Sunday, March 22, 2015

March 2015 Gallery Picks Newsletter

Ahh, spring has arrived!  It's still chilly around here, though - and we hear rumors that other parts of the country are still in deep freeze mode - but with the occasional teaser of fabulous sunny weather and warmth.  Which means it's that interesting time of year where we all wonder, prior to leaving our warm houses, "What on earth shall I wear?"  Well, if you don't have this problem licked yet, we hereby offer suggestions, in the form of our new Spirithouse clothing line (read on).  Their spring and summer pieces are beginning to arrive, and they are stylish, well-priced, and meant for layering.  We have several pieces up in the online shop here, but there are more in the Gallery and on the way.  Stay tuned!

We also have received new work from some of our amazing artists, and share them with you below.  Don't forget to click on the links for each one to journey to the online shop for more information.

Enjoy!


Undulation.  Renee Jameson
Recently a featured artist in the Collective Visions Gallery Statewide Competition,
Renee has brought us two new monotypes, which show the growth
of both her techniques and palette, with beautifully nuanced
expression and subject matter.  Undulation, shown above,
is the first of her grey tone pieces, and stunning it is.

For details on this painting, visit here.

Here's a bonus peek at her other new work:

Molten Sky.  Renee Jameson
 The color play here is bold, yet the artist
shows great restraint in its usage.  Note the masterful
transition in the upper part of the canvas from pale pink into
pale orange before giving way to the promised molten nature of
the sky at approximate center, drawing the eye fully into the
subject as only a well-composed piece can do, and
taking full advantage of contrast.

Questions have been raised by customers regarding the process
Renee uses, which is monotype.  Her works are not prints in the sense of
copies of an original piece of art, as each piece is one-of-a-kind.
They are also not monoprints. Here is a short description of the
distinctions between these two art forms:

Historically, the terms Monotype and Monoprint were often used interchangeably.
More recently, however, these now refer to very similar types of
printmaking which are somewhat different. Both involve the transfer of ink
from a plate to the paper, canvas, or other surface that will ultimately hold
the work of art.

In the case of a monotype, the plate is featureless. It contains no features
that will impart any definition to successive prints, as in etching or engraving
on a metal plate. In the absence of any permanent features on the surface
of the plate, all imagery is dependent on one unique inking,
resulting in one unique print.


A monoprint, on the other hand, refers to the results of plates
that have permanent features on them. Monoprints can be thought of as
variations on a theme, with the theme resulting from some permanent
features being found on the plate—lines, textures—that persist from print to print.
Variations are confined to those resulting from how the plate is inked
prior to each print. The variations are endless, but certain permanent features
on the plate will tend to persist from one print to the next.
A companion piece to her award-winning painting Wind,
Irene Yesley brings us this art work which expands on her process.
While in Wind she utilized a process involving painting with
water base and acrylic paint and gold leaf on layers of plexiglass,
she added monotype as the final layer of Wind 2.  This can
be seen as a background of pale branches, over which swirl
the golden-leafed currents.

Irene's extraordinary paintings in this style have a distinct 3-D
quality to them, casting shadows from all layers on the
surfaces beneath that change constantly with the direction of the light.  


Dreamcatcher.  Esperanza Grundy
Warm and vibrant, Esperanza Grundy's Dreamcatcher
is a delightful eyeful!  Executed in her familiar acrylic collage style,
which gives a sense of depth and texture, this is a perfect small piece
to brighten a corner of a room, or complement a bright area,
perhaps by a garden window.

See more of Esperanza's complex and pleasing works here, as
well as a description of her technique and process.



How sweet is this?

Nathan's trademarks of clean lines with the inevitable homage
to his rustic and sustainable sensibilities are readily visible in
this charming piece.  It is created from maple burl, minimally
finished, with striking legs and a youthful personality.

This would make a perfect side table or small tea or coffee table;
even a seat!  The light, beautifully grained wood has a modern feel but
would easily tone into a more traditional setting.

To see more of Nathan's furniture or sculpture, click on the links.

