One of the bigger parts of this upcoming exhibition is a site specific installation that is based on a NASA satellite image of a plankton bloom in Antarctica near McMurdo Sound. Even though the plankton are microscopic, there are so many of them in a large bloom, they can be seen from space, the color of the bloom all depends of the type of plankton.
plankton bloom in McMurdo Sound Antarctica as seen from space
The general form of the bloom laid out in circles was projected on the wall as a template to place all of the ceramic pieces. Some of the ceramic pieces are flat, some are raised off the wall and some are three dimensional forms, so there’s a lot of variation in the depth of the work. You can scroll through the photos below to see the progress I made.
template projected onto the wall
starting to place the pieces
making progress
As with all installations, things change and move based on how it’s working in the space, so I see some alterations ahead of me with this project but I’m sure it’s going to be beautiful once it’s done and all lit up. Stay tuned…
Bodies of Water | September 20 – December 3, 2022 | Opening Reception September 24th 5-8pm
Attention PNW Friends! You’ll want to save the date for this event!
Dancer Julia James. Photo by Tuesday Sands
I was thrilled to find out that my piece Lichen Series: Spore Patterns was selected as one of the sculptures in the Price Sculpture Forest for the dance event Wander/Wonder. Dancers from the StoneDance Productions will be interpreting and interacting with works in the forest through dance and music. I’m sad to not be able to see this in person but hope to get and share videos of the event. If you’re in the area, be sure to check it out!
StoneDance Productions presents WANDER/WONDER: a sculptured dance happening. Come journey on a lush forest trail to witness thought-provoking dance by 10 stunning professional Seattle dance artists alongside a beautiful outdoor collection of art.
Saturday, August 27, 2022 | 1:00-3:00pm | Price Sculpture Forest | 678 Parker Rd Coupeville, Whidbey Island, WA
Suggestion donation: $20 or pay-what-you-can. All donations accepted at the event. All proceeds from this event support the Whidbey Island Good Cheer Food Bank and Price Sculpture Forest.
For more information about this event visit: EVENT PAGE
Mark your calendars and get ready to dive into my newest exhibit: Bodies of Water!
Join us for the opening reception at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery on the UCSC campus Saturday September 24th from 5-8. The exhibit is on display Sept 20 – Dec 3.
The gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 PM-5 PM and Thursdays 12 PM-7 PM
Sculpture IS: 2022 at Sierra Azul Sculpture Garden & Nursery is open daily 10-5 and the sculptures are up until Oct 31st! There are tables and umbrellas available for use to enjoy an afternoon in garden.
I have 4 fennel inspired sculptures onsite and for sale! They are just waiting to be transplanted into your garden space. There are also over 100 sculptures in a variety of mediums waiting to be discovered in the 2 acre demonstration garden!
2660 East Lake Ave Watsonville CA 95076 | pvarts.org
For the past 16 years, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) has partnered with Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens for an annual art exhibit. Artists install sculptures throughout Sierra Azul’s two-acre demonstration garden, creating an open-air gallery surrounded by native trees and plants.
For this year’s Sculpture IS: In the Garden, curators Susana Arias, Hedwig Heerschop, and Sierra Azul owner Jeff Rosendale selected more than 90 sculptures by 48 contributors to be displayed. Read more…
Over 90 sculptures by 48 artists are in the 2 acre demonstration garden at Sierra Azul right now! This is one of my favorite shows of the year, be sure to check out my four fennel inspired Umbel flowers growing in the garden, on display June 1st – Oct 31st.
Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens | 2660 East Lake Ave Watsonville CA | Open Daily 10-5 | www.sierraazul.com
Yesterday, I installed my four largest Umbels at Sierra Azul Sculpture Garden in Watsonville CA as a part of Sculpture IS: 2022 exhibition. I love showing my work in this space, it’s truly one of my favorite annual local shows. Here’s a sneak peek of A Feast of Fennels, but you really need to get to see this show in person – it officially opens June 1st!
