picture Hats, Perchers, Skimmers, and Sculptural Sinamay, among
others - possibly in hopes that we're all off to the Kentucky Derby shortly, or might
contemplate cruising around Bainbridge In Bloom (our island's popular July garden event)
replete in blooms of our own.  And why not?  If the ladies of Downton Abbey can
wear fabulous hats, we can do it, too!

(The butler, however, did NOT do it...)

Cotton Batik Scarf.  David Mendoza
Dimensions:  74" x 14"

We've carried David's work in the Gallery for all of its eleven-years' span
(yes, we're in our eleventh year).  All this time later, his artistry continues to evolve
and is always deeply satisfying.  This beautiful scarf is part of his recently arrived
shipment, and is perfect for spring and summer wear.  Long, lightweight and breezy
cotton in black and white hand-stamped batik with touches
of indigo... well, it's sheer delight.

A little about David:

David Mendoza is a native of the Seattle area who now lives on Bali
where he designs clothing and jewelry.  After thirty years of working in the
arts and cultural politics he decided to take a short break and in 1998 went off
to Bali for a 10-day holiday.  Four months later he had found a piece of land on
which it seemed he was about to build a house. David returned to Seattle for
a month to get his bearings and find out if he had lost his mind. Then he
returned to Bali to begin building his house.  He became interested in
Indonesian textiles, particularly natural plant dyes which before the invention
of chemical dyes were traditionally used to give color to yarns and textiles.
Some of the plants used for dyeing were growing on his land, so he began to
experiment.  He now has a studio near Ubud, and we see the results of
his efforts with continuing pleasure.



"Stripes", Vintage Black and White Bead Necklace.  Virginia Paquette
Dimensions:  32" long

It's difficult to take a glance through the jewelry cases here at the Gallery
and not come away breathless over Virginia Paquette's jewelry.  Her broad range
of styles, from classic gemstone pieces to vintage and ancient beads, is pretty
impressive.   We'd love to rummage through her bead and gemstone stash!

This necklace is particularly striking with its weighty wooden vintage beads,
painted black and white and strung simply on linen cord.  The beads float freely
on the cord, and would  make a statement whether worn with a casual outfit
or in a more formal setting.  The cord is quite long at 32 inches, but
could be shortened quite easily if desired.

Click on the item's title above to visit our web shop for more information on Virginia,
and to view her beautiful work!



Felted Wool Basket with Speckled Feathers.  Doriane Nieburgs
Dimensions:  approximately 3" tall x 4" in diameter

Not your usual Easter basket... but imagine how sweet this would be on the
Easter table, for something a little different.  Doriane always makes these lovely
felted wool baskets with little surprises on or inside them, ready to delight even
the crustiest among us.  We can imagine a line of these on a shelf,
dining table or sideboard, perhaps containing one or more of those
elusive eggs we hunt for this time of year.  Or start a collection for
yourself or a youngster, to keep and cherish forever.

Visit the web shop or stop in at the Gallery for more information, and to see
a selection of Doriane's delightful, colorful baskets, both bigger and smaller!


Be sure to bookmark this page, and don't forget:  if you'd like a reminder sent directly to your mailbox, send a note to sr@theislandgallery.net; we'll sign you up right away.  And keep an eye on the blog for brand new information on our upcoming musical series!