Valentine's Day: Very Special Treats

If you happen into the Gallery this month you will see, besides the usual extraordinary art, some brand-new treats on hand just in time for Valentine's Day gifting.   Here's a quick peek, and note that all of these items are also currently available in the Gallery's extensive (and very fun!) online shop.  Simply click on the images to visit from your favorite electronic device.

For that Special Someone who happens to be a ceramics enthusiast, or anyone

who enjoys a perfect bowl of noodles (although by no means do we recommend

restraining ourselves by serving ONLY noodles in these gorgeous coppery-red

glazed wood-fired bowls), imagine these gracing your table:

Dave Berfield, Red-glazed Noodle Bowls.  Wood fired

A vision of creamy French Vanilla ice cream topped with

luscious strawberries quickly springs to mind.  On the other extreme, a

toasty-warm breakfast of oatmeal beckons (blueberries always taste

wonderful in red bowls, don't you think?) or phabulous pho.

We at the Gallery are in that above-mentioned group of dedicated ceramic

enthusiasts, particularly when it comes to wood firing, and beyond a doubt

the crusty, rustic anagama look is something that is a wonder to behold.

But these cheery, deep, functional bowls are simply perfect.  So much so

that we use ours literally every day.  Adding to their attraction is the fact that

the artist lives, works and fires these beauties right here on Bainbridge Island,

so really, what could be better?

Oh, did we mention:  they are offered at a special price this month,

as well as this elegant piece below, which has a matching glaze

but is wider and shallow, to function perfectly as a serving dish:

Dave Berfield, Red-glazed Serving Bowl.  Wood fired

There is more of Dave's attractive, accessible work, including vases

and seed pots, to be found in the Gallery or here, on his Artist Pages.

Here's something sweet and soft for a loved one to tuck into a pocket,

display on a desk, sit on the mantel, or generally to snuggle:

Jacki Moseley, Felted Wool Hearts.  Merino Wool

Perhaps better known for her large hanging felted sculptures (which can be

viewed here on her Artist Pages), Jacki's offerings of these Pretty Somethings

are a bit more personal and, as you can see, quite delightful!

These tactile pleasures are also made on Bainbridge, as is this

line of sumptuous, cushy pillows from Island artist and

designer Tom Johnson:

Tom Johnson, Love Grows Here pillow.

On an island where gardening is king and art

flourishes right alongside the roses and raspberries,

the sentiment of this particular pillow fits right into our

prevailing mood, and the current chilly season.  There are a number

of other pillows currently available waiting for new homes, which

can be viewed in the Gallery or on Tom's Artist's Pages (click here).

Tom also enjoys custom orders, so if you have something in mind

to fit in with your decor, please contact us.

 Finally, we've just received a shipment of limited edition

tee shirts from remarkable shibori artist, Mary Jaeger.

These are unmistakably a fit for your Valentine (or for you...):

Mary Jaeger, Love Shibori Tee

Long-sleeved to combat our lingering winter cold and soft as can

always be expected from 100% cotton, these are available in

varying sizes and, as is true with Mary's line of tees, unlikely

to last long in the Gallery.  They're just that good.  Come in or call for

additional information, or to quickly see these and more of Mary's

sophisticated textile pieces, click on the link to head over to her Artist Pages.

Also, and always available in the Gallery but never more in
demand than right about now, are Karen Chaussabel's
Art Cards:

Left, Food Is Love Card
Right, Card in Pink and Grey

Karen original works are encaustic on paper, with the addition
of found objects such as string or thread.  The cards can be found online
as well in the Art Card section of the shop; descriptions of Karen's
process and a look at her original works can be found in various posts elsewhere
on this blog and on her Artist's Pages by clicking here.

WINTER HOURS

Tuesdays - Saturdays 11:00 – 6:00 pm

Sundays Noon – 5:00 pm

Closed Mondays

But why wait...