About A Feast of Fennels: The inspiration for these sculptures comes from my exploration of the natural world, and my curiosity about identifying plants, especially the edible ones. As an amateur forager, every hike in the woods has become like a trip to the grocery store for me. Fennels are one of the most recognized edibles that grow in California, available for the taking, yet there is a tendency to not trust the wild plants. This disconnect we humans have with nature, the loss of knowledge about native plants and how that relates to the global issue of food insecurity are all concepts explored with these pieces.
Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens | 2660 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076 | Open Daily 10 – 5
Sculpture IS: 2022 | June 1 – October 31 | pvarts.org
Aerena Gallery has listed the cloches in their online shop! There are two smaller and two very tall glass cloches with wood bases, each with a unique composition of Bone Series Medusas and Urchins. Interested in collecting them? SHOP HERE
I went up to Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery this week with curator Tauna Coulson to see the gallery space and toss around ideas for my upcoming exhibition there this fall. It’s a beautiful space nestled into the redwoods that I hadn’t been to a million years. As a bonus, I got to see the current exhibition on display.
Warp & Weft is about how textiles are integral in our lives, yet often overlooked. The exhibit showcases nine artists work with themes of family, community and politics through weaving and the history of cloth. Here are a few images I took of the show…
I know the parking is awful, but they are open Thursday nights until 7 and on Saturdays 12-5, so if you get a chance get up there and check it out!
If you missed seeing this show in person, here’s your chance to check out the exhibit with a full gallery tour of This is the Anthropocene, which included works by Cynthia Siegel, Shannon Sullivan, Jenni Ward, Susan Whitmore & Wesley Wright. If you want to learn more about each of the artists work and the curator’s vision for the show, see below…
Curators Statement:
The Anthropocene is defined as the current geological age during which human activity has been the dominant influence on the climate and the environment. Curators Cynthia Siegel and Jenni Ward chose to bring together a diverse group of artists whose work has not been grouped together before to explore this concept. The five artists are responding within the themes of Animal, Agriculture, Landscape, Water and Atmosphere, from multiple viewpoints. Using their current bodies of work, the artists have challenged themselves to deepen their consideration of these relevant topics.
While diverse in style and approach, the artists find commonality in the medium of ceramics, with each artist’s inspiration from nature, and with their desire to use their work to bring awareness to the planet’s current state of peril.
For tens of thousands of years, humans have used the abundant earth resource, clay, to increase their chances of survival. From primitive vessels to applications within the high tech industry, clay has paralleled human development and advancement. This shared history makes ceramics a uniquely relevant medium of expression for this exhibition. Each artist uses this humble medium to reveal a unique point of view regarding the impact of the Anthropocene.
As a parallel to the human struggle for survival, Cynthia Siegel is drawn to the tenacity of the bristlecone pine trees that have endured for thousands of years, both because of and despite their fragile environment. With textured surfaces that reflect the intersection of time, weather, growth, and decay, Siegel’s sculptures convey the inseparability of man and nature.
Using aerial and microscopic imagery as a point of interpretive departure, Shannon Sullivan explores human intervention in the landscape. Patterns found in agricultural landscapes, shifting geologic boundaries, and migrating oceanic phenomena intermingle in her work.
Through her abstract umbel flower installations, Jenni Ward’s work speaks about the disconnection that we have with nature, the unsustainability of monoculture farming, as well as the global issue of food insecurity.
Aspects of attraction and repulsion influence much of the work of Susan Whitmore, who regards light variations and magnifications, varied textures and colors, and the creatures that inhabit the depths, as inspirational and sometimes frightening. Whitmore explores how changing our actions will enable the planet to provide a hospitable existence for all species.
The ornate surfaces of Wesley Wright’s contemplative and noble animals respond to mass extinctions and recent losses of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, yet they also portray species interconnectedness and the hope for continued survival. Some of Wright’s sculptures hold an environment within a glass dome on its body, creating an alternate world of protection and safety.
Each of the artists included in This Is The Anthropocene has a keen interest in understanding and interpreting the inner workings and the wonder they find in their everyday life as a part of the natural world. Driven by personal experience, they have created works for contemplation and discussion, empowering the viewer to consider and even question their own relationship with nature and our changing planet.