Nathan currently has several pieces on loan to the Bainbridge
Island Museum of Art in their current exhibition, The Art of Furniture 1,
along with our other Gallery artists Chris Mroz, Alan Rosen, Donald Smith,
Howard Todd, and Alan Vogel.  If you're in the area, be sure to pay the museum a visit.
It is rather awesome!

http://www.biartmuseum.org/
www.biartmuseum.org




Ah, yes; THIS is what we're talking about.
Add a sleek top or camisole for an elegant, yet practical, ensemble.

Spirithouse continues to entrance us with their easy to wear,
layering, travel-friendly, stylish, beautifully cut and drape-y clothing,
and the wonderful fabrics they choose.

Now that we've paused to take a breath, we can also add
that their pieces are well-priced, made in the US,
and we love them.

Here's a cross-section of what's here or on its way:



Have fun checking out these terrific pieces.
In the meantime, we're working on getting the new pieces in the online shop as
soon as we can, but please don't hesitate to call us or stop in to
see everything currently available.
(Need we add:  these tend to fly away rather quickly!)




Over the last several years we have spent so many hours raving about
Begona Rentero's brilliant pieces of art that it's hard to believe there
can be more to rave about.  But what an artist she continually
proves herself to be!  We suspect we will be hoarse from raving
about her for many years to come.

These earrings, for example, are thrilling, and are part of her new collection, 
Feeding from the Fountain of Italian Renaissance.
As noted above, they are a nod to Leonardo da Vinci, as is this necklace:

Necklace Leonardo da Vinci.  Begona Rentero
Both are created of paper and 24k gold, available in the light
sand color shown.  Lightweight, beautiful, serene.

Other Renaissance artists represented in the collection include Rafael,
with this splendid necklace:

Necklace Rafael Sanzio.  Begona Rentero
Shown in copper; also available in chestnut (a dark reddish-brown)
and terra cotta (a soft coral blush).  Earrings to match.

These pieces are on their way to us and are available for pre-order in the
Gallery or the online shop here, along with many of her other pieces.

Thanks once again for visiting our blog!  We'll be back in April with more beautiful things to share with you.  In the meantime, if you'd like to have our e-card announcing Newsletter postings delivered directly to your inbox, send us a note at sr [at] theislandgallery dot net.  We'll put you on our mailing list.

Here's to lovely Spring!

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Happy Pi Day!

Let's celebrate Pi Day with Lou Zeldis and one of his wonderful hand-drawn wall-hanging batiks:

Pi.  Batik on cotton.  Lou Zeldis

Here's a closer look at the upper left top:



We've run out the numbers and he is completely accurate throughout the piece!

Available in the Gallery, and soon in our online shop.


Saturday, February 28, 2015

BIMA: The Art of Furniture 1

We here at The Island Gallery are pleased to share this announcement, and congratulate our fabulous artists who have had their work selected for inclusion in Bainbridge Island Museum of Art's new exhibit:


For further information click on the link to visit BIMA's web site. 

Here are some of the pieces included in the exhibit



These and other items by the same artists can be seen in the Furniture section of our online shop; simply click here for a viewing and information.

You're Invited: March 2015 First Friday Artwalk

It's cold outside, but that beautiful sunshine is warming our hearts.  Could we be in for an equally vibrant First Friday?  Stroll around downtown Winslow and see, with friends, wine, appetizers, and naturally, great art.

Here at The Island Gallery we are presenting a textile exhibit:




Sumbanese Ikats

From the Gallery Collection

March 6 – 29, 2015

Opening Reception:

First Friday, March 6th
6 – 8 pm

In concert:

Ranger and the Re-Arrangers

Featuring ikats from the Gallery’s Collection of traditional Sumba Island ikats
by noted Sumbanese weavers and a “magical” double ikat from Tenganan, Bali,
with more contemporary designs from American textile artist Lou Zeldis,
who also worked in Indonesia with Sumbanese weavers and dyers.