Click here to visit us 24/7 in our extensive online shop

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 Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

QUICK PICKS: Summer Delights - Textiles, Wearable Art

Summer!  And what to wear?

No problem; scroll down and we're sure you'll see something cool and stylish, something impossible to live without!

We're calling this post a Quick Picks because, unlike the in-depth commentary in our monthly Gallery Picks Newsletters, these will be primarily visual festivals, photo-heavy and text-light, intended to offer a tantalizing glimpse of the Gallery's latest arrivals.

Wearable Art is today's feature, specifically the designs of three textile artists, all of whom work in three great Asian textile traditions:  Batik, Shibori and Vintage Kimono textiles (which include embroidery and shibori).  All three artists utilize these traditions tested over the ages, but they are also influenced by contemporary designs and the artists' connections to the United States.  For example, the artist behind David.Bali was the Head of Artists Trust in Seattle, working with Balinese textile artisans; Mary Jaeger studied shibori for years in Japan, and is now creating her beautiful textiles in New York City; and Chiho Kuwayama (of Chiho Couture) creates modern couture inspired by her cultural traditions for the Japanese and international fashion market.

We've included the work of several jewelry artists as well, so don't wait a second longer - scroll on down!

(And as always, click on the links to go to the Gallery's online Shop for further details.)

WEARABLE ART - TEXTILES

DAVID.BALI

David's Serape

(A best seller, and we only have one!)
And ... oops... it is already

Hippari (Kimono Jackets)

Hand-drawn Batik
Left to Right:
Black and White Mums design
Indigo and White Mums design
Indigo and Beige Geometric design
Black and White Stones design

T Canda, Baju Canda, Kurta

Hand-drawn Batik
Left to Right:
T Canda, Taupe and Black Stones design
Baju Canda, Beige Oblongs on Brown Background design
T Canda, Indigo and White Leaves design (3 Sizes)

T Canda, now:

Kurta, Indigo and White Stripes design
Kurta, Indigo/Beige/Black Box design

Caftan

Caftan, Black and White Geometric design - now:

(Shown with Begona Rentero necklace)

Selandang (shawls, wall art)

Hand-drawn Batik
Above:
Shown in a long drape, Left to Right:
Indigo and White Stripes design
Black and White Geometric design
Selendang Bangladesh: Indigo and Gold Tumpal design

Below:
Shown flung across the shoulders, with flair!
(Center:  With Cihak terracotta ceramic necklace)

They can also be used decoratively; as a wall hanging, for example.

T Canda, Selendang

Another way to wear the selendang, at the hips like a sarong,

paired with a lovely top that is color-coordinating.

A quick peek at a recent trunk show:

The textiles are fabulous, as always, and we also
are very fond of the big wooden Buddha head!


MARY JAEGER

Florence Shirtdress Jacket

Three views of Mary's fabulous Florence Shirtdress jacket,
indigo/white shibori, entirely hand-done.
The detail work is stunning.  In a nutshell, though, Mary's
textiles are so wonderful, they need to be touched
to be well and truly appreciated.

Tiger Scarf

A gorgeous  scarf named Tiger and some of the many ways to wear it.
(Can also be used as wall art.)

More of Mary's items will be coming to the shop soon.


CHIHO COUTURE

Skinny and Infinity Scarves

From Chiho Couture's collection of Vintage Kimono fabric
come these gorgeous long scarves, Left to Right:

Skinny Scarf, Chrysanthemum design:

Infinity, Black and White Contemporary Chrysanthemum design
Infinity, Indigo and White Water, Bamboo and Flowers design
Skinny Scarf, Cherry Blossoms design

Infinity, Black and White Landscape design
Skinny Scarf, Turquoise with Mountains and Black Chrysanthemum design:

 

In the same order as above:  a close-up look at the
kimono fabric and motifs (so beautiful!):

WEARABLE ART - JEWELRY

JOAN CIHAK

A Seattle ceramic artist's lovely handmade jewelry items,
brand new to the Gallery:  Welcome, Joan!

Porcelain Necklaces

 Porcelain necklaces, Left to Right:

Indigo and pale celadon Porcelain Flower and Leaf

Indigo and pale celadon Porcelain and Glass

Indigo and white Porcelain Pendant

Terracotta Bead Necklaces

Terracotta beads make for bold, chunky necklaces!
Left to Right:

Black, Red and Textured 5-Stone Necklace

Black, Red, Cream and Textured 5-Stone Necklace

Red, Cream and Textured 3-Stone Necklace

From the Gallery's own collection:

Mali Glass Bead Necklace

Stunning Mali beads from Africa, threaded on
leather, sold individually in two colors, Cobalt and Aqua.
These are just gorgeous, great accent pieces that transcend
summer jewelry and can be worn singly or as a group,
in one color or mix them up.

Thanks again for stopping by; if you're in the area, please come in and meet these wonderful pieces in person.  In the meantime, we hope you enjoyed this Quick Picks post, and we'll be back soon with another!  (And of course, the next Gallery Picks Newsletter is on its way...so come back soon!)

~S. Roth

May 2014 Gallery Picks Newsletter

Summer!  Yes, here it is, at least for the short term, as we residents of the Pacific Northwest are enjoying a glorious stretch of weather.  This sort of longed-for weather features blue skies, ferries gliding over glittering waters, and sightings of both whales and mountaintops!  (What can we say, we like the place.)

All this scenic loveliness sends us off into contemplation of summer trips, clothing to wear while engaged in either the contemplation of or the actual trip, and even the whimsy and promise of summer gardens (see the enormous Pod form below).

As if that weren't enough to think about, we are eagerly awaiting shipments of new clothing items from Carter Smith, Sandra Holzman, Mary Jaeger, Kay Chapman, Carol Lee Shanks, and Amy Nguyen, as well as fabulous jewelry from Bara.  In the meantime, please enjoy browsing below, and do click on the links for a closer view and more information on the individual pieces in our online shop.

Evening in the Canyon.  Nancy Gill

We have carried Nancy's work for many years, initially her ceramics,
then photography, and now her quite wonderful watercolors and
art cards.  A Pacific Northwesterner with deeply-held interests in many
fields, Nancy is something of a renaissance artist whose diverse pursuits
lead her attentive eye down pathways far from home, such as her quests to
the Grand Canyon, and right in her own backyard.

Born in Aberdeen, Washington, Nancy graduated with highest

honors from Grays Harbor College and Washington State University as an

English Major. Her Ph. D in English is from Penn State (1979). She taught for three

years at Penn State and twenty-eight years at Bloomsburg University, and often used

art to engage students and to help them to pay more attention to what was

going on around them.

Nancy has been drawing since she was a small child. She was given her first camera

during her Junior High years, and has never been without one since. Since her

first day on the job as a student librarian, when she was asked to paste down

the illustrations in all the modern art books the librarian had just ordered, she has

been interested in abstract art. In her last years as an English professor, she invited

the ceramics professor and an anthropologist to form a learning cluster with her

to engage students most likely to drop out or fail. It was those very students who

invited her to join them in the ceramics studio as a fellow student. She was

honored—and thrilled—to do that, and has been making raku and anagama

pottery ever since.

Several years ago, Nancy signed up for a watercolor class, and

since then has developed her own technique of drawing, applying a resist over

her pencil lines, and painting wet-on-wet. Her aim is to explore complex

multi-layered feelings, insights, and experiences in a way that, while it looks

abstract, integrates her study of literature, art, music, and other disciplines

with direct observation and knowledge of people and of the natural environment.

He have a good selection of Nancy's newest watercolors at the moment; the
entire collection will soon be available here.

Italian Leather Mid-Century Modern Chairs

These are beyond cool!