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


The laborious weaving and dying process used to create traditional ikat textiles is a fascinating and ancient craft, its roots stretching deep into history.  Here's a little information:


In Indonesian and Malay “ikat” means, literally, to knot, and describes a tie-and-dye process employed by the archipelago’s weavers.  Using cotton thread, a mock-up of the warp (horizontal threads) is constructed on a frame.  Neighboring strands on the frame are then bound together using lengths of raffia-like palm-leaf fiber. The length of each knot seals a section of thread and the pattern of knots forms the intended motif.  It is from these knots that the technique gets its name.

Two sets of knots are used to produce a three-color design.  All knots resist the initial indigo dye and only unknotted areas become blue.  After one set of knots has been opened the threads are re-dyed red: this dyes the newly exposed white sections an earthy red, and over-dyes the indigo with red to produce a brown-black.  Opening the second set of knots reveals sections of thread that have received neither dye and will be white in the woven textile.  A pure blue is obtained by tying a third set of knots over the indigo work before the red dye process begins.

The indigo blue is from the young leaves of the leguminous indigo plant (indigofera tinctoria).  The red is made from the bark of the roots of the morinda tree (morinda citrifolia).  Further refinements of shade and hue are due to successive immersions in the dye baths and the inclusion in the dyes of other plant materials to recipes often held secret by a dyer.

Each set of threads receives up to a half-a-dozen applications of each dye.  Indigo is only collectable during the annual monsoon when new growth blooms.  Conversely, morinda root is harvested during the dry season when the dye-bearing sap retreats into the roots.  To achieve a deep saturation of color the dyer will often need to work though several seasons across a number of years.  Completed dye-lots are often stored for further years since the longer the threads are kept, the richer the final colors may become.

The weaving itself is done on a continuous-warp back-strap loom.  The arrangement of the warp on the loom, around the breast and warp beams, replicates its orientation on the warping frame and recreates the intended pattern.  A single-color weft is then used for weaving.

And what do we mean by a "magical" cloth, you might ask?  Read on.

Geringsing detail. Tenganan, Bali

Of all the spectacular textiles produced in Southeast Asia, the rarest and most intricate are the sacred Geringsings of Tenganan.  This eastern Bali village is one of only three places in the world where textiles are traditionally made using the elaborate double ikat patterning technique. Though other forms of ikat were probably imported from India, Geringsing textile weaving is thought to have originated solely in Tenganan. To support this theory, nowhere else in Indonesia is this intensely time-consuming and jealously-guarded process practiced.

The cloth is made of natural fibers and natural dyes, which are red and reddish-brown tones made of the root sunti, yellow made of kemiri fruit and blue or blue-black made of taum (indigo). The design is obtained by a double-tie process; that is, the threads of both the warp and the weft are patterned prior to the weaving.  Once the piece is completely woven on a back-strap loom, the geometric repetitive patterns must interlock in exactly the same place, in order for the fabric to have any aesthetic value or meaning. 

Only a very small number of woman weavers still know how to weave Geringsing textiles. Because of the intricacy of the work, to make a good quality Geringsing takes from five to eight years. Part of the reason for this time frame is that Geringsing can only be worked on during special days according to the wuku calendar (the wuku calendar sets out dates for festivals and has 10 different weeks, each from one to 10 days and all running simultaneously). Geringsing are worn as sashes in everyday wear; however, on festival days women dress in them from head to toe.  No rite of passage may be carried out without the obligatory wearing of Geringsing textiles. According to Balinese belief these rare cloths have protective powers, especially the ability to ward off evil and sickness, and to preserve the wearer from harm.  Indeed, the word ‘Geringsing’ is derived from the word ‘gering’, meaning ‘pestilence’ or ‘plague’, and the word ‘sing’, meaning ‘without’.

Come visit us to view these amazing pieces of art.  The exhibit runs through March 27th.

Friday, February 6, 2015

February 2015 First Friday Artwalk

It's tonight!

Peter Spencer and Friends opens our 2015 Concert Series tonight at 6pm, with their blend of rock and R&B.  Come downtown and enjoy a stroll through the Gallery (the sun - amazingly - is out and all we see are blue skies), a sip of wine, appetizers, great music and fabulous art.



Peter Spencer and Friends
First Friday, February 6th, 6-8 pm