Stackable, lightweight black steel and leather

mid-century modern chairs that look equally excellent

with a dining table of elegant live-edge wood or sleek glass,

or pulled up to your desk.  Because they are stackable they

can be stored easily and used as occasional chairs.

(But we confess we like the live-edge combo best:)

Sycamore Slab Table; Italian Leather Chairs

See?  Gorgeous!

Pod XX.  Robin Hominiuk

If you've been following this blog, you know that our

show last month was dedicated to Robin Hominiuk's

wonderful ceramic and metal art, including her

sculptural pieces and wonderful jewelry.  Not to

belabor how much we admire her work (which we obviously

do, having included it in several straight blog posts) but this
Gallery story is worth telling:

Preparing for the opening of Robin's show last month, we set up the majority
of her work in advance of physically receiving the final few pieces.  Robin had
sent us photos of the pieces she would hand-deliver on the day
of the show, which appeared to be several more little pod-forms similar in size
- in the range of 5 to 7 inches long - to those already happily perched on display bases.
In the midst of our usual show-prep flurry we hadn't paid much attention
to the dimensions she had listed for the new ones, so we were ready to add
to the grouping of small pods, and space was at a premium.

Imagine our surprise when Robin reached two hands into a big box

 and produced an enormous, almost improbable major sculpture bristling with
brass "stem" and "leaves".  It seemed to be growing before our eyes!

Once we picked ourselves up off the floor we hastily re-evaluated

our display to accommodate this Granddaddy of All Pods.

Art was juggled, display bases were tweaked, sweat was sweated, but
of course it all worked out.

Needless to add, Granddaddy Pod has become the focal point of the exhibit.
(And he is looking for a very good home!)

So to gallery owners/staff everywhere, take heed:

READ the information your artists send you!

Preferably with a tape measure close at hand!

Mobius Cape, silk.  Sandra Holzman

The glowing silk of this glorious cape combined with

the raised weave of subtle dragon motifs and shimmering colors

makes one think of diving into Caribbean waters.

The darker patterns of what might be interpreted either

as coral reefs or schools of fish add to the incredible

beauty of the textile.  And the cut, ready to drop onto your

shoulders where, unlike a normal shawl, it stays put, is
clever, wearable and attractive.

See this and other of Sandra's magnificent creations here.

Shibori Band Shirt, Hip Circle Tee, Shibori Belt.  Mary Jaeger

Calm, cool and collectible - and absolutely perfect for summer!

We adore Mary Jaeger's clothing, with its features of lovely hand-dyed

shibori, softest of soft textiles, and clean styling.  The three pieces shown above

are no exception.  (And they play so well together, don't they?)

These and other new items from Mary's studio will be available in the Gallery

in early June, and in the online shop here shortly thereafter.

We can't wait to see the latest 100% cotton Tees in both her Shibori Love and

Shibori Wave lines, as well as cotton shirts and accessories.

Impala.  Kathy Mitchell

Now on display in the Gallery:  ceramic artist Kathy Mitchell
uses the raku firing process in her animal skull series to channel
Georgia O'Keefe and the desert Southwest, beautifully complimenting
the work of our Western Landscape artists.

Kathy has had a long and interesting career in the arts.  She graduated from
the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Art and Architecture,
has worked as a graphic designer in London, and became a well-known
children's book illustrator in New York, working on projects for Random House,
Andrews & McMeel, Grosset & Dunlap and George Lucas.

With a background rich in both whimsy and graphic detail, she is now
working as a ceramic artist.  Her strengths include surface detail and sculpture.

A long-time resident of Santa Monica, California, she now lives on Bainbridge Island.

Goodbye to May, and on to June!  We'll be back shortly with more terrific art from these and more incomparable artists.  Don't forget, if you'd like to have this newsletter appear directly in your inbox, send us a request at ssn@theislandgallery.net or sr@theislandgallery.net and we'll add you to the list